This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/05/charity-red-tape-national-regulator
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| States urged to help cut charity red tape by backing national regulator | States urged to help cut charity red tape by backing national regulator |
| (3 months later) | |
| The commonwealth is planning to pressure states into making charities sign up to a national regulator, amid complaints red tape is costing the not-for-profit sector millions of dollars a year. | The commonwealth is planning to pressure states into making charities sign up to a national regulator, amid complaints red tape is costing the not-for-profit sector millions of dollars a year. |
| Currently a charity has to meet different standards in each state if it wants to raise funds at a national level – or on the internet – with laws varying from Western Australia asking for a certified copy of directors' passports to Victoria ruling that direct debit forms have to have a minimum of a 10-point font. | Currently a charity has to meet different standards in each state if it wants to raise funds at a national level – or on the internet – with laws varying from Western Australia asking for a certified copy of directors' passports to Victoria ruling that direct debit forms have to have a minimum of a 10-point font. |
| States and territories consumer affairs ministers will meet with the assistant treasurer and minister for competition policy and consumer affairs, David Bradbury, in Parramatta on Friday. | States and territories consumer affairs ministers will meet with the assistant treasurer and minister for competition policy and consumer affairs, David Bradbury, in Parramatta on Friday. |
| Bradbury is planning to ask states and territories to agree to reforms that would mean if charities are registered with the newly established national regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission, then they are allowed to fundraise across the country. | Bradbury is planning to ask states and territories to agree to reforms that would mean if charities are registered with the newly established national regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission, then they are allowed to fundraise across the country. |
| The chief executive of the Community Council for Australia, David Crosbie, said the not-for-profit sector had been asking for the reforms for at least a decade and he was not hopeful about the outcome of the meeting. | The chief executive of the Community Council for Australia, David Crosbie, said the not-for-profit sector had been asking for the reforms for at least a decade and he was not hopeful about the outcome of the meeting. |
| "Their track record is deplorable," he said. "It's an embarrassment, it's a national disgrace and the whole not-for-profit sector is angry about it because we can't even harmonise compliance around fundraising for charities." | "Their track record is deplorable," he said. "It's an embarrassment, it's a national disgrace and the whole not-for-profit sector is angry about it because we can't even harmonise compliance around fundraising for charities." |
| Crosbie said if charities used the internet to do a national fundraiser then they had to make sure they were compliant in every state. | Crosbie said if charities used the internet to do a national fundraiser then they had to make sure they were compliant in every state. |
| "It's just bizarre, it's like we have still got charity trade protection boundaries in each state and territory," he said. | "It's just bizarre, it's like we have still got charity trade protection boundaries in each state and territory," he said. |
| "We're not one country and we haven't even got free trade, we apparently have all states and territories wanting to protect their own charities by only allowing them to operate fundraisers in their own jurisdictions." | "We're not one country and we haven't even got free trade, we apparently have all states and territories wanting to protect their own charities by only allowing them to operate fundraisers in their own jurisdictions." |
| The Australian Capital Territory and South Australia have agreed to let charities fundraise in their jurisdictions as long as they are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission but other states are yet to sign up. | The Australian Capital Territory and South Australia have agreed to let charities fundraise in their jurisdictions as long as they are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission but other states are yet to sign up. |
| Crosbie said the red tape of making sure one charity was compliant with every state was costing millions of dollars as charities devoted resources to doing the paperwork. | Crosbie said the red tape of making sure one charity was compliant with every state was costing millions of dollars as charities devoted resources to doing the paperwork. |
| "If it was any other industry group talking about the negative impact on their productivity and capacity to invest or employ people, it would have been fixed," he said. | "If it was any other industry group talking about the negative impact on their productivity and capacity to invest or employ people, it would have been fixed," he said. |
| World Vision's chief executive, Tim Costello, said the discussions had been ongoing for decades and states and territories needed to support real reforms for the charity sector. | World Vision's chief executive, Tim Costello, said the discussions had been ongoing for decades and states and territories needed to support real reforms for the charity sector. |
| "Fundraising regulation is complex and the variations serve no useful purpose," he said. | "Fundraising regulation is complex and the variations serve no useful purpose," he said. |
| "We want charities to be able to get on with what they do best, not get bogged down in unnecessary red tape." | "We want charities to be able to get on with what they do best, not get bogged down in unnecessary red tape." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version