Well done Tweed, we’re a charitable bunch
RESIDENTS of the Tweed region have dug deep for charity, with some areas of the shire demonstrating above-average donation levels.
A report by Queensland University of Technology has revealed the figures of charity donations throughout Australia in the 2010-2011 financial year.
As a whole, about 36% of Tweed taxpayers claimed charity donations on their tax returns.
Of these people, an average of $466 was donated each.
This compares well to the national average of $461.
Australian Taxation Office figures indicate some Tweed Coast suburbs have had a slightly higher than average percentage of people donating to charity (39% compared to a national 38%).
Of all Tweed's suburbs, those with postcode 2486 have the largest number of generous people - 5,650 people from this area donated to charity.
On a national level, the report said Australians have become a whole lot more generous in recent years.
"The total amount donated and claimed as tax-deductible donations in 2010-11 was $2.21 billion," the report stated.
"This constitutes an increase of $248 million from the previous income year."
The report said Australian donations reached one billion in 2003, taking only eight years to double.
