Few Options on ACNC Submissions
26 August 2014 at 11:17 am
The Federal Government has received some 88 submissions on its Options Paper for the replacement of the charity regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) since closing last week.
The Department of Social Services released the Options Paper in July outlining the proposed replacement arrangements for the reporting obligations of charities that would follow the abolition of the charities regulator.
A statement by the DSS said that the paper, along with the charity consultations, were to seek feedback from charities and interested parties on the proposed replacement options, with comments and feedback informing development of the replacement arrangements.
However, while consultations were held across seven capital cities since July, the Not for Profit sector was significantly underrepresented at the forums with the Sydney sessions mostly attended by lawyers, auditors and accountants who consult to the sector.
The Government said when it released the Options Paper that it should not impose unnecessary regulatory control over the civil sector; rather, it should work with and support the sector’s ability to self- manage, allowing organisations to focus more on their work on in the community.
A summary of stakeholder feedback will be made available on the Department of Social Service website in September.
The Federal Government’s controversial ACNC Repeal Bill is due to be debated in the Senate in the latest Parliamentary program which resumes today.
In June a divided Senate Committee report into the legislation to abolish the charity regulator saw Liberal Senators favouring the ACNC’s repeal, and Labor and the Greens opposing the legislation.
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (Repeal) (No 1) Bill 2014 was introduced into the House of Representatives on March 19 and referred to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on March 27 for inquiry and report.
Minority party Senators – who share the balance of power in the Senate, told Pro Bono Australia News before they took up their Senate positions that they were yet to make up their mind about their support or otherwise for the charity regulator, the ACNC, or the value of a National Centre for Excellence.
