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Regulatory Reform Gains Momentum at Senate Hearings

The Senate Select Committee on Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century is holding hearings around the country to obtain opinions from stakeholders on the current state of fundraising in Australia, report on the current framework of fundraising regulation for charities, and examine options for reform. The committee is scheduled to report their findings in February 2019.

At the hearing, officials from NSW Finance, Services and Innovation had told the committee they were actively working with other states to reduce duplication for charities that fundraise across state borders.

As well, NSW Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean recently announced plans to amend fundraising laws so that if a charity has already gone through the lengthy process of registering with the ACNC, NSW Fair Trading will accept their Commonwealth registration with the appropriate evidence.

Fundamentally, the states are concerned about knowing who’s fundraising in their jurisdictions: are they legitimate, are they appropriately registered and licensed, and can we be sure that this is not a scam of some kind?

FIA remains opposed to a mandatory national code, and is the committee will recommend, and the Australian government will introduce, new fundraising regulations such as a compulsory national code without prior agreement to harmonise with the states and territories. If this happens, FIA members will end up, as was the case when the ACNC was established in 2012, with more regulation, not less.  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is also opposed to a mandatory code.

To read the Fundraising Institute article in full, click here.

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