16 December 204

NCWNZ Wins Court Case

ComVoices welcomes and celebrates the news that the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) has won its High Court case against Inland Revenue and the Charities Registration Board.

Peter Glensor, ComVoices Chair says “The National Council of Women is to be congratulated for pursuing this case. It has been a costly exercise for a volunteer led and run organisation and NCW have been proven right in their decision to take the High Court action.

“Its successful outcome has wide implications for the charitable sector.

“Justice Dobson’s decision that the council was entitled to be registered at all times during its period of deregistration raises important matters of principle about charitable status and how the Charities Registration Board is currently interpreting the Charities Act.”

“There are increasingly significant and widespread concerns in the sector around the interpretation of the Charities Act and the decisions on wording being imposed on groups in the sector.

“In response to the concerns of its members, ComVoices has initiated ongoing discussions with Charity Services to discuss these issues. We are keen that there is some common understanding of how the Charities Act should be applied.

“Justice Dobson in his decision said that the Charities Act should be applied to facilitate charitable works, not frustrate them, a view that is heartily endorsed by ComVoices members.”

ENDS

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