Politics

Malcolm Turnbull ‘donates entire $500,000 annual salary to charity’

Jun 26, 2018

Malcolm Turnbull has been making very charitable donations. Source: Getty.

Labor attacked him just hours ago over his personal wealth and tax cuts proposal, but now it’s claimed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been more charitable than many would realise.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the PM actually donates his entire $500,000 annual salary to charity – plus a little extra – through his Turnbull Foundation.

Rather than diverting the $528,000 into a separate account, the publication claims he actually donates slightly more – around $550,000 – to a charity of his choice.

Indeed, confirming they have received a sizeable donation themselves, The Sydney Children’s Hospital states on their website: “The Turnbull family has donated over $1 million in support of Sydney Children’s Hospital, in particular for our Cancer Inpatient Ward, of which they are naming rights sponsors.

“Lucy Turnbull served on the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation board from 1998 to 2000 and has been an integral member of our Gold Dinner committee since its inception in 1998.”

According to the news outlet, Turnbull also donates to Wayside Chapel and the Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation in Redfern, providing help for indigenous families in need.

It comes after the Labor party released a new television advert last week which singled out Turnbull and questioned the motives behind his bill to reduce tax for big businesses, which will be debated in the Senate this week.

Labor's attack on the Federal Government's proposed company tax cuts has turned personal tonight. The ALP will start airing ads for the five upcoming by elections and they target the Prime Minister's wealth. @telester #7News pic.twitter.com/l68TeO5J16

— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) June 24, 2018

The 30-second ad took aim at the PM’s personal wealth and the financial gain he stands to inherit if his bill to lower corporate taxes passes the Senate, posing the question “who exactly is he looking after?”

The prime minister hit back on Monday and said the advert, released this week as part of the opposition’s “Super Saturday” by-election campaigning, proves that the Labor party has “abandoned everything it stands for”, claiming that the opposition do not want people to be successful.

Turnbull, 63, described the campaign as “mean spirited” and said: “They just appear to be an example of how the Labor Party is just abandoning everything it used to stand for. They want to attack me for having a quid, they want to attack me and Lucy for working hard, investing, having a go, making money, paying tax, paying plenty of tax, giving back to the community, which we do.

“That is apparently not the Labor way anymore. You are not allowed to have a go or be successful. It used to be a Party that supported aspiration, people getting ahead, people aspiring to build businesses, get on, employ people, you make a buck, pay your tax all that, Luce and I have done that all our lives. Absolutely all our lives. So, now they want to attack that.”

The advert attacks the Prime Minister, whose wealth is no secret, over his investments. It says: “Turnbull has millions invested in funds which hold shares in dozens of big businesses that would benefit from the tax cuts. Why is former banker Malcolm Turnbull so keen to give big business a tax cut instead of properly funding our schools and hospitals?

“Who exactly is he looking after? Is he just for the top end of town?”

Starts at 60 has contacted Turnbull’s department for comment.