Charity status

[p.dath]

I see the Charities Commission was been investigating many charities of late, and has recently de-listed quite a few such as Greenpeace, New Zealand Computer Society, Team New Zealand, and The National Council of Woman.

These organisations want to be a registered charity so they don't have to pay tax. I see several of them have initiated high court action trying to keep their status.

I feel a charity should help benefit those people who otherwise can not provide adequately care for themselves, such as the aged, the homeless, the sick, those affected by "acts of god" like floods, volcanoes, hurricanes, etc. You know - people really in need of a helping hand from someone else.

I can also accept those organisations who exist for the greater public good - but not a narrow focus (like Greenpeace). To me a charitable organisation should symbolise "giving" without expectation of "reward". They should not profit from their own activities. They should not have highly paid individuals. In fact I think payments should only be made to reasonably compensate for expenses incurred.
The problem is the definition of "greater good" is so open to interpretation. I think the potential for abuse (and abuse that is already happening) is so great that perhaps it needs to be dropped.

Remember "any" organisation can apply to the IRD to make a single specific activity tax free - such as a community project. The charitable status just bypasses this making everything tax free.

I don't think political lobbyists (like Greenpeace) should be a registered charity. They serve a very narrow focus.

Here is a bigger call. I think every sports organisation that has professionally paid players should not be registered as a charity. That fails my personal "profiting" rule.


So what do you think a "charity" is? Do you think we have too many "charities" (25,000 at the moment)? Should we scrap those charities that don't assist those in immediate need - and make them apply to the IRD for specific charitable projects they perform?

[MIXONE]

To me a charity is a like minded group of people doing things for the betterment of the community or members thereof.Not a group who stand to profit or improve their own situatiion.

[Dave Lobster]

Not a group who stand to profit or improve their own situatiion.

That'll be every religion out then

Yay

[kevie]

Should The Order Of St John be a charity still?

They say they work for the needy .... but ... if a person is unwell and someone calls them an ambulance and the patient cant afford to pay for it, they place it in the hands of Bay Collection ....... THIS action has stopped myself and many of my friends from donating to them. If the comunity is supporting them as a charity, should they be putting same people group in the hands of a collection agency (I was a long term volunteer with this ambulance service and they do an awesome job)

The other group is the SPCA, I dropped off a stray kitten (not mine) to the local branch and was made to pay them $10 before they would accept the kitten, claiming it was a voluntary donation BUT if I dont pay it they wont take the animal ... this I said, isnt a donation .... its a fee .. and SPCA allegedly has a huge sum on money invested, if they are a charity .... should they be making a profit that can be seen as excessive?

[Mully]

Should The Order Of St John be a charity still?

I have an issue with St John not being fully Government funded. The fact that they have to hang around on street corners with buckets seeking cash is laughable, IMHO. As for the debt collection thing, I see their point. They have to recover costs not covered by ACC - if you have to pay and Joe Bloggs says he can't afford to pay, how is that fair?

The other group is the SPCA, I dropped off a stray kitten (not mine) to the local branch and was made to pay them $10 before they would accept the kitten, claiming it was a voluntary donation BUT if I dont pay it they wont take the animal ... this I said, isnt a donation .... its a fee .. and SPCA allegedly has a huge sum on money invested, if they are a charity .... should they be making a profit that can be seen as excessive?

Shoulda just walked out and left the kitten there.

We stopped donating to the SPCA some time ago. Which is a shame, but with our limited donation dollars, we have the right to pick who we give it to.

[imdying]

I have an issue with St John not being fully Government funded. The fact that they have to hang around on street corners with buckets seeking cash is laughable, IMHO.

Totally agree, we all lean on them, I don't see them as being any different to the Police in terms of how they should be funded.

[Dave Lobster]

Which begs the question... why aren't they government funded like the police?

[imdying]

Maybe some sort of historical precedent that has just continued on?

[Dave Lobster]

Maybe some sort of historical precedent that has just continued on?

Like ACC?

[Mully]

Which begs the question... why aren't they government funded like the police?

I don't know if they are anywhere else - i.e. I don't know how St John is funded in England.

And if that's the way they were set up, it might have just continued on like that.

[Dave Lobster]

I don't know if they are anywhere else - i.e. I don't know how St John is funded in England.

St John Ambulance in England is a voluntary organisation that sits at events and stuff, dabbing the heads of people that faint.

There's a proper ambulance service that is government funded in the same way the Police and Fire service is.

[Mully]

St John Ambulance in England is a voluntary organisation that sits at events and stuff, dabbing the heads of people that faint.

There's a proper ambulance service that is government funded in the same way the Police and Fire service is.

Oh. Well, there ya go.

[SS90]

Not to take away from the hard working St John's workers, It is my experience that St John's is "Top Heavy", with many of the senior staff members taking home big perks, and doing F all.

That's my understanding anyway.

[Dave Lobster]

Not to take away from the hard working St John's workers, It is my experience that St John's is "Top Heavy", with many of the senior staff members taking home big perks, and doing F all.

That's my understanding anyway.

It's as though they're owned by the public already

[HenryDorsetCase]

My limited recollection of this is that what constitutes a "charity" was originally codified in England by Elizabeth 1. There were four categories (again, IIRC) and those four categories are what our new Act is based on. And the reason these have been de-registered is that their trust deeds are too narrowly drafted I think.