The Charities Amendment Bill: Making a submission

Introduction

With over 28,000 registered charities in New Zealand, the Charities Amendment Bill (the “Bill”) will have a far reaching impact in the for purpose sector. The Bill had its first reading on the 28^th September 2022 and submissions are being accepted until 9^th December 2022.  This article explains how you can make a submission, with Part 1 explaining the key changes introduced by the Bill.

What are submissions?

A submission is an opportunity to present your opinions, observations and recommendations on the Bill before a select committee. Submissions are written, but you can say within your submission that you would like to talk to the committee in person if you wish. Once the select committee has completed its work on the Bill, it will create a report that explains what it has learnt and suggests recommended changes to the Bill. The Bill will then move on to its second reading.

Making your submission

Before making a submission, we suggest you read our article on the key changes introduced by the Bill and look at the Bill itself. You may also find it helpful to do further research on what others are saying about the Bill, look at other submissions that have been made here, or even talk to people involved in your organisation about the Bill. You can listen to the discussion Sue Barker and Steven Moe had on the Bill here.

Once you have an idea of what you would like to say in your submission, you can write your submission. Parliament’s website explains that it is easier for a select committee to understand your submission if it is presented well.

You can make a submission by visiting this link on Parliament’s website and clicking the “I am ready to make my submission” box. You will be asked for your details, whether you want to make an oral submission and to either upload your submission or complete an online submission form. You can then review and submit your submission.

You have until 11:59pm on Friday 9^th December 2022 to make your submission. Making a submission is a great way to share your thoughts on what you would like to see in the Bill and provide input on the law that affects all 28,000 charities in New Zealand.

Summary

We also have other free resources available for charities and for purpose entities that may be of interest:

• Our Charities in New Zealand: A Legal Handbook
• Our Information Hub on the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022
• We host monthly impact calls to hear from a variety of voices across the for purpose sector – you can find out more here
• Here is a discussion of the Charities Amendment Bill with Steven Moe and Sue Barker – this goes into more detail about the changes and how you can make a submission

We have helped many for purpose entities over the years and would be happy to discuss your situation with you. Please feel free to contact us at Parry Field Lawyers.