The ACNC regulates charities under the ACNC Act by:
- registering charities
- collecting information about charities and maintaining the ACNC Charity Register
- reducing red tape for charities by working with other agencies to reduce unnecessary or duplicative administrative requirements
- providing guidance, education and advice to help charities meet their legal obligations
- monitoring charity compliance and managing non-compliance.
We are alerted to concerns about charities from the public, by referrals from other agencies (including state and territory agencies), and through charities regularly reporting to us.
Understanding charities is at the foundation of our approach to charity regulation – we recognise that the purpose of charities is to benefit the public, and that their contribution to our society is vital.
In exercising our powers and functions, we have regard to the principles of regulatory necessity, reflecting risk, and proportionate regulation based on the evidence before us.
When we look into a charity’s conduct, we may provide regulatory advice to the charity, recommend the charity take certain steps (like providing additional reports) or refer the matter to another agency.
We may also decide to use our formal powers (such as giving a direction or revoking charity registration). If we use our formal powers, we publish this on the charity’s page on the ACNC Charity Register.
In addition to looking at individual charities, the ACNC also conducts Compliance Reviews looking at broader trends to identify key risks and areas of concern for charities and the sector.
Our Regulatory Approach Statement explains in more detail how we approach our role as the national charity regulator.