MARCH 1999 has been marked down as a watershed for non-profit organisations and their attractiveness to the corporate sector.
Speakers at a recent JB Were community business forum noted that, more than any other factor, changes to taxation law had encouraged greater corporate and personal philanthropy.
One of the most significant changes was the establishment of Prescribed Private Funds, which qualify for concessional taxation treatment. These private funds are similar in characteristics to public charitable funds but are not required to seek or receive contributions from the public.
The Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies says that since the changes were introduced the average amount of gift donated increased 6.84 per cent to $194 per person – the highest increase recorded during the past decade.
However, speaking at the JB Were Forum, former premier Richard Court called on corpor-ations to be motivated to give by a greater moral calling.
Reflecting on a sermon given in his church, Mr Court said Western Australians had such a great lifestyle that we all had the ability to give and share.
“You will never get wealthy or rich until you are willing to say that you have more than you need,” Mr Court said.
“And it is the opposite to greed. With greed, more is good. And if you have that greed mentality you are never satisfied.
“But when you can say in your own mind that you can give something of what you’ve got away, that you are happy with the 90 per cent and can give the 10 per cent away, that is when you are rich.
“People who are free givers tend to be happy people, the contented people.
“They don’t ask for anything but there is a satisfaction which comes with being prepared to give away something that you have.”
