ACNC Commissioner to step down

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Advisory Board Chair, Tony Stuart, has confirmed the inaugural Commissioner, Susan Pascoe, will finish her five-year contractual term on 30 September 2017.

Stuart, who is also the CEO of UNICEF Australia, welcomed the government’s commencement of an open, transparent, and consultative recruitment process.

“As the ACNC prepares for the five year legislative review in December this year, I encourage the government to appoint a new Commissioner who will continue the important work of the ACNC,” Stuart said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Susan for her enormous contribution to the ACNC and Australia’s not-for-profit sector. The organisation will feel her loss and impact.

“Susan’s leadership, integrity and drive have seen the ACNC flourish in the face of sustained uncertainty.”

Stuart said that under Pascoe’s leadership, the ACNC has not only survived – but thrived.

“Susan’s leadership was rightly recognised when she was awarded the top 2016 Leadership in Government Award for Outstanding Contribution in Public Administration in November 2016, highlighting her leadership and professionalism,” he said.

With Pascoe as the Commissioner, and with the support of the ACNC Advisory Board, the organisation  said it has achieved a great deal in a short period of time. Including:

• Establishing itself as a world-leading digital-by-default charity regulator – receiving the IPAA’s Digital Transformation award from the then Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, the Hon Greg Hunt MP in 2016
• Launching Australia’s first ever publicly available online database of registered charities, the ACNC Charity Register – which has been searched over 1.7 million times
• Securing red tape reduction agreements across five states/territories – with more expected later this year
• Registering over 11,500 new charities – with charities reporting 94% satisfaction with the process
• Ensuring that only those organisations that comply with the ACNC Act and governance standards are able to maintain charity status through a proportional approach to compliance – with over 19,000 organisations revoked or removed from the Charity Register
• A commitment from the sector to provide accurate and on-time information – with current Annual Information Statement compliance rates at 99% (for 2016) and 97% (for 2015)
• Publishing a yearly analysis of the data provided by registered charities – the Australian Charities Report
• Providing targeted and tailored education, guidance and support to the public and the sector – both face to face and online
• Providing an unprecedented level of customer services – with average wait times as low as 1 minute for caller

“The ACNC Advisory Board and I wish Susan the very best for the future.”

It is anticipated that the new ACNC Commissioner will be appointed by 1 October 2017.