Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission - establishment

In the 2011-12 Federal Budget, the government announced it will provide $53.6 million over four years for the establishment of a new independent statutory agency, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), and related structural changes to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

An implementation taskforce (headed by the expected Commissioner of the ACNC) will be set up in the Department of Treasury from 1 July 2011 to ensure the ACNC is ready for operation by 1 July 2012.

The Commissioner of the ACNC will be appointed by the government and report to parliament through the Assistant Treasurer. The Commissioner will have sole responsibility for determining charitable, public benevolent institution, and other not-for-profit status for all Australian Government purposes.

Initially, the ACNC will also be responsible for:

• providing education and support to the sector
• implementing a 'report-once, use-often' general reporting framework for charities
• implementing a public information portal by 1 July 2013.

Media releases

For more information about the establishment of the ACNC, refer to the following joint media releases by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten, and the Minister for Human Services and Social Inclusion, Tanya Plibersek:

• No. 077: 'Making it easier for charities to help those who need it' issued on 10 May 2011
• No. 013: 'Next step to a national not-for-profit regulator' issued on 21 January 2011.

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