Governance in the 21st Century: A Roadmap for Religious Institutions – 4 program on-demand webinar series

Program 1: Church Risk Management: How Well Does Your Board Manage Risk?

Managing risk is a board responsibility which can often be neglected to other, more urgent maters. However, failure to properly manage risk can lead to significant consequences down the track. How well does your religious institution manage risk? This session will provide practical guidance on ensuring your governance frameworks are up to the task, including:

• Governance and risk – understanding the inherent dynamic
• The right governance frameworks – not a one size fits all approach
• Best practice guidance on risk management checklists
• Board composition to best deal with risk
• The role of the constitution in governance and risk management
• Purpose as the guiding light: ensuring alignment between organisational objectives and operations

Program 2: Religious Freedom in Australia? A Reality Check

The question of religious freedom in Australia has been front and centre in Australia in recent years. However, confusion abounds regarding what our laws do and don’t do in a religious context. This session examines the key issues, including:

• What protections are available for religious freedoms in Australia?
• Dealing with religiously framed speech and discrimination
• Understanding where the gaps are in the current legislative framework
• What form should exemptions for religious institutions take?
• How should religious bodies respond to the current debate and where to for future reform?
• Lessons from recent case studies

Program 3: Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in the Relationship Between Public Benevolent Institutions and Religious Institutions

The ACNC has ramped up its reviews of PBIs amid its concerns that such an entity cannot have both a religious purpose and meet the ACNC requirements for charitable registration as a PBI. This session provides a detailed guide to meeting the PBI requirements set by the ACNC and provides tips for avoiding deregistration, including:

• The traditional characteristics and purpose of a PBI – have these been changed under ACNC requirements?
• What is a “religious purpose” and when will a PBI fail to comply with the ACNC requirements?
• Dissecting the meaning of:
  • benevolent relief
  • operation in Australia
• What activities does a PBI need to be undertaking to be registered as a charity?
• Distinguishing religious purpose from a benevolent relief purpose – cases and examples
• Relationship management between a religious institution and related PBI – how to maintain the dividing line
• Recent cases, including Women’s Life Centre Inc. v Commissioner of the ACNC [2021] AATA 500, Global Citizen Ltd v Commissioner of ACNC [2021AATA 3313, Australians for Constitutional Recognition for Indigenous People

Program 4: The Corporatization of Religious Entities – Religion at the Crossroads?

Religious institutions have steadily embraced the corporatization of church entities as a way in which to minimize legal risks, ensure fiscal responsibility and good governance. This session examines this recent trend and the key issues it creates for religious institutions, including:

• The adoption of corporate models for churches – when is this a good idea?
• Religious institutions and the operation of substantial commercial enterprises – should you incorporate?
• What risk factors emerge in the corporatization of the church?
• Does the corporate mindset act as a spiritual impediment?
• Understanding the role of the corporate veil
• Financial imperatives – separating church mission from church business
• Does church corporatization improve legal compliance?
• Case studies