Dear Bronwyn,

 

Recently when you were told that the average donation to GetUp! is just $27 you said  “$27 doesn’t add up to much.”  Yet, it is apparent from the fact that you need to disparage GetUp! and the limited resources of the people that support it, that you are aware that GetUp! is successful and does add up to much.

 

No doubt, you prefer to see political, social and economic power wielded only by individuals who are able to provide much more substantial financial support to obtain that control.  GetUp! shows that there are enough Australians of much lesser means willing to operate collectively to also have influence and make a difference.

 

Unlike those individuals who use their substantial financial support to gain political, social and economic power, GetUp!'s  philosophy and stance on the issues that it responds to is one of fairness, morality, social responsibility, and adherence to a long-term perspective. At the committee hearing on political donations you accused GetUp! of having a left-wing agenda; well, if those values comprise your definition of a  left-wing agenda, then that is what they have!  You also asked "...where is your right-wing agenda?"  If you can find a right-wing agenda or issue that meets GetUp!'s criteria of fairness, morality, social responsibility, and adherence to a long-term perspective, then I expect that they would support it.

 

GetUp!'s success and efficacy is underpinned by the fact that its philosophy and morality is aligned with that of a large proportion of Australians.  Many, and probably most, of the Australians that support what GetUp! stands for and does, are not ratbags, they are regular working people who are glad to have an organisation like GetUp! to present a point of view that they can support.