The Victorian Charities Act 1978 was amended in 2006 to enable the trustees of certain charitable trusts to provide money, property or benefits to, or for the establishment of, ‘eligible entities’ as defined in section 7K of the Act.

Professional advisers of trustees of charitable trusts, established as ‘ancillary funds’ or ‘prescribed private funds’, can look to the guidelines for assistance in making distributions to public hospitals.

The guidelines apply to the list of hospitals named in the schedule to the guidelines.

Trustees are advised by the Department of Justice to obtain their own professional advice as to the application of the Act to their particular circumstances.