Nelson Grey Power Association Incorporated.

UPDATE:

On 10 September 2021, Te Rātā Atawhai, the Charities Registration Board (“the Board”) decided to register Nelson Grey Power Incorporated (the Society). The Board considers the Society now advances exclusively charitable purposes with a primary charitable purpose of relieving the needs of the elderly. For more information, please refer to the full Board Statement. 

Date 21 May 2020

The role of the Charities Registration Board (“the Board”) is to maintain the integrity of the Charities Register by ensuring that entities on the Charities Register qualify for registration. A purpose is charitable if it advances a public benefit in a way that is analogous to cases that have previously been held to be charitable.

The Board makes its decisions based on the facts before it, applying the law, including relevant case law, and maintaining consistency of approach with previous Board decisions.

The Board has carried out a full assessment of the eligibility of the Nelson Grey Power Association Incorporated (“the Society”) for registration. In its decision dated 21 May 2020, the Board declined the Society’s application.

The Board considers that the Society has an independent purpose to support the Grey Power New Zealand Federation (“the Federation”), which does not have exclusively charitable purposes. The Board also considers that the Society’s focus is too broad to be charitable, as the Society has an independent purpose to advocate particular views on any issues affecting older people that does not advance a public benefit in a way previously accepted as charitable. The Society’s broad advocacy is not restricted to supporting older people in charitable need or advancing any other charitable purpose.

The Board acknowledges that the Society undertakes a number of activities that are consistent with a charitable public benefit to relieve the needs of the aged. The Board has found, however, that the Society’s broad advocacy for points of view on issues of concern and its support for the Federation mean that its activities do not qualify as being for the public benefit in a charitable sense.

The Board’s full decision can be read at the link below.

The Charities Registration Board’s statement regarding the decision can be found here.