Riverina farmers have welcomed a notorious online animal activist group losing its federal charity status.
The 'Aussie Farms' group launched an online interactive map early this year that included the location, types of animals raised and contact details of thousands of farms, including dozens in the Riverina.
On Monday afternoon, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) revoked Aussie Farms charity status following an investigation.
Euberta's Murray Darling Fisheries owner Noel Penfold, whose property was included on the online map, said it was welcome news.
"I'd just say hooray," he said.
"It was a bit ridiculous that they could get charity status for that."
Mr Penfold previously told The Daily Advertiser that including his farm on the map was "disgusting" because he was breeding native fish for renewing the waterways.
ACNC Commissioner Gary Johns said revocation of charity status was reserved for the most serious of cases.
"Charities must stick to their purpose, and maintain their obligations under the ACNC Act, Charities Act and adhere to Governance Standards," he said.
The ACNC said it was "prevented from publishing the findings from investigations, or the nature of the concerns, due to secrecy provisions in the ACNC Act".
Effective Monday, Aussie Farms has lost Commonwealth tax concessions in areas such as income tax and GST as a result of losing federal charity status.
Aussie Farms executive director Chris Delforce said it was "both extremely disappointing and concerning" that his organisation learned of the charity status via advance notice given to the media rather than directly from the ACNC.
"To us this strongly suggests that this has not been a decision made independently by the ACNC, but instead under the heavy influence of the very industry within which our charity has exposed extreme and at times illegal animal cruelty," he said.
"This influence is also evident in previous communication sent to us by the ACNC earlier in the year.
"We will be calling for an immediate review of the ACNC's ability to operate independently and without corruption by business interests, as it is extremely inappropriate for decisions about charities to be made in consultation with third parties who stand to benefit financially from their revocation."
As of Monday afternoon, Aussie Farms was still a registered charity in NSW, with an expiry date in 2021, and its website and map of farms were still online.
Mr Penfold said the ACNC's actions were a "start" but the website should be taken down.
"It's a bit of justice for us," he said.
"They should take the website down now, I feel."
NSW Farmers Wagga branch president Alan Brown said Riverina livestock producers would welcome Aussie Farms losing federal charity status but there needed to be consistency on the state level.
"(Aussie Farms) certainly don't conform to the classic definition of a charity," he said.
"Their basic aim is to make life as difficult as possible for honest people who are making a living by doing things they don't agree with.
"I would advocate that there should be consistency across federal and state law; if one body thinks it is appropriate to de-register them then the whole lot should."