Shaolin Temple and Camp Gallipoli lose charity status

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) has revoked the charity status of two organisations following compliance investigations into their activities and operations.

The organisations are:

• Shaolin Temple Foundation (Australia) LTD – revoked on 8 December 2016, with the effective date of revocation 2 December 2015
• Camp Gallipoli Foundation Incorporated – revoked on 15 December 2016, with the effective date of revocation 10 February 2014

Both organisations have 60 days (from the date of revocation) to object to the ACNC’s revocation decisions, in which case they will be independently reviewed internally.

According to the Australian Business Register (ABR), Shaolin Temple Foundation (Australia) has been operating since 2006 and is based in New South Wales.

The organisations will now lose access to these Commonwealth charity tax concessions.

Commissioner Susan Pascoe said that while the ACNC could not provide further details, due to the secrecy provisions in the ACNC Act, the ACNC’s approach to compliance activity was proportionate.

“The ACNC’s approach to regulating Australia’s 54,000 registered charities is to be firm, yet fair,” Pascoe said.

“Members of the public can be assured that compliance revocations are reserved for the most serious of cases.

“Where possible, we work with charities to help them get back on track by providing guidance and education. In fact, the majority of concerns raised with the ACNC are resolved by our Advice Services team.”

Commissioner Pascoe encouraged donors to always check the Charity Register to ensure they are giving to a registered charity.

“Organisations that have their charity status revoked by the ACNC are easy to identify,” Pascoe said.

“A registered charity will appear with a green tick on the Charity Register, however when a charity is revoked, a red cross will appear. If an organisation isn’t registered with the ACNC, it will not appear at all.

“It is important that people check the Charity Register to ensure that they are getting accurate and up-to-date information about a charity.”

Pascoe also encouraged members of the public to raise any concerns with the ACNC.

“Each month we receive around 60 concerns about charities, two-thirds of which come from members of the public,” she said.

“In the last financial year we received 930 concerns, a significant increase compared to the 810 we received the year prior. The influx of concerns resulted in around 50 per cent more investigations than the year prior.

“The public often provide valuable information that helps the ACNC investigate, and ultimately, revoke a non-compliant charity’s status.”