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April 9, 2025
Wednesday 9 April 2025
Sarah Ison
The Australian
The organisation responsible for the $600bn costing of the Coalition’s nuclear plan seized on by Labor is being grilled over its charity status after launching a stand-alone campaign website titled “double under Dutton” and warning that households with solar would be struck with bill increases should the Coalition win the election.
The Australian Solar Energy Society – trading as the Smart Energy Council – operates as a registered charity, despite accusing Peter Dutton of being “vitriolic” and a “gas guzzler” with “nightmare nuclear policies”.
Australian Electoral Commission data also shows the organisation – which has boasted board directors from Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court to former Labor minister Terri Butler – donated to Australian Labor Party as recently as 2023-24, when it handed over $42,000, and in 2021-22 when it donated $29,000.
Board members currently listed on the SEC site include Oliver Yates, the 2019 independent for Kooyong backed by Mr Holmes a Court, and Taryn Lane, who works for the wind farm founded in 2007 by Mr Holmes a Court.
Leaping on the creation of the SEC’s stand-alone website attacking the Opposition Leader, the Coalition demanded the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission investigate whether the organisation had breached rules that restrict charities from “promoting or opposing a political party”.
“This website does not even pretend to compare policies. It advocates against an individual candidate, namely Mr Dutton, and effectively urges readers to vote against Mr Dutton and by extension, the Coalition, at the forthcoming election,” a letter to ACNC on Monday, seen by The Australian, says.
“The Charities Act 2013 states that ‘promoting or opposing a political party or a candidate for political office’ is a ‘disqualifying purpose’ for a charity. Clearly this pattern of providing financial support to the Australian Labor Party indicates such a purpose.”
The website, which features a series of images of people staring in horror under their bills, points viewers to SEC modelling that estimates the cost of the Coalition’s nuclear plan to be nearly three times what the opposition claims, and risks pushing up power bills by more than $1100 a year.
“This is a sliding doors moment and you have the power to make a difference. Please spread the message to others so we can save solar together,” a quote on the site, authorised by SEC chief executive John Grimes, says.
The ACNC letter, signed by Liberal frontbencher James Paterson ahead of the SEC’s major national conference on Wednesday, demanded an immediate review of the organisation’s charitable status.
“I request the ACNC examine the Smart Energy Council’s pattern of activities promoting or opposing political parties and candidates for political office, including its multiple donations to the ALP,” the letter said.
However, Mr Grimes said the organisation had a history of supporting energy policies from a wide range of political parties, while disagreeing with the Victorian Labor government’s “flawed establishment” of the Solar Victoria program.
“In relation to Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan, we’ve done detailed analysis which demonstrates that it could cost up to $600bn, and double the power bills for millions of Australian solar homes,” he said.
“We have always, and will continue to always, abide by our legal requirements. It should be noted that the Smart Energy Council, and its predecessor organisations, has had tax deductibility status for two decades.”
The organisation’s total revenue in 2024 was nearly $8m, according to the ACNC website, the majority of which came from goods and services such as the facilitation of major conferences.
However, the charity reported more than $8.8m in expenses.
Political advocacy by registered charities is a concern for all sides of politics, with Labor sources pointing to comments made by Nuclear for Australia members admonishing government MPs and Energy Minister Chris Bowen for “pretending to be a nuclear waste guru” on social media posts.
The push this week from the Coalition to have the SEC deregistered follows a similar attempt in 2022, when the then-Liberal government complained to the ACNC about the organisation’s “bin him” advertising campaign against then-prime minister Scott Morrison.
An ACNC spokesman said the commission could not speak publicly about the circumstances of any charity, including whether a concern over its operation had been raised.
“The ACNC has detailed guidance for all charities on charities, campaigning and advocacy,” the spokesman said.
“This guidance states that in determining whether a charity has a disqualifying political purpose, the ACNC will consider all the relevant circumstances of the charity, including its governing document and its activities.
“Assessment of these matters will be a question of fact and degree. It states further that advocacy and campaigning can be a legitimate and effective way of furthering the charitable purposes of a charity.
“However, it is important that charities do not cross the line into having a disqualifying political purpose and that they maintain independence from party politics.”