Ensuring public transparency was a fundamental principle underpinning the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) when it was established in 2012. The new agency was charged with enhancing “public trust and confidence” in the not-for-profit sector. Yet, at the eleventh hour, the legislation that established the ACNC included a special carveout for ‘Basic Religious Charities’ (BRCs), exempting them from the standard financial reporting and governance expectations.

At this RSA Webinar, Dr Philip Saj, Visiting Scholar at The Business School at the University of Adelaide, will share insights from his comprehensive research into BRCs – registered charities that qualify for charitable status for the purpose of ‘advancing religion’.

Dr Saj will present highlights from his working paper, which goes into the number of BRCs, their sizes and the range of their activities. He will also speak about the origin of the concept of BRCs and address the arguments put forward by their proponents.