Commission registers first marae
27 September 2007
Kaiuku Marae is the first marae to become a registered charity under the new Charities Act 2005, the Charities Commission announced today.
“We are delighted to register our first marae and welcome applications for charitable registration from other marae,” said Commission chief executive Trevor Garrett.
Based in Hawkes Bay, Kaiuku Marae is on land set apart as a Māori reservation under Te Ture Whenua Maori Act.
To be eligible for registration, an organisation must be established and maintained for charitable purposes – meaning they must have a purpose that relieves poverty, advances religion, advances education, or is otherwise beneficial to the community. Other requirements, such as having officers who are qualified to be officers under the Charities Act, also apply.
If a marae is on a Māori reservation, maintaining and administering the land and buildings of the marae is treated as being charitable.
“We encourage all charities, including marae, to apply as soon as possible to avoid uncertainties about tax exemptions,” said Mr Garrett. “We now estimate that it takes at least 14 weeks to process correctly completed applications, with more complex cases taking longer.”
Charitable organisations that currently receive a tax exemption must be registered by the Charities Commission before 1 July 2008 if they wish to continue to be eligible for charitable-purpose tax exemptions. The Commission is concerned that many charities are waiting until the last minute to apply.
“There are thousands of charities, out there who still have not yet applied for registration,” Mr Garrett said. “Simply applying for registration with the Charities Commission by 1 July 2008 is not enough to secure a chance of a continued exemption through the Inland Revenue Department. A charity with a current exemption must actually be registered by the Charities Commission by 1 July 2008 to be eligible for a continued exemption. Only correctly completed applications received by 1 July 2008 can be backdated to this date.”
Application forms and plenty of guidance material are available on www.charities.govt.nz, or call the Commission’s free information line – 0508 242 748 (Language Line translators are available if required). Māori translations of ‘A Guide to the Charities Act’ and guidance notes for some forms are also available.
ENDS
Further information - Tania Guenter, Communications Advisor,
Charities Commission, 04 978
7792