Australian Taxpayers Alliance
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Australian Taxpayers Alliance (ATPA) is the parent organisation of Menzies House, a website for "conservative, centre-right and libertarian thinkers and activists".[1]
One of the web domains registered by the Alliance is Reclaimaustralia.com.au. On it the slogan of ATPA is "fighting tax, regulation & waste".[2] Menzies House in turn has founded other short-term websites, which it describes as "our sister sites" -- "Stop Gillards Carbon Tax and Support Bolt".[1] Another website, Closethetentembassy.com is, it states only on the donation page, is "operated by Menzies House, a subsidiary of the non-profit Australian Taxpayers' Alliance."[3]
Contents
Personnel
- Tim Andrews, Executive Director
- Alex Robson, Board member
- Grace Collier, Board member
- Tom Switzer, Board member
- Julian Leeser, Board member
- Ron Manners, Board member
- Ken Phillips, Board member
- Michael Keane, Board member
- John Humphreys, Board member
- Patrick Michaels, Board member
Public Campaigns
The Alliance's first campaign was against the price on carbon. [4]
The ATPA opposed the policy of introducing plain packaging for cigarette packets. [5] [6]
They also oppose an increase in foreign aid from Australia, and claim that AusAID funds are used to support terrorist groups. [7]
Their "The ABC Is Out Of Control" campaign that pushed for reform of Australia's public broadcaster, the ABC.[8]
Climate Change Denial
As well as being supported by US-based climate denier groups such as the Koch Associate Program, of which ATPA's Director Tim Andrews is a member[4], ATPA have used their funding to support events such as the 7th International Conference on Climate Change, held in Chicago in May 2012. The conference is organised by the Heartland Institute, and ATPA are an official co-sponsor.[9]
The Alliance has also been active in promoting skeptical views on climate change, through its subsidiary Menzies House.
In 2015 Tim Andrews authorised for the Australian Taxpayers' Alliance an advert in The Australian Newspaper arguing the cancellation of Bjorn Lomborg's Australian Consensus Centre at the University of Western Australia was academic censorship.[10] The Centre had been initiated from Prime Minister Tony Abbott's office and was being funded by the Federal Government to the tune of $4 million.[11] Strong protests from Academic staff and student of the University resulted in the University Vice-chancellor cancelling the contract to establish the centre at the university.[12]
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Support us", Menzies House website, accessed January 2012.
- ↑ "reclaimaustralia.com.au", Whois, January 30, 2012.
- ↑ "Donate", Close the Tent Embassy website, accessed January 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Heartland unleashes the Unabomber in its newest advertising campaign", Crikey 7-May-2012.
- ↑ "Plain Packaging discussion with Tim Andrews", Channel Ten breakfast show, 17-April-2012.
- ↑ "Plain Packaging” Legislation Yet Another Policy Bungle", Australian Taxpayers' Alliance website, accessed 13-May-2012.
- ↑ "Why Are Aussie Taxpayers Funding Terrorist Organisations?", Australian Taxpayers' Alliance website, accessed 13-May-2012.
- ↑ "ABC Is Out Of Control", Australian Taxpayers' Alliance website, accessed 30-Jan-20142.
- ↑ 7th International Conference on Climate Change, Australian Taxpayers' Alliance website, accessed 13-May-2012.
- ↑ See a copy of the advert at Desmogblog Stop Academic Censorship Accessed 29 May 2015
- ↑ John Englart, Nofibs.com.au, 17 April 2015 Australian Government funds $4 million sweet deal for #climate contrarian Bjorn Lomborg – @Takvera Accessed 29 May 2015
- ↑ Graham Readfearn, Desmogblog.com, Thursday, May 28, 2015 The Climate Science Deniers And Free Market Activists Backing Bjorn Lomborg Accessed 29 May 2015
Related SourceWatch articles
- Closethetentembassy.com
- Cory Bernardi
- Conservative Leadership Foundation
- Stop Gillards Carbon Tax.com
- Support Bolt.com
