The Australian Greens have said that the Turnbull government is on a “witch-hunt” against environmental NFPs.

The statement follows earlier media reports which suggested some environmental NFPs may lose their charity status.

“The legislative witch-hunt against environment groups, which has now reportedly expanded to include health, ethnic and housing and other not-for-profit groups, is a threat to our democracy,” said The Greens.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson on the environment said stripping environment and civil society groups of charity status is a “dangerous attempt to silence dissent” and “a threat to democracy”.

“By pretending that the only real environmentalism is planting trees or cleaning up litter, the government allows its big polluter mates to continue their destruction unchallenged,” said Waters.

“Local, on-the-ground efforts are vital, but we cannot simply ignore systemic issues. The environment movement’s job is not just to clean up after destruction — it’s to help the community raise its voice to stop destruction in the first place.

“Without voices for the environment in the courts and without legitimate peaceful protest, we would have sand mining on Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef would be pocked with oil rigs.”

Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer said, “The Government is currently considering the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment report into the Register of Environmental Organisations, as part of a broader examination of the deductible gift recipient (DGR) sector.”

“The Government is concerned that some groups are misusing their DGR status, and therefore taxpayer money, to advocate, lobby for and fundraise for political purposes rather than to do good deeds,” she said.

Waters said this is an example of a “glass-jawed government” who have “gagged civil society NGOs under new funding agreements.”

“This government has defunded Environmental Defenders Offices, slashed grant funding for community environment groups, and tried to take away appeal rights for when Ministers break our national environment law,” she said.

“By attempting to shut these voices out, the Turnbull government is showing cavalier disregard for the concerns of the community.”