The Federal, New South Wales and former Victorian Government’s have been funnelling taxpayer funds into organisations which have actively sought increases in the price of electricity, petrol, water and gas, reveals a report released today by the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA).

IPA Research Fellow and Report author, Asher Judah, said taxpayer funds have been used to support the promotion, activities, training and recruitment of political activists who have campaigned against improving the community’s basic living standards.

“On one hand, these Government’s have been advocating policies to improve the living standards of ordinary Australians, yet on the other, they have been funding organisations which seek the opposite.

“The use of government funds to support these organisations represents a tremendous waste of public money.

IPA research has revealed taxpayer funds have been used to support campaigns which seek to increase the cost of electricity, petrol, water and gas; Protests to shut down the timber, coal mining and coal power generation industry’s in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland; An environmental agenda which aims to put thousands of workers in the mining, timber and power generation sectors out of work; Political campaigns against the Victorian and New South Wales Coalition; Advocacy work to end major road construction and residential land release; and, Education programmes which teach school children to become active about climate change.

IPA said it appears that no serious research was performed to properly background check these organisations before public funding was awarded.

“No government can credibly justify the provision of taxpayer funds for organisations which act against the public interest.

“The IPA is calling for an immediate review of third party funding arrangements.”