Centre for Accounting, Governance, and Taxation Research

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Not-for-profit seminar series

The Centre for Accounting, Governance, and Taxation Research occasional not-for-profit seminar series addresses current issues of relevance to this sector.

Building on a successful Not-for-Profit Sector Conference in November 2012, the Centre for Accounting, Governance, and Taxation Research initiated an occasional Not-for-Profit Seminar series to address current issues of relevance to this sector.

Previous seminars

Seminar 1—Not-for-profit structures, reporting, and accountability

Date: Monday, 2 September 2013
Venue: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatres 1 & 2, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington

Recent reports and proposed legislation (including the Law Commission’s report on Incorporated Societies and the Financial Reporting Bill) raise questions about organisational structure. Choices made affect operational structures, organisational reporting, and governance. In this seminar/workshop participants were challenged to consider:

  • What changes are occurring in the structure and regulation of not-for-profit entities?
  • Is your organisational structure the right one for your operations?
  • How does the choice of structure affect your reporting obligations?
  • What reporting choices allow your organisation to respond to demands for local and national accountability?

Keynote speakers

  • Professor Geoff McLay, Law Commissioner
  • Brendon Ward, General Manager, Charities, Department of Internal Affairs
  • David McLay, Barrister
  • Jenny Prince, Chief Executive Officer, Plunket

Workshops

  • Dr Carolyn Cordery, Member, NZ Accounting Standards Board and Senior Lecturer, School of Accounting and Commercial Law
  • Andrew Babbage, Partner, Deloitte and Robyn Walker, National Technical Director, Deloitte

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Seminar 2—Preparing for 2015: an update for charities

Date: Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Venue: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington

The Financial Reporting Act brought a new regulatory framework, new reporting responsibilities, and opportunities. The Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill also proposes that registered charities with annual operating expenditure of $500,000 or more be required to have the financial statements they file with their annual returns assured by a qualified accountant. The Department of Internal Affairs is to be tasked with monitoring compliance with these requirements.

This seminar will cover:

  • What changes have occurred in the regulation of charities and what reporting and assurance responsibilities will it bring?
  • What specific steps can you undertake now to prepare for the changes to your financial statements for 2015?
  • Revenue generation strategies—highlights and pitfalls identified from charities’ financial statements.
  • A look across the Tasman—what can we learn?

Keynote speakers

  • Beth Goodwin, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
  • Brendon Ward, General Manager, Charities, Department of Internal Affairs
  • Carolyn Cordery, Member, NZ Accounting Standards Board and Senior Lecturer, School of Accounting and Commercial Law
  • Kevin Simpkins, Chair External Reporting Board, and Adjunct Professor, School of Accounting and Commercial Law
  • Stewart Donaldson, Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ex-NZ Charities Commission and IRD)

Downloads

Seminar 3—Preparing for 2015: Registration, governance, and accounting issues for charities

Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Venue: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington

Registered charities must comply with the new reporting requirements under the Charities Act from 1 April 2015. Many organisations are reviewing their governance structures and the form of their charity registration in light of the new reporting requirements in order to ensure that these structures and arrangements fit well with their mission and that the ensuing reporting is relevant to all their stakeholders. In this seminar you will be given an update on the new requirements and hear from representatives of three organisations who are responding to the change in different ways.

This seminar will cover:

  • The options, merits, and drawbacks of single and group registrations with DIA charities
  • Challenges in developing an appropriate structure that meets members’ needs—and tips on how to overcome these
  • Getting ready for the expected audit requirements as part of the structural and registration reconsiderations
  • Evaluating discretionary and non-discretionary costs and options in developing costing systems to meet the structure of your organisation.

Keynote speakers

  • Carolyn Cordery, Member, NZ Accounting Standards Board
  • Carolyn Fowler, Senior Lecturer, School of Accounting and Commercial Law
  • Marlies Frew, Business Services Manager, Scouts NZ
  • Dave Henderson, Coordinator, ANGOA
  • Lesa Kalapu, General Manager, Charities, Department of Internal Affairs
  • Peter van Hout, Financial Services Manager, Methodist Church of New Zealand.

Downloads

Seminar 4—Taxation issues in charities and not-for-profit organisations

Date: Thursday, 26 February 2015
Venue: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington

At the last seminar, many participants noted the need for more informed discussion about tax issues in the sector. This seminar provides that opportunity and will cover:

  • GST issues for not-for-profit entities in relation to branch registration and revenue generation
  • remuneration and tax
  • donations—definitions, overseas donation and donee status
  • tax obligations in relation to de-registration from Charities Services (especially if this is due to an organisational re-structure).

Keynote speakers

  • Hon Todd McClay, Minister of Revenue, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Associate Minister of Trade
  • Sue Barker, Director, Sue Barker Charities Law
  • Phil Fisher, Director, Tax Team
  • Charles Ngaki, Senior Policy Analyst, Inland Revenue Department
  • John Shewan, Adjunct Professor, School of Accounting and Commercial Law

Downloads

Seminar 5—Incorporated Societies as an organisational form: Proposed changes, governance, and accounting issues

Date: Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Venue: OId Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington

The Incorporated Societies Act 1908 is to be updated with an Exposure Draft of the new Bill out for submissions. This will affect the large number of not-for-profit organisations who operate under it, and it is a good chance for organisations to review their governance structures in light of the proposed changes and also to input to the new Bill while it is still in draft stage. In this seminar you will be given an overview of the key changes and hear from a panel of people who will be affected by these changes.

This seminar will cover:

  • an overview of the obligations under the proposed Incorporated Societies Bill
  • committee members' duties, resolution of disputes and conflicts of interest
  • financial accounting obligations
  • actions to take now and those for the near future.

Keynote speakers

  • Geoff Connor, Principal Advisor, Commerce, Consumers and Communications Branch, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
  • Carolyn Cordery, Associate Professor, School of Accounting and Commercial Law,
  • Dave Henderson, External Relations Manager, Hui E!
  • Brent Kennerley, Partner, Grant Thornton
  • Geoff McLay, Professor, Victoria University of Wellington Law School
  • John Page, Senior Advisor, Business Improvement, Sport New Zealand

Downloads