With effect from 1 October 2018, associations incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW) which are registered charities will no longer have to submit annual financial reports to NSW Fair Trading as well as the Australian Charities & Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

The annual financial reports which these charities lodge

A reminder to check your School Building Funds’ compliance with the ATO requirements.coinjar

School and College Building Funds may attract the attention of the ATO’s compliance program this year.  The ATO develops and implements its compliance program annually, which identifies key areas for its compliance activities for the financial year.  The compliance program targets areas

The ATO and ACNC are reminding charities and ancillary funds that the annual reporting period is fast approaching.

Charities

Charities registered with the ACNC (that have an annual year end of 30 June) have less than a week to submit their Annual Information Statement (AIS) to the ACNC. The AIS should be lodged via the

The ACNC Commissioner has just released the ACNC’s Interpretation Statement on Public Benevolent Institutions. The Interpretation Statement provides guidance on the ACNC’s interpretation of the law pertaining to Public Benevolent Institutions (PBI) and insight into how the ACNC and its staff will assess a charitable organisation’s entitlement for endorsement as a PBI. The Interpretation

Businesses including Not-for-Profit entities should review their privacy policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with the new Australian privacy principles before they commence on 14 March 2014.

The Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 is the most significant privacy reform since the Privacy Act was introduced over 25 years ago. The new privacy principles will regulate the handling of personal information by businesses and Australian government agencies.

Continue Reading Privacy Act Amendments to Regulate Businesses and Government Agencies

Completing formCharities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) are required to submit an Annual Information Statement (AIS) each year.

To make AIS reporting easier for organisations such as a corporate trustee administrating multiple trusts, or an administrative office for multiple religious charities,  the ACNC released form 4C Annual Information Statement – Bulk Lodgement yesterday.

Continue Reading Are you eligible to Bulk Lodge your Annual Information Statement with the ACNC?

ACNCSummary – Not-For-Profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill Introduced to the Senate.

On Wednesday 13 March 2013, Senator Penny Wong tabled the Not for Profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill in the Senate. The Bill invalidates gag clauses contained in past, present and future Commonwealth government contracts with Not-For-Profit organisations.

The legislation is intended to promote and respect the independence of the Not-For-Profit sector. In doing so, it will ensure that Not-For-Profit organisations cannot be gagged from speaking out against the government for fear of breach of contract. Senator Wong has stated that this legislation was drafted in response to the Newman Government inserting gag clauses into government contracts in Queensland. The Commonwealth Government has now made a point of calling on each of the State and Territory Governments to legislate in a similar fashion.

Continue Reading Not-For-Profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill Introduced to the Senate

signing documentSummary – The ACT has followed the move by South Australia to sign up to the ACNC legislative framework.  Who will be next?

It has been announced that the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will be signing up to the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission (ACNC) regulatory framework by making changes which will carve out the charities registered by the ACNC from regulatory requirements under relevant ACT legislation.

The ACT is the second Australian State or Territory to sign up to the ACNC regulatory framework after South Australia became the first in October 2012 to announce that it would also progress changes to align its regulatory framework for incorporated associations and fundraising with the ACNC.

Continue Reading Further Progress towards a National Regulatory Framework