Charities

The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner administers the Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939 to provide for the control of persons soliciting money or property for certain charitable purposes; and for other purposes.

Charities are required by legislation to lodge annual "Fundraising Income and Expenditure Statements" to provide the public with information regarding Charities financial performance in relation to charitable collections.

The Charities List contains a comprehensive list of all Charities including their contact, licence and financial details.

The Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939 (the Act) provides for the control of persons soliciting money or goods for certain charitable purposes.

The Act defines "charitable purpose" to include:

• The provision of, or assistance or support to the provision of, health services (within the meaning of the Health Care Act 2008) or research in the field of health or such health services
• The affording of relief, assistance or support to diseased, disabled, sick, infirm, incurable, poor, destitute, helpless, or unemployed persons, or to the dependents of any such persons
• The relief of distress occasioned by war, whether occasioned in South Australia or elsewhere
• The affording of relief, assistance, or support to persons who are or have been members of the armed forces of Australia or to the dependents of any such persons
• The provision of welfare services for animals

Any organisation that intends to collect for a "charitable purpose" as defined in the Act must be the holder of a Collections for Charitable Purposes Licence (CCP Licence).

A licence is issued pursuant to the Act for any organisation acting as a collector that wishes to:

• collect or attempt to collect any money or property; or
• obtain or attempt to obtain money by the sale of any disc, badge, token, flower, ribbon or other device; or
• obtain or attempt to obtain a bequest, devise or other grant of money or property for a charitable purpose
• sell or attempt to sell a ticket for admission to entertainment and the proceeds or part of the proceeds are for a charitable purpose

A CCP Licence does not authorise the conduct of fundraiser lotteries. Further information regarding lotteries can be found on our website.

A collector is a person who (either personally or through the agency of another person) -

• collects, or attempts to collect, money or property wholly or partly for a charitable purpose; or
• charges, or attempts to charge, for admission to an entertainment in relation to which it is held out that the proceeds are to be devoted wholly or partly to a charitable purpose; or
• obtains, or attempts to obtain, money wholly or partly for a charitable purpose by the sale of a disc, badge, token, flower, ribbon or other device; or
• obtains, or attempts to obtain, a bequest, devise or other grant of money or property wholly or partly for a charitable purpose

The Code of Practice for Collections for Charitable Purposes provides information on the required practices for collectors these include the hours and location of collection activities, identification requirements for collectors, the issuing of receipts and disclosure information by collectors.

The Code of Practice can be found here.

Unattended collection boxes include any form of receptacle (e.g. collection tins) for the collection of money, whether the money is to be placed in the receptacle as a donation or for the purchase of a disc, badge, token, flower, ribbon or other device.

Unattended collection boxes do not include boxes selling sweets and snacks.

A collection box must be marked in a prominent position with the following information:

• the name of the licensee
• a contact name and address
• a telephone number
• an email address if applicable; and
• the website where the income and expenditure statement for the licensee can be viewed (either the licensees website or www.charities.sa.gov.au)