The 2019 Annual Information Statement is now overdue for most charities that operate on a standard financial year (1 July to 30 June).
If your charity operates on a standard financial year and has not submitted its 2019 Annual Information Statement yet, I encourage you to submit as soon as possible to avoid the risk of penalties being imposed.
The ACNC can impose financial penalties on charities for failing to submit on time, and charities that do not submit two Annual Information Statements risk having their registration revoked.
To submit the 2019 Annual Information Statement, you will need to log in to the ACNC Charity Portal.
Bushfire affected charities due date extension
As I have previously mentioned, I used my discretion to issue a further blanket extension to all bushfire affected charities. The 2019 Annual Information Statement for these charities is due on 28 May 2020. The due date will be reflected on the individual charity records on the Charity Register in due course.
Here are the postcodes that have been granted the automatic extension.
We will continue to update this list as necessary.
Annual Information Statement due date for charities operating on a calendar year
Charities that operate on a calendar year (1 Jan to 31 December) have until 30 June 2020 to submit their 2019 Annual Information Statement.
I strongly encourage charities to submit their Annual Information Statement as soon as possible. By submitting early, charities can avoid service delays should they need to call our advice line for help.
Submitting early also reduces the risk of your submission taking longer to complete due to potential IT system speed issues caused by a last-minute rush.
Submit your charity’s Annual Information Statement via the Charity Portal.
Bushfire generosity opinion piece
Last week I wrote an opinion column for The Australian responding to the public concern about charities use of donated funds in response to the current bushfire crisis.
I spoke about how important charities are to Australia and how they are best placed to provide immediate and longer-term support and services to those who have suffered the most during the bushfire crisis.
I also highlighted the role of the ACNC in regulating charities. Charities must use their funds on the cause for which they are established and where there is evidence that this is not the case, the ACNC will step in and put them on the right path or deregister them.
If you would like to read my opinion piece, it is reproduced in full on our website.
Charity Visit
I have mentioned previously how much I enjoy getting out and meeting with charities around Australia to find out directly from them about the wide range of work they do.
Last week I met with Orange Sky Australia, a registered charity that provides free laundry, showers and conversation to people in Australia experiencing homelessness.
If your charity would like to share its story, please let our Communications team know by emailing charitychat@acnc.gov.au.
Webinars
Our first free webinar of 2020 is just two weeks away.
The first topic of 2020 is ‘How the ACNC investigates charities.’ We will explain to charities - and the wider public - the processes we work through when looking at charities, how we respond to public concerns and the compliance actions we can pursue.
Find out more and register your attendance on our website.
Best wishes,
The Hon Dr Gary Johns