Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Murray, move:

(1)   That the Senate—

(a)   notes the report by CHOICE on charities, published online in March 2008, that highlights the wide variability and inconsistency in the way that charities disclose information to the public; and

(b)   acknowledges that the 27 recommendations from the inquiry into the definition of charities and related organisations, which reported in 2001, have not been implemented.

(2)   That the following matters be referred to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day of November 2008:

(a)   to investigate the relevance and appropriateness of current disclosure regimes for charities and all other not-for-profit organisations;

(b)   to identify models of regulation and legal forms that would improve governance and management of charities and not-for-profit organisations and cater for emerging social enterprises; and

(c)   to identify other measures that can be taken by government and the not-for-profit sector to assist the sector to improve governance, standards, accountability and transparency in its use of public and government funds.

Question agreed to.