Sunday, 16 June 2013
The taxing question of what constitutes a charity

New Zealanders give billions of tax deductible dollars to charities each year and businesses owned by charitable trusts generate millions of dollars of tax free profits. As a result hundreds of millions of dollars that would otherwise go into the consolidated fund are diverted to charities. Ideas speaks to Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesperson Garth McVicar and former Corso spokesperson David Small about the impact that losing charitable status has on an organisation. And former head of the Charities Commission Trevor Garrett and independent charities researcher Michael Gousmett reflect on the history, practice, and desirability of granting tax free status to charities.