Archived: Healthcare Christian Fellowship Oceania Inc.: mini charity review for donors

Mini charity review of Healthcare Christian Fellowship Oceania Inc. (HCF) as^[1] a member of Missions Interlink. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

Is HCF registered?

• As a charity, yes.
• Other registrations:
  • As a Victorian incorporated association (No. A0043417L).
  • The Register says that HCF operates in all eight states. If this is the case, then it doesn’t have the necessary ARBN registration.
  • Given the very low level of donations in 2014-15, I did not check for fundraising licences^[2].
  • Not registered for GST – but probably still below the limit where that is required.

What do they do?

• No website, and no Annual Information Statement (none has yet been required by the ACNC), but if they are following their constitution^[3] [clause 2], they
  • “…train, equip and disciple Christian healthcare workers in subjects such as total patient care, care of the dying and medical ethics.
  • …share the love of Christ to all those interested, in the healthcare field….’

Do they share the Gospel?

• If included in the ‘spiritual counselling’ they do, then yes.
• But see the next section for the private information received from the ministry that makes the answer a definite yes.

What impact are they having?

• No information found.
• Ministry comment:
  • ‘Mission trip to Malo Island – Vanuatu (2,343 patients received treatment and heard the gospel, of which many gave their hearts to the Lord).  Mission Trip to Wewak Province – PNG (Over 1040 people gave their hearts to the Lord).  Mission Trip to Tonga – Many people came to know the Lord’

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

• The only accounts available on the Register are those for 2014-15, which is now over two years ago. (Plus they are unaudited.)
  • Ministry comment: ‘Bislama Full Bibles, Bislama New Testament Bibles, Steps to peace with God, Gospel of John, Free Spectacles (The above distributed free of charge at the outreaches) and HCF Oceania distance education training material.’
    • Reviewer response: I do not understand this as a response to the question of what is spent on administration.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No.

Is their online giving secure?

• NA. (Online giving on the international website is not available for the Australian organisation.)

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes. (But no reports have been required by the ACNC yet. This is because even though HCF has most likely been a charity since the inception of ACNC, they have only been registered since 31 August 2014, and the ACNC doesn’t require accounts for the initial part year.)
• If you want their latest financial report then perhaps their membership of Missions Interlink supports your request: they are required to “have available for its members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor” [Standards Statement, 4.1].)
  • Ministry comment: ‘The audited financial statements for financial year 2013-14 has (sic)been made available to Missions Interlink. The financial statements for the past two financial years are in the hands of the auditor at present and will be available once the auditor has completed his work.’
    • Reviewer response: (1) No explanation is given why, if audited statements were given to Missions Interlink, only an Income and Expenditure Statement and a Balance Sheet (see the next section) were lodged with the ACNC; and (2) No explanation is given for a delay so great in producing accounts that the last two years are with the auditor at the same time.

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2015: NA. See above.
• Financial Report 2015: NA. See above.
  • HCF has lodged, under Charity’s Document (sic), what it calls its ‘HCF Concised (sic) Accounts 2013_14’.
  • These comprise only an Income and Expenditure Statement and a Balance Sheet, so do not comply with Mission Interlink requirements.

What was the financial situation shown by that Report?

• NA. See above.

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• The 2014-15 accounts do not include an audit report.

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

• Almost. ‘Website’ and ‘Size of Charity’ are blank.

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

• NA. (No donations sought, and no up-to-date accounts to see how donations are used.)

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• No website, so here’s the directors from the ACNC Register. They answer to the members.
  • Anna Ariaratnam
  • Mohan Bangah
  • Sean George
  • Chelliah Gnanaharan
  • Padmini Gnanaharan
  • Kathleen Merry
  • Michael Sabapathypillai
  • James Suresh
  • Ajith Thomas

To whom is HCF accountable?

• Apart from the ACNC, and although they do not refer to it, HCF is a Member of Missions Interlink[4].
  • For one view on the strength of this accountability, see the section Activities in this review.
  • Ministry comment: ‘This group is directly accountable to Pastor Lucky Kanagasabei – Senior Pastor, Christian Life Assembly. In addition, it is accountable to the HCF International Board for the governance and ministry of HCF Oceania and to Missions Interlink to act responsibly as a member and to relevant Government agencies as per the Legislation.‘
    • Reviewer comment: There is no mention of HCF, or any healthcare ministry, on Christian Life Assembly’s website.

Are they responsive to feedback?

• When sent a draft of this review, they sent two private reports of trips made to other countries plus comments on some of my observations. Their comments have been included above.

1. HCF said in their comments on the draft review that ‘we do not collect funds from the general public’. ↑
2. The website of the international organisation – the website that one is directed to from Mission Interlink’s membership list – makes no provision for a donation to the Australian organisation. ↑
3. Available on the ACNC Register. Clause 2. ↑
4. The link from the membership list goes to the website of the international organization, not HCF. ↑