Extension of charitable purpose bill tabled
THE Extension of Charitable Purpose Bill has been tabled in Federal Parliament.
The bill provides a statutory extension to the common law meaning of "charity" for the purposes of all Commonwealth legislation.
The statutory extension allows:
p Organisations providing child care to the public on a non-profit basis;
p Self-help bodies with open and non-discriminatory membership; and
p Closed or contemplative religious orders that offer prayerful intervention to the public to be treated as charities for the purpose of all Commonwealth legislation.
The amendments will apply from July 1.