The ACT postcode 2603 and the arts and recreation services sector are leading the way when it comes to generosity with their money, recently released tax data shows.
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A Sunday Canberra Times analysis of the latest Australian Taxation Office's 2018-19 tax return data released in June showed that residents of the postcode - which encompasses Forrest, Griffith, Manuka and Red Hill - devoted about $7.99m to gifts and donations, representing 0.96 per cent of their total taxable income.
In second place is postcode 2600 - the centre of Canberra - with $4.4m in gifts and donations, or 0.66 per cent of income.
As for the broad industries across the ACT, the arts and recreation services sector gave nearly $950,000, representing 0.88 per cent of total income at an average of $547.60 per person.
The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector had the highest average, at $775.82 and is second-placed in proportion of income being given to gifts and donations at 0.70 per cent.
While the professional, scientific and technical services sector has the most workers who donated, at 3147, it ranks third in proportion and second in average at $558.15.
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Peter Gordon, chief executive of Hands Across Canberra, an independent community foundation that works with hundreds of charities, said the data highlighted what they already knew - Canberrans were among the most generous givers in the country.
"We take this as a given. The economy of Canberra is that there are some very large parts that are unbelievably generous," Mr Gordon said.
"If you look at the IT sector, for example, that's another huge part of the ACT economy and some local firms are incredibly generous."
However, he said individuals' generosity differed from multinational companies' generosity, and more could be done in that area to boost their gift giving and donations.
"Also on the other hand, most of the money given by Canberrans leaves the city. If we change that, it means extra millions of dollars for Canberra's services," he said.
Mr Gordon said mental health and homelessness were two sectors that had received many of the gifts and donations, based on anecdotal evidence.
While data for more recent financial years has not been released, Mr Gordon said since Covid began there had been major shifts in donations to help charities meet the increased demands, which he described as "going through the roofs".
"We had our biggest year yet. We intended to raise $1 million but we ended up with $2 million," he said.
The foundation recently launched a perpetual endowment fund to help give regular grants to those most in need.
It is also one of three organisations that recently started the Fearless Women initiative, an outreach and support service for young women.
The foundation, along with Aspen Medical and the Snow Foundation, has committed $90,000 to the initiative.
When it comes to average gifts and donations per person compared with the rest of the nation, the ACT's $279 is third behind WA's $590 and NSW's $295.
Its income proportion is 0.38 per cent, narrowly behind Victoria at 0.39 per cent. WA leads at 0.89 per cent.
The ACT topped the charts when it comes to those who claimed a deduction - at 36 per cent.
In the professional sector, Canberra defence barrister Jason Moffett said he was not surprised by the data, particularly as the sector has a high average income.
"Canberrans in general are very generous with their time and money," Mr Moffett said.
"It doesn't surprise me that people put their hands in their back pockets to donate to people who are more in need.
"We've seen a number of crises of late - from Covid to bushfires - and Canberrans and Australians have been very willing to help each other through these crises."
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