News Shorts: DGR administration update, new poverty report, NFP leadership opportunities and more
22 March 2023 at 2:41 pm
All the news you need to know from around the sector.
Bill to see ATO control all DGR categories
Assistant charities minister Andrew Leigh has actioned a proposed reform that sees the Australian Tax Office gain responsibility for the administration of the full suite of Deductible Gift Recipient categories, creating consistency across the system and reducing red tape.
Speaking to the new Treasury Laws Amendment Bill (Refining and Improving our Tax System) 2023, Leigh said “approval times for these four categories will be reduced from up to two years to around one month. It will prevent the situation we saw prior to the last election, in which worthy charities that were not politically aligned with the Morrison government did not receive their deductible gift recipient listing in a timely fashion.”
“These changes are just part of our commitment to strengthening the charity sector,” Leigh continued.
New report reveals high risk of poverty for people on income support
Current income support payments are failing to meet essential costs, causing a high risk of poverty for people receiving income support, as well as those who are unemployed, renting, sole parents, women, children and people living with disability, a new report reveals.
Poverty in Australia 2023: Who is affected found households relying on Youth Allowance are in the deepest poverty, with incomes on average $390 per week below the poverty line, followed by households relying on JobSeeker ($269 per week) and households relying on the parenting payment ($246 per week).
“This report provides further evidence of the need for a poverty reduction package in the May budget,” said Cassandra Goldie, CEO of ACOSS, which co-led the Poverty and Inequality Partnership that produced the report, alongside not for profits including Foodbank Australia, The Smith Family and Life Without Barriers.
See more: Focusing on the federal budget
Stage three tax cuts hurts most Australians: Anglicare Australia
National not for profit Anglicare Australia has released a new paper showing the planned stage three tax cuts will benefit high income earners at the expense of Australians living in regional, rural and disadvantaged areas.
The Left Behind paper argues the changes will erode much of Australia’s progressive taxation system. It projects that 78 per cent of the tax cuts will go to 20 per cent of Australia’s highest income earners, while those earning less than $45,000 will receive no benefit.
“When the tax cuts were passed in 2019, Australians were told they would be better off. Our analysis shows that’s not true,” said Anglicare Australia’s executive director Kasy Chambers.
“Instead of helping people cope, these changes will leave behind the most disadvantaged part of the country… This is a clear choice. If the government can afford to spend a quarter of a trillion dollars on the country’s wealthiest areas, then it can surely afford to help those who have been hit the hardest by the cost-of-living crisis.”
200 NFP leaders to benefit from free governance course
The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) has opened applications for its 2023 Not-For-Profit Scholarship Program, which provides 200 leaders with the opportunity to participate in its highly-regarded Governance Foundations for NFP Directors course for free.
The scholarship is available for directors of small not-for-profit organisations across Australia with an annual income of $2 million or less, as well as aspiring directors, executives and senior managers.
“These scholarships will provide NFP leaders a valuable opportunity to enhance their governance skills and capabilities, to support their organisations and meet the growing challenges at a time of rapid change,” said AICD CEO Mark Rigotti.
New program aims to break down barriers for women in leadership
The Realise. Inspire. Support. Energise. (RISE) program aims to build pathways to senior leadership for women from culturally and linguistically diverse and racially marginalised backgrounds.
Run by Diversity Council Australia alongside Settlement Services International and Chief Executive Women, RISE will work with 375 women and 25 organisations over three years, addressing structural barriers through strengths-based mentoring and career planning.
“From both a social and economic point of view, it makes sense to invest in both developing the potential of CARM [culturally and racially marginalised] women and addressing barriers by employers, to ensure they are equipped to overcome the gender, cultural and racial barriers they face,” said Settlement Services International’s acting CEO Sonia Vignjevic.
See more: DCA report scathing on workplace diversity
For-purpose CEO leadership program taking applications
Applications are open for the third cohort of the Social Impact Leadership Australia program, run by the Centre for Social Impact. Open to CEOs leading for-purpose organisations in South and Western Australia, the course aims to disrupt common ideas of leadership and create greater social impact across the country.
The 10-month program has been designed and developed specifically for CEOs, providing 24 participants with the tools to foster a culture of wellbeing within their organisations, establish new peer-based industry networks and support capacity building within the sector.
The program has already welcomed CEOs from New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania in its past cohorts.
