New Zealand is launching a comprehensive review of its national Charities Act to ensure the act is “effective and fit for purpose” more than a decade after it was first implemented.
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Peeni Henare, who announced the review, said a lot had changed in the sector since the act had been implemented in 2005 and it was important to ensure it was “working well”.
“The Charities Act 2005 regulates more than 27,000 charities in New Zealand, and as it has been in place for more than a decade it is now time to see if it’s fit for purpose,” Henare said.
“A lot has changed in the charities sector, and it is important to make sure that the act is still working well for all those who operate within it.
“This is a great opportunity to take a look at the legislation that guides charities.”
Since the first charity was registered under the act in New Zealand there has been significant changes in the charitable sector’s wider operating environment.
The past decade has also seen the disestablishment of the Charities Commission and establishment of the independent Charities Registration Board; the introduction of financial reporting standards for registered charities; and a new tax that applies to deregistered charities.
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