The Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission: Implications of a New National Regulator in Australia
Abstract
After several major Commonwealth government inquiries – the the Productivity Commission: Contribution of the Non Profit Sector (2009), Henry Tax Review (2010), the Senate Economics Committee Inquiry into Disclosure Regimes for Charities (2010), Senate Economics Committee Inquiry into Finance for the Not-for-Profit Sector (2011) and the Commonwealth government’s announcement of the creation of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) to provide a central point of registration for charities and not-for-profits (NFPs) at the highest level of government in Australia is a positive move for charities and not-for-profit organisations. Public sector support is a critical factor in the growth of the not-for-profit sector, particularly where governments provide funds for private charities to administer and distribute funding. However, there are still questions as to how the ACNC will carry out its role.