The Department of Internal Affairs

The Department of Internal Affairs

Te Tari Taiwhenua

Building a safe, prosperous and respected nation

 

Resource material › Our Policy Advice Areas › Community Development Policy

The Department of Internal Affairs provides advice to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and to government on:

  • key strategic policy issues facing the Community and Voluntary sector
  • community development and community resourcing issues
  • the community perspective on key inter-agency projects.
The Department also provides strategic advice as required to the Lottery Grants Board and works closely with other government departments which have an interface with the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Community, Voluntary and Sector Policy

The Community, Voluntary and Sector Policy team (formerly known as the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector) provides cross-sector policy development and advice to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and to government on the community and voluntary sector at the national policy level.

Areas that the team work on include:

General information


Guidance on engaging with community organisations


Social enterprise


Volunteering and giving


Non-profit sector research

The Study of the New Zealand Non-Profit Sector 2004-2008. This project measured and described the role that non-profit organisations play in society and the economy

Charities Act 2005

In 2010 the Department of Internal Affairs reviewed the Charities Act 2005 (the Act) and the Charities (Fees, Forms, and Other Matters) Regulations 2006. Some technical amendments were progressed through the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2), with those amendments to the Charities Act taking effect in February 2012. Cabinet also agreed in 2010 that a first principles review of the Charities Act would be undertaken and completed by 2015. The review was to assess both the effectiveness of the (then) Charities Commission since its inception in 2005 and the “charitable purpose” definition.

In November 2012, Cabinet decided not to continue with a review of the Charities Act 2005. The following Cabinet papers and minutes related to that decision have been proactively released by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
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