Significant red tape cuts for thousands of Australian charities are highlighted in the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) annual report, tabled in Parliament last week.
Acting Commissioner Deborah Jenkins said the report sets out a range of achievements in 2021-22. “We worked closely with the Australian Government to implement changes to charity size thresholds, meaning red tape cuts for around 5,000 Australian charities. With their size shifting downward, they have fewer ACNC reporting obligations, starting from the 2022 Annual Information Statement reporting period," Ms Jenkins said.
“Other red tape cuts will result from work that culminated this year with the removal of duplicated reporting requirements for charities that fundraise in New South Wales, and from our work with the Australian Taxation Office on Deductible Gift Recipient reforms.”
During 2021–22, there were more than 5.6 million Charity Register searches – a 31% increase on the previous year, reflecting its importance as a tool to verify registered charities and as a data source. Major Register enhancements were launched, for the first time enabling the public to find charities based on the type of work they do and their location. “The Charity Register now helps the public find a cause close to their heart. It gives a much more detailed picture of the sector, boosts transparency and allows charities to better communicate with potential supporters,” Ms Jenkins said.
The ACNC received 2,522 concerns about charities, a 26% rise on the previous year. In the lead up to the Federal election, the ACNC received 490 concerns that charities were engaging in political advocacy. Of those, 19 were identified as being at risk of non-compliance. Those charities were provided guidance that they are allowed to advocate for or against a policy in line with their charitable purpose, but need to ensure they do not promote or oppose a political party or candidate.
Other common concerns included individuals obtaining private benefits from charities (24%) and mismanagement of funds (18%). Outcomes from 96 investigations included the ACNC revoking 15 charities’ registration for serious and ongoing non-compliance and referring 41 charities to other government agencies.
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Red tape cuts for Australian charities highlighted in ACNC annual report (ACNC)
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