20 December 2017
The Turnbull Government has announced that it will allow not-for-profit organisations that promote, revitalise and maintain Indigenous languages to become eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.
The change will be made by amending the eligibility criteria for the Register of Cultural Organisations (ROCO). Organisations on the register have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status so are able to receive tax deductible donations from individuals and businesses.
This will assist language centres to broaden their sources of revenue to include tax-deductible public donations.
The decision recognises that the revitalisation of Indigenous languages is an important cultural activity. It acknowledges the important role languages play in the wellbeing and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and gives language centres the same status as not-for-profit arts organisations. Not-for-profit Indigenous arts organisations are already able to seek DGR status through the ROCO.
This change is part of a broader reform package announced by the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, focused on the administration and oversight of organisations with DGR status, including organisations on the ROCO. For more information on these reforms visit http://kmo.ministers.treasury.gov.au/media-release/114-2017/
For more information about ROCO visit www.arts.gov.au/roco