The Australian Charitable Incorporated Organisation: A Reform Proposal

There is increasing recognition of the need to evaluate and reconsider the future of the corporate form, particularly in the context of purpose-based endeavours. This article proposes that the Federal Government consider, and consult on, the introduction of a specialist legal structure for charitable entities as part of its consultation on recommendations from the review of the Australian Charities and Not- for-profits Commission legislation. The introduction of a specialist structure - the Australian Charitable Incorporated Organisation (ACIO) - has the potential to mitigate current incoherence and complexity in the governance and regulatory framework of Australian charities and builds on the success of charitable incorporated organisations in other jurisdictions.