Australians will be able to make tax deductible donations to the hurricane relief effort in the United States through the Australian Red Cross.
The Australian Government today approved the Australian Red Cross Society US 2005 Hurricane Relief Appeal for deductible gift recipient (DGR) status.
Australians have always shown themselves to be generous in times of need. This is a very worthy cause, which is why the Government has acted quickly to give it the required status to make donations tax deductible, Federal Assistant Treasurer, Mal Brough, said today.
The approval for tax deductibility for this fund is over and above the Australian Government's donation of $A10 million to the American Red Cross to assist those most affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
The law will be amended to allow deductibility for gifts to the Australian Red Cross Society US 2005 Hurricane Relief Appeal for a period of one year from 1 September 2005.
Australians making donations to the relief effort should keep their receipts for tax purposes.