In the Federal Budget delivered on 10 May 2011, several
announcements were made that will affect the charity and
not-for-profit sector. These include:
- tighter controls on tax concessions for charities operating
business activities unrelated to their charitable activities
- establishment ofa 'one-stop-shop' for the support and
regulation of the sector in the form of the Australian Charities
and Not-for-Profits Commission by 1 July 2012
- introduction of a statutory definition of 'charity' for
all federal laws
- a new regulatory framework for public ancillary funds
An overview of each of the inclusions is provided below.
Tighter controls on tax concessions
Possibly the most important Budget announcement for
Not-for-Profits relates to reforms to tax concessions to ensure
that income tax concessions will only apply to profits generated by
commercial activities that are directed back to the not-for-profit
entity's charitable works.