As announced in the 2023–24 Budget, employers may soon be required to pay their employees’ superannuation guarantee entitlements on the same day that they pay salary and wages. Consultation has now been opened, to provide industry and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input on implementing payday superannuation and a redesigned compliance framework to encourage employers to pay their super as…

Important reform is being proposed to the ACNC Act aimed at providing greater transparency about ACNC investigations, both proposed and ongoing. The draft Bill amends the ACNC Act to allow for disclosures, subject to a safeguard of a public harm test. The amendments allow the Commissioner to authorise an ACNC officer to disclose information about an ongoing investigation where the…

Public holidays can now be substituted under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (Social and Community Services Award). This change follows a decision by the Fair Work Commission, the national workplace relations tribunal. It applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 11 September 2023. Under the Social and Community Services Award, an…

Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 is changing the way salary sacrifice amounts are reported. Previously with STP Phase 1 reporting, employers only reported post-sacrificed amounts to the ATO. STP Phase 2 requires employers to report pre-sacrificed amounts and separately report the salary sacrificed amounts: type S for amounts sacrificed to super type O for amounts sacrificed towards other benefits There has…

Not-for-Profit Finance Week, an initiative of Commonwealth Bank and Our Community, is a celebration of ideas, knowledge and financial capacity-building for the $100 billion Australian not-for-profit sector. The aim of this event, held 11-15 September 2023, is to increase the profile of the not-for-profit sector, bolster the financial capacity and sustainability of the sector, and provide support for the staff,…

The 2023 Annual Information Statement is now available for charities to complete using the ACNC Charity Portal. This includes charities using the group reporting Annual Information Statement. The 2023 Annual Information Statement includes new questions requiring charities to disclose their dealings with related parties. Specific guidance about related party transactions is available. This follows the introduction in the 2022 Annual…

Recently, Consumer & Business Services (CBS) rolled out online forms for most applications under the Act. The new forms will ensure the better and more timely management of applications. From 4 September 2023, applications which are received in a form other than the online forms may be returned to the applicant without being processed. Information on incorporated associations has been…

The Australian Charities and Not-for profits Commission has completed its review of the Commissioner’s Interpretation Statement: Public Benevolent Institutions (PBI CIS). The updated PBI CIS includes guidance on the most recent court and tribunal decisions which provide guidance about the meaning of PBI and incorporates examples throughout to illustrate the practical application of the relevant legal principles. The updated PBI…

The Australian Charities and Not-for profits Commission has completed its review of the Commissioner’s Interpretation Statement: Health Promotion Charities (HPC CIS). The updated HPC CIS includes guidance on the most recent Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision regarding the meaning of Health Promotion Charity and incorporates examples throughout to illustrate the practical application of the relevant legal principles. The updated HPC CIS…

The ACNC has published the report on “Reviewing Charities’ Financial Information and Annual Financial Reports 2021”. This report identifies trends in financial reporting including errors and aims to improve future Annual Financial Report submissions. To view the ACNC Report in full, click here. To view an ACNC checklist which provides guidance on preparing a charity’s Annual Financial Report, click here.