The Charities Act 2005 came into force on the 1 July 2005. All existing Charities as well as new ones are required to register under the new statute.
The Charities Commission will provide training and education for Charities about the registration process.
On 22 June 2006 the Commission announced the initial registration period will be 1 February 2007 - 1 July 2008. As yet the registration forms have yet to be finalised.
Until the forms become available, we recommend that every Charitable Organisation:
www.charities.govt.nz
- Find and check its founding document (e.g. Trust Deed, Constitution, Will, or Empowering Statute) to ensure its objects and continuing operations qualify as "Charitable" under the new Act (we anticipate most will)
- Check that the appointment of the present trustees and officers has been validly carried out and recorded in the terms of the Charities rules.
Registration of each Charity will involve compiling information to complete the required forms. This will also be an appropriate time for a review of other issues concerning the trust such as governance, investment of funds, and potential liability for trustees and other officers under legislation such as the Employment Relations Act 2000, the Securities Act 1978, Health & Safety in Employment Act 1992.
Much additional information can be found on:
www.charities.govt.nz
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