The significantly shorter length of the Australian Charities Report has copped criticism from sector advocates, with some describing it as a “superficial overview” of the 47,000 Annual Information Statements submitted by charities.
The 2017 report, which is published annually by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, was released on Monday with key findings including the total combined income and expenses of charities, a summary of what they do, who they help and where they operate.
In 2017, the sector generated total revenue of $146 billion, government grants as a revenue source increased by $7 billion, and $9.9 billion donations and bequests were made to registered charities – a $600 million decrease from 2016.
Volunteer numbers were also up by 400,000 from 2016, sitting at a total of 3.3 million, and 30 per cent of charities reported their main activity was religious activities.
Compared to previous years, the 2017 report was significantly shorter in length, 32 pages compared with 112 pages for the 2016 report.
ACNC commissioner Dr Gary Johns said this year’s report offered a more succinct and accessible summary of the key facts and figures.
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