INFORMATION BULLETIN

For Immediate Release

2004AG0036-000801

Oct. 7, 2004
Ministry of Attorney General

ACT PROTECTS CHARITABLE DONATIONS

VICTORIA – Attorney General Geoff Plant introduced Bill 63, The Charitable Purposes Preservation Act in the Legislative Assembly today.

The act responds to uncertainty in the law arising from recent litigation. It is intended to ensure a balance between the interests of donors and charities, and the interests of those to whom a charitable organization is indebted or liable.

The new act will allow a donation to a charity for a specific charitable purpose to be used exclusively for that purpose; and protect the donation from being used to satisfy unrelated debts or other liabilities of the charitable organization.

This will require that donations of property or money given for a specific charitable purpose to be kept and administered separately from other property, and used exclusively for the specified purpose.