Law and policy updates
The first NFP self-review return is open for lodgement with the ATOFrom the 2023-24 income year, not-for-profit organisations with an active ABN that need to self-assess as income tax exempt need to lodge an annual return with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The first self-review return is open to lodge. Access your 2023-24 self-review return in the ATO’s online services for business. The ATO is providing additional time to lodge if required, so lodgement will be allowed until 31 March 2025. Read the July ‘Straight from the source’ blog by Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti for the latest information. We also have a free resource that we are continuously updating where you can find more information about the reporting requirements. Implementation of the National Fundraising Principles in Victoria The National Fundraising Principles (Principles) have come into effect in Victoria, under the joint national commitment to making compliance easier for registered charities. What has changed? From 3 July 2024, charities that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) can follow new, nationally harmonised conduct requirements when fundraising in Victoria.
The Principles set out the conduct expected from fundraisers across Australia, but are not prescriptive and give charities greater flexibility to apply them. While fundraising in Victoria, fundraisers registered with the ACNC must still follow Victoria’s fundraising laws. However, when conducting fundraising activities in Victoria, eligible fundraisers that comply with the Principles within the Victorian Fundraising Regulations 2019 may be exempt from certain prescriptive requirements of the Victorian Fundraising Act 1998. Learn more about the application of the Principles in Victoria.
We’ll be updating our relevant resources and will keep you up to date on what the changes mean for your organisation. What’s next for fundraising reform? Implementation of the Principles was agreed upon by all state and territory Treasurers in February 2023. Progress by states and territories to implement these important reforms has been slow.
For years Justice Connect's decade-long #FixFundraising campaign has urged lawmakers to reform Australia’s out of date and ineffective web of existing fundraising laws. Together with our allies in the #FixFundraising coalition, we'll continue to hold respective governments to account to ensure these crucial reforms are implemented as soon as possible. Changes to Incorporated Association laws in Queensland Changes to how you resolve internal grievances and disclose remuneration to your members in your incorporated association began on 1 July 2024. Find out more about how the changes may affect your organisation and what you need to do to get ready. These law changes are from the Associations Incorporation and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (the Act). Law changes were introduced with the aim of reducing red tape and improving internal governance. Learn more about previous law changes. We are updating our relevant resources and will let you know when they are up-to-date. The new Victoria Social Services Regulator The new regulatory scheme, which started on 1 July 2024, is now in effect. The Victorian Social Services Regulator has published guidance and education materials on the new Social Services Standards. To download the guidance materials and learn more about the new Social Services Regulator, visit the website. ResourcesUpdated resourcesVictorian incorporated association fact sheets: Income tax law: Fundraising law: Screening guides:
Help us reinstate our funding in NSWIn November we announced that a year after the NSW Government stopped funding our work, we had no choice but to start removing our tailored legal information resources for NSW-based community organisations from our website, because we no longer have the resources to keep them up-to-date and legally accurate. We also had to cut off our NSW advice services completely.
We know our services and resources are valued and used by tens of thousands of NSW community organisations each year. We need your help to ensure a sustainable NSW community sector where frontline organisations can access our free legal support to help them deliver services to more people in need. We’re asking you to email a letter to the NSW Government in support of reinstating our funding so we can continue to support a strong and vibrant NSW community sector. Upcoming webinarsJoin a 75-minute webinar covering common legal problems, and leave equipped with practical legal tips and insights to implement in your organisation. |
