The charities watchdog has raised concerns the federal government's crackdown on foreign donations to political parties and other entities will stifle the advocacy work of aid groups.
The Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission head Gary Johns has made a submission to a joint parliamentary inquiry examining the draft legislation.
"It is our view that the bill, as formulated, will place a further regulatory burden on charities, and may inhibit their ability to advocate as a method of achieving its charitable purpose," he said.
The peak body for aid groups has also echoed those concerns.
"It no longer characterises charities' advocacy as a reflection of the experiences of the people they support, but as a one-sided view, shaped by party-political leanings," Australian Council for International Development spokesman Gareth Beyers said.
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