ACNC Abolition Bill Goes to Review Committee

The Not for Profit sector has been thrown a lifeline to again make its case to save the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.

Legislation to abolish the ACNC under the Federal Government Repeal omnibus has been referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry.

The move was decided by the Selection of Bills Committee and is not expected to report back to Parliament until June 16 2014.

The explanatory note produced by the Committee says the reason the Bill has been referred is “to thoroughly consider the impacts on Australia’s charitable sector of the repeal of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and ensure adequate stakeholder consultation”.

The explanatory note says that possible submissions and evidence to the inquiry would come from the Community Council for Australia, Australian Council of Social Services, Volunteering Australia, Catholic Social Services, Church Communities Australia, Philanthropy Australia, Independent Schools Council of Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Australian Council for International Development.

It will also take evidence from the ACNC itself and the Department of Social Services.

No hearing dates have been set for the new inquiry.

Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews last week announced a two-step plan to abolish the ACNC, with the first of two pieces of legislation already introduced into Parliament.

On the eve of the Federal Coalition’s Parliamentary Repeal legislation being introduced into parliament, more than 40 peak bodies and Not for Profit sector leaders put their names to an open letter to the Prime Minister in a last ditch attempt to save the charity regulator, the ACNC.

However Minister Andrews rejected the letter, saying the ACNC must go to free up red tape.