The Federal Government announced on Friday 2 August 2013 that it will defer its decision to cap deductions on self-education expenses at $2000. The Government announcement on the deferral was in the Economic Statement, Page 34 -“The Government has decided to defer the introduction of the $2,000 cap on work related education expense deductions until 1 July 2015. This will allow for further consultation on how best to target excessive claims while ensuring the impact on university enrolments…

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American senior association executives exchanged ideas and insights into the international association landscape with their Australian counterparts in Sydney recently as part of a week-long study tour. Eight American delegates were brought to Australia as members of the American Society of Associations Executives (ASAE), a membership organisation of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners that represents 10,000 organisations. The…

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Associations Forum and its members have called on the Treasurer to reverse the government’s decision to impose a cap on self-education expenses.  At a meeting in Canberra this week, Associations Forum represented its 460 member organisations along side 20 peak professional bodies in opposition to the cap. Following the meeting, Associations Forum sent a submission to the Treasury outlining why the cap should be reversed, based on feedback from members. “There is unity among…

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The new governance standards for charities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) came into effect on 1 July 2013. The standards apply to all organisations registered or wishing to register with the ACNC, except for Basic Religious Charities. "This will provide assurance to the community that if a charity is registered with the ACNC, it commits to these straightforward standards," said Acting Commissioner Murray Baird. Those charities…

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International associations have been given the go-ahead to open regional headquarters in Dubai in a move which could turn the emirate into a 'gateway to the Middle East' for not-for-profit organisations. Until now the legal framework made it almost impossible for international associations to establish themselves in Dubai. That's because organisations wanting to set up in the city-state had to have boards consisting entirely - or mainly - of United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals. But…

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A new chapter of the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) will be formed following the announcement of a merger between their Queensland/Northern Territory and New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory divisions. Members showed strong support for the historic merger at the Annual General Meeting on 30 May 2013 in a unanimous vote. The merger, which was nine months in the making, is the first step in a process that aims to unite the remaining AIM divisions across Australia. The…

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Members of Associations Forum are concerned following Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan's recent announcement of his plans to introduce a $2000 cap on work-related self-education expense deductions. Following the announcement, a number of members contacted Associations Forum to express their concerns and seek more information. General Manager of Associations Forum, John Peacock, has responded by writing to the Treasurer on behalf of near to 500 member associations. The following quotes…

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John Peacock, General Manager of Associations Forum, comments on what we can learn from the statistics and trends in the 2013 Associations Forum Board Survey.   Although there are numerically more associations incorporated under the Associations Incorporation legislation of the Australian states and territories, the organisations completing the survey are evenly balanced between the Associations Incorporation Acts…

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The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has been advised by Infrastructure NSW that it has terminated negotiations with Sydney Harbour Expo for the creation of temporary exhibition facilities at Glebe Island. The temporary facility was proposed to cater for displaced exhibitions during the three-year closure of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre while a major redevelopment takes place at Darling Harbour. Project Director for the redevelopment, Tim Parker, has…

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The South Australian Farmers Federation (SAFF) has been dissolved and a new umbrella group known as Primary Producers SA has launched. At a recent meeting in Adelaide, the members voted to disband the 123-year-old organisation and change the Constitution. The new body will consist of different commodity groups in the farming industry as opposed to individuals. President Roger Farley said he hoped farmers would embrace the new model. "It is a bit of a sad day but it's…

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A raft of legislative and regulatory change has served as the basis for the latest installment of Enhancing Not-for-Profit Annual and Financial Reporting, a publication by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (the Institute) for the not-for-profit (NFP) sector. Enhancing Not-for-Profit Annual and Financial Reporting is the fourth edition of the publication to be launched since 2006, and offers guidance to NFP entities in the compilation of financial and annual…

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