SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Dr Michael Gousmett on Charities – NZ Herald

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Charities getting million of dollars in tax breaks need to be more open about what they do with our money, says a former insider.

It is tempting to describe Dr Michael Gousmett as that rare beast – a poacher-turned-gamekeeper. But in the game of shadows that is the charities sector even that description begs clarification.

Gousmett has been involved with charities for a quarter of a century since first working for the Pacific Leprosy Foundation. That got him interested in the history of charity, the value to society of volunteerism and altruism; what The Economist termed “the glue of society”. And that curiosity led to university, a Phd (on tax and charity) and to become something of a de facto inspector-general of charities.

He is dogged in his research and resolute in his call for stronger regulation to provide a leap in accountability for a sector that is worth $14.7 billion and benefits from tax exemptions of up to $400 million plus $200 million in rebates on donations.

For more go to”:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10893671

New Charities Registration Board appointed

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Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew announced today the members of the newly established Charities Registration Board.

From 1 July, the functions of the former Charities Commission will be undertaken by the Department of Internal Affairs.

“The new Charities Registration Board will be established on 1 July and will make independent decisions on applications from organisations that wish to register for charitable status,” Mrs Goodhew says.

“It will also decide the removal of charitable status from registered charities that do not continue to meet the necessary requirements.

“I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Roger Miller as Chair of the new Charities Registration Board.

“Mr Miller is a Wellington lawyer and Registered Trustee, whose specialisations include trust law and governance. He chairs the Scots College Foundation and the Porirua City Council Community Services Board and is a trustee of Performing Arts Foundation of New Zealand.”

The other two members of the Board are:

Caren Rangi, a chartered accountant and audit specialist from Napier. Ms Rangi has extensive community governance experience and is currently a board member of the Broadcasting Commission (NZ On Air) and a trustee of the Eastern and Central Community Trust.

Kirikaiahi Albert, a Wellington lawyer with experience in taxation, Treaty settlements and iwi governance. Ms Albert is active in the M?ori legal community, Wellington rugby league and international indigenous networks.

“Together the members bring the skills, experience and diversity necessary to fulfil the independent functions of the Board in a manner that over time will earn the confidence of the charitable sector and the New Zealand public.”

There will be no substantive changes for registered charities or applicants for registration arising from the transition to the new structure. Access to information about charities on the Charities Register and all the educational guidance developed for charities will continue to be available on the website www.charities.govt.nz.

Source: http://www.national.org.nz/Article.aspx?ArticleID=38852

also:  http://feeds.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-charities-registration-board-appointed

Terrorism and money laundering – Guidance for Charities

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The Charities Commission has produced a very helpful guide explaining how those involved in the charity sector can, among other things, identify and guard against money launderers who aim to legitimise money sourced in illegal activities, by chanelling it through charities. It also explains how charity funds have been siphoned off to finance terrorism – whereby charities operate as mere fronts for money laundering operations.  Illegal activities generating funding sources for terrorism can include the pornography industry (an exploitative and morally bankrupt multi-billion dollar sleaze industry world-wide) and its close bed mates prostitution and illegal drug trafficking. It can also involve those in the property development industry, for example company directors who set up a complex convoluted quagmire of company networks designed to avoid tax, confound enforcement agencies and safeguard their own financial interests, as opposed to those of their investors and secured and unsecured creditors, in situations where the companies become insolvent and are placed into liquidation or receivership. False residential addresses, bogus shareholding listings, NZ – based “virtual offices” run from overseas and multiple addresses listed across many companies for the same individual can be pointers for enforcement agencies in the direction of money laundering and even links to terrorism and/or illegal arms trading etc.

See: http://www.charities.govt.nz/news/fact_sheets/new%20info%20sheets/HOW-TERROR.pdf