I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, on whose traditional lands we meet, and pay respect to all First Nations people here today.
Thank you to Glenn Keys and his team for the invitation to address you and launch Aspen Medical Foundation’s first annual report.
Some starting presumptions. If you’re here today, it is highly probable you’re a friend to the Foundation, perhaps as a contributor to its initiatives, or as a beneficiary of them.
I will also presume you appreciate the role played by smart, innovative philanthropy in modern society.
The role of reimagining what’s possible.
This annual report demonstrates how Aspen Medical Foundation’s contributions have done just that.
I was particularly moved by the story of Dr Tahni Derbin, one of the Foundation’s First Nations scholarship recipients, who graduated last year from Griffith University with a medical degree.
Dr Derbin’s example highlights the resonance of philanthropy. How helping an individual can create changes that reverberate through communities to uplift, transcend and inspire.
Working across 3 pillars of First Nations Health, Disability Health and Indo‑Pacific Health – the Aspen Medical Foundation has focused on big impacts.
Since its establishment in 2008, the foundation has provided a way for Aspen Medical’s shareholders to allocate a percentage of profits to charitable causes – generating social impact and public good from the success of the company.
Across a range of the Foundation’s initiatives I see a common thread – a goal of inspiring health care workers and young doctors to build community resilience and lasting human impact.
It shows a belief that people might ultimately be the best health solution. Producing grounded, networked and well‑trained health workers and health advocates is an investment in human potential well beyond the direct recipients.
Ambassadors who can change behaviour and build health knowledge in their day to day relationships as well as their professional lives, reaching across their extended families and their community.
It’s a broad community based approach which sets of ripples of influence that go beyond purely medical outcomes.
One of the best examples of this ripple effect is the Maalpa Young Doctors for Life program. This program, running in Perth and the South West regions of Western Australia, aims to turn students into health ambassadors. It takes students aged between 9 and 12 and gives them culturally appropriate teaching on how to set their own ‘health destiny’ and improve the outcomes for their family.
The students are shown practical and hands‑on skills by Aboriginal elders, doctors and paramedics across a range of personal hygiene, mental health and nutrition – and this gives them the authority to shape better habits around them.
This is a program deeply rooted in First Nations culture and it’s a charming and subtle approach to improving health among family groups in the region.
But the foundation is also able to react quickly to global challenges, funding life‑enhancing prosthetics to victims of the catastrophic conflict in the Ukraine.
These subtle and agile approaches to big problems show philanthropy at its smartest and most compassionate.
Doubling giving by 2030
Two years ago, when the Albanese government committed to double philanthropic giving by 2030, we envisaged ourselves as one participant in a partnership that also included the business, philanthropy and non‑profit sectors.
That’s why we asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a once‑in‑a‑generation inquiry to examine the policy framework supporting philanthropy.
The result was the Future Foundations for Giving report, which contains short‑ and long‑term recommendations to improve conditions for giving.
What we’ve already done
As many of you know, the government has been laying the foundations to improve conditions for giving.
These changes are a clear signal of the government’s commitment to sectoral reform.
We’ve made regulatory changes so the system works for charities, not against them.
For example, we reduced red tape by giving the ATO responsibility of the deductible gift recipient application process for environmental organisations, harm‑prevention charities, cultural organisations, and overseas aid organisations.
These types of charities will now spend fewer resources meeting requirements and more on pursuing charitable purposes.
Second, we created a new deductible gift recipient category for ‘community foundations’. These are charities that directly support local and regional communities across Australia. The guidelines for the ‘community charity’ deductible gift recipient category will be made available for public consultation this year and I encourage everyone to have their say.
Third, we are giving new powers to the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission. Once legislated, our changes will give the ACNC greater discretion to provide information about compliance decisions where public harm is at stake. This will improve transparency and accountability in the charity sector.
Fourth, we established the not‑for‑profit–led Blueprint Expert Reference Group to identify priority areas for reform.
The group is developing a blueprint to capitalise on the strengths and the experiences of not‑for‑profits around the country to chart a path to a better‑connected Australia.
Closing remarks
Let me finish by saying that I am sure you, like me, are excited to see what comes next from Aspen Medical Foundation. As well as from other philanthropic organisations like yours that are shaping the pathway to doubling giving by 2030.
I am sure many of you are thinking about what comes next now that the Productivity Commission’s inquiry has been published.
The double‑giving goal is not just a government objective – it’s a shared objective.
I’d like to suggest that everyone asks themselves the same question. ‘How can I contribute to that goal?’
The Productivity Commission’s recommendations, alongside the data contained in this first Annual Report, present Aspen Medical Foundation with the opportunity to ponder that question.
And by taking the right steps, Dr Tahni Derbin will have many more fellow scholarship recipients and graduates working at her side by 2030.
Thank you.
References
Aspen Medical Foundation (2024), Impact Report 2023/24, p 12.
Aspen Medical (12 July 2024) Aspen Medical Foundation and Alcoa Foundation partner to being program empowering kids to become ‘Young Doctors’ to Western Australia [media release].