LAST week the Community Council of Australia stated there are too many charities being set up and called for charities to merge.

What is important to remember is charitable organisations form because people want to come together for mutual and wider benefit to grow resources for a cause, advocate for change, create new offers of goods and services, and share interests and resources. These organisations form for purpose, not for financial reasons in and of themselves.

It is not appropriate for commentators, funders or regulators to determine whether and how many of these organisations exist.

For-purpose organisations provide essential social infrastructure through which the community can reflect its diversity, express its collective will and shape its social and economic priorities and circumstances. These organisations do face challenges in remaining relevant and viable, but the best way to deal with these challenges is not for them to disappear into merged entities.

Partnerships are and have always been core business for community organisations, including charities. The foundation for partnerships, including mergers, should be sustaining and strengthening of purpose.

Susan Helyar, director,

ACT Council of Social Service Inc.

Who’s the buffoon?

MARK Parton (CN, November 12) refers to Mark Latham as a “buffoon” and then says he is “with him” agreeing “that the rider shouldn’t have been so critical of those owners who wanted to take her off the horse”. Well, Mark, by agreeing with Latham you are also a buffoon. Every great winner has a right to say: “And they thought I couldn’t do it”!

Let Michelle have her glory and find something else to whinge about!

Edward Corbitt, Farrer