What will it take to break the funding drought in Australia?
Donations to health and medical research have recently made headlines, with mining magnate Clive Palmer pledging $100 million to medical research and Indigenous needs.1 While this amount is an Australian record, it is somewhat eclipsed by “gigaphilanthropists” Bill and Melinda Gates’s multibillion dollar inputs to research and health delivery. The prefix “gigas” is Latin for “giant” and it is worth asking: Where are the giants of Australian giving? As Daniel Petre (an Australian philanthropist and former Microsoft vice-president) recently slammed the lack of generosity of richer Aussies,2 it is timely to consider where health and medical donation stands in Australia. How do we compare with other nations and what is the forecast for the future?
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- 1. Gettler L. Magnate digs deep in foundation move to aid Aborigines. The Age (Melbourne) 2008; 2 Feb. http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/magnate-digs-deep-in-foundation-move-to-aid-aborigines/2008/02/01/1201801039069.html (accessed May 2008).
- 2. Connors E. Australia’s rich are poor givers. Australian Financial Review 2008; 11 Mar : 5.
- 3. Mackellar D. My country. In: Lever S, editor. The Oxford book of Australian women’s verse. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1995: 59.
- 4. Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Patterns of household charitable giving by income group, 2005. Indianapolis: The Center, 2007.
- 5. Australian Council of Social Service. Giving Australia: research on philanthropy in Australia — summary of findings. Canberra: Department of Family and Community Services, 2005.
- 6. Whitworth JA. The Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation: a decade of support for medical research in Australia. Intern Med J 2003; 33: 610-612.
- 7. Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Giving USA. The annual report on philanthropy for the year 2006. Indianapolis: The Center, for the Giving USA Foundation, 2007.
- 8. Madden K, Scaife W. Good times and philanthropy: giving by Australia’s affluent. Brisbane: Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, Queensland University of Technology, 2008.
- 9. Merrill Lynch and Capgemini. The world wealth report. 11th annual report. New York: Merrill Lynch and Capgemini, 2007.
- 10. Slattery L. Hay’s legacy a brighter Sunshine State. The Australian 2007; 28 Nov: 23.
- 11. Health cheques [editorial]. Nature 2007; 447: 231-232.
The “Good times and philanthropy” research8 cited in the article was sponsored by the Petre Foundation. Wendy Scaife is a member of the Research Australia Philanthropy steering committee.