Andrew Leigh

In great news for New South Wales charities, I joined Deputy Opposition Leader Linda Burney and Shadow Consumer Affairs Minister Tania Mihailuk to announce that a Foley Labor Government will harmonise the state's rules to match up with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. This will make life much easier for NSW not-for-profits because they'll only have to register and report to one government agency.

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NSW LABOR SIGNS UP TO NATIONAL CHARITIES SCHEME

A Foley Labor Government will cut red tape for New South Wales charities by allowing them to register and report just once through the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission.

Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Linda Burney and Shadow Minister for Fair Trading Tania Mihailuk joined the federal Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh at NSW State Parliament today to announce the new approach for local not-for-profits.  

There are over 18,000 charities operating across the state, and they must currently register with NSW Government authorities if they wish to collect donations and receive state tax concessions. But to qualify as a tax deductible gift recipient, they must also register with the national charities regulator.

“Labor will streamline the rules so that once a charity is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, it is also registered and eligible for concessions in New South Wales,” Ms Burney said.

“This will dramatically cut the amount of paperwork that our charities need to lodge, freeing them up to spend more time doing what they do best: helping our community.  

“NSW Labor has made clear that we want to make our state the social conscience of the nation; to achieve that, the charities building our social capital need a simpler and more effective regulatory system.”

Shadow Minister for Fair Trading Tania Mihailuk lauded the decision as a simple measure that would vastly increase efficiency for the state’s charities.

“The time and effort charities currently use to fill in forms and jump through bureaucratic hoops should be spent working in our communities,” Ms Mihailuk said.

“This policy will assist charities to focus their efforts on doing what they do best – and that is supporting those that need a helping hand,”

Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh said New South Wales would join South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory in linking charity registration to the national scheme.

“The federal Labor Government set up the charities commission with the aim of creating a national framework that would protect Australians from scammers while making life easier for charities,” Dr Leigh said. 

“Having New South Wales link its charities rules to the national scheme brings that goal a step closer.

“Cutting duplication in reporting will make a particularly big difference for small charities and local not-for-profits like pre-schools, which often have few staff and resources.” 

ENDS