Boards need a considered response
Bill d’Apice, was recently interviewd by Tony Featherstone in the Company Director Magazine, about the proposed regulatory reform that could change the nature of charities and their governance — and add to sector uncertainty.
In the interview, Bill d’Apice, a principal legal adviser to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and a current or former chair of over a dozen NFP boards, says charities shouldn’t have kneejerk reactions to the ACNC review. “The potential reforms are hard to predict. Charities shouldn’t make significant governance or operational changes until there is more clarity around the new rules. I would be surprised if any major changes were legislated before the end of the year.”
Bill says directors should ensure their charity adopts best practice in terms of resource usage and “get their house in order”. “Good charities and their boards do this anyway as part of normal operations. NFP boards should follow the review, but not overreact to it.”
