Defence Minister Peter Dutton has posted flyers to constituents of his marginal seat spruiking the success of a controversial online fundraiser he launched after the Brisbane floods.
Dutton’s methods raised questions among transparency and charity experts, also sparking action from a fundraising regulator, before the GoFundMe effort closed with almost $29,000 in donations.
Last night’s Senate Estimates revealed Scott Morrison’s $4.8 billion disaster fund has STILL not spent a cent on disaster recovery, STILL not started building a single disaster readiness project, but it HAS earned his Government over $800 million in interest. pic.twitter.com/DUwHCsglaZ
— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) February 14, 2022
The move has been described as “risky” by Queensland University of Technology emeritus professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes, a former director of the university’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies.
Griffith University professor and Transparency International Australia board member AJ Brown suggested the decisions by Mr Dutton and his Coalition colleague, Petrie MP Luke Howarth, to establish the fundraisers risked opening them up to perceptions of favouritism or politically motivated funding allocations.
Mr Howarth’s fundraiser is still accepting donations, with the non-profit arm of the Bridgeman Baptist Community Church, Bridgecare, the beneficiary of $2575 so far, “to support residents and business owners in the Petrie electorate”. Distribution details are yet to be released.
Mr Dutton posted an update to the Pine Rivers Community Flood Relief GoFundMe page last week stating that a member of the Dickson Seniors Council would be “withdrawing the funds raised and then providing direct assistance to individuals, community groups and small businesses from there”.
Only those within the Dickson electorate are eligible to apply. The online form features on Mr Dutton’s personal Liberal National Party-branded website, among links to federal and state government flood assistance programs. There is no publicly available deadline for applications.
The link had previously taken users to an online application form, where people could fill out personal details, the assistance required, and photos of damage. This has now been placed behind a password, after a series of questions were put to Mr Dutton’s office late last week.
Application details have not been shared publicly on any of the minister’s social media accounts, as the fundraiser was, despite a March 1 note on the GoFundMe page saying it had been promoted to residents via email and social media. Analytics platform CrowdTangle shows only one link to the site on Instagram by a local church.
Applications for money from an online flood support fundraiser by federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton where being directed through a password protected section of his Liberal National Party-branded website, alongside links to other official government programs.
Mr Dutton, who holds the seat of Dickson in Brisbane’s north, has also named a small community group with close links to him as the beneficiary of the $28,962 raised for his electorate, despite it not being listed with the national charities register.
GoFundMe almost $29,000
Applications were directed through what was eventually a password protected section of Dutton’s LNP-branded website, with the money said to have been held and distributed by a small community group — unregistered with the national charities body — that was linked to his office.
In mid-April, Dutton posted an update to the GoFundMe page, thanking donors and saying all funds had been distributed. He also included testimonials from three successful applicants.
Brisbane Times has learned Dutton has now printed and posted an unknown number of flyers sharing a similar message, including an additional positive testimonial, to residents in his electorate.
“What [the 2011 floods] taught us was that despite significant government assistance and insurance claims, nothing can replace the generosity of our fellow Australians,” Dutton said in the flyer. “That’s why, following the February floods, I created a GoFundMe to raise recovery support funds from generous Australians right across the country.”
“We have raised money to help our community clean up after the floods, especially in Dayboro and surrounding areas which have been hit hardest,” a note on the previously public application page stated.
“If you, or someone you know, requires assistance, please let us know.”
Mr Dutton’s office had not responded by the time of publication to a series of questions from the press
