AUSTRALIA
The Guardian
August 12, 2018
By Melissa Davey
Terry Hamilton writes to tax office and charities watchdog about failures royal commission found in Catholic and other churches
It is unacceptable for churches that failed to protect children from sexual abuse to still have charity status nine months after the royal commission delivered its final report, a former assistant taxation commissioner has said.
Terry Hamilton wrote to the prime minister’s office, the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) expressing concern at the number of unchallenged breaches of taxation law by Australia’s religious institutions.
The high court of Australia states for church bodies to qualify as religious institutions the church body must: be instituted for promotion of a religious object; its activities must reflect that character; and its practices and conduct must not offend against the laws of Australia.
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