Archived: Dalit Freedom Network Australia Ltd: mini-charity review

Mini charity review of Dalit Freedom Network Australia Ltd (DFN) as an organisation that seeks donation online.

Is it responsive to feedback?

• When sent a draft of this review, they…did not respond.

Is DFN registered?

• As a charity, yes.
• Other registrations:
  • DFN is a public company, a company limited by guarantee.
    • It does not appear to have the provisions in its constitution necessary to permit it to omit ‘Ltd/Limited’ from the end of its name.
      • But it does this on both the website that is linked from Missions Interlink, and on the Facebook page linked from that website.
      • That website covers both DFN and a similar organisation in New Zealand.
        • The New Zealand organisation is not registered as a charity.
  • DFN operates, per the ACNC Register, in all eight states. Seven of these have a fundraising licensing regime. DFN has no fundraising licences^[1].

What do they do?

• It’s all here.

Do they share the Gospel?

• No

What impact are they having?

• There is no information on the website about impact (nor outcomes or results).

What do they spend outside the costs directly incurred in delivering the above impact, that is, on administration?

• This is what they claim on the website:
  • ‘14. Eighty percent of gifts received for a specific project are applied directly to that project and 20% towards administration. Eighty percent of sponsorship support is applied to the education program and 20% towards administration.’
• This cannot be checked because no financial information has yet been made public:
  • No reporting has been due to the ACNC since the charity was established in January 2016.
  • Nothing has been published voluntarily (despite the promise here).

Can you get a tax deduction?

• Yes

Is their online giving secure?

• The ‘Donate’ page says ‘100% Secure’, but does not support this claim.

What choices do you have in how your donation is used?

• It’s not clear. On the ‘Donate’ page you enter an amount etc. but there is no purpose specified. And a button underneath says ‘Sponsor a child’. But on the Home page, there is ‘Donate’, ‘Free a Child’, and ‘Free a Woman’. So, I’d say general purposes and sponsorship of either a woman or a child.

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• No reporting has been due yet.

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2016: NA
• Financial Report 2016: NA
  • However, their Associate membership of Missions Interlink requires them to “have available for [their] members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor.”
  • And they say, on the website, that
    • ‘12. To demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability, Dalit Freedom Network Australia posts a variety of information about the organisation on our website including: our financial statements and other related material.’
      • It is now over seven months after their year-end, yet there are no financial statements on the website.

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• NA

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• NA (see above).

If a charity, is their page on the ACNC Register complete?

• No – ‘Website’ and ‘Operates in (Countries)’ are blank.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Not shown on the website.
• From ‘Responsible Persons’ on the ACNC Register:
  • Jonathan Bradhurst
  • Catherine Rodwell
  • Jonathan Rodwell
  • William Saxton
• If the Rodwells are a couple, then with only two other directors, it would be valid for you to question the governance of this charity.

To whom is DFN accountable?

• To Missions Interlink[2] via their Associate membership.
• To ASIC, as a company.
• And, as an Australian registered charity, to the ACNC.

1. The law in this area is not straightforward – is an internet invitation ‘fundraising’ for instance? – and advice varies, so check with the charity before drawing any conclusions. ↑
2. For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review. ↑