Archived: Simply Mobilising Australia Limited: mini-charity review

Mini charity review of Simply Mobilising Australia Limited (SMA) as an Associate member of Missions Interlink.

Is it responsive to feedback?

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

Is SMA registered?

• As a charity, yes. But in its former name, LSI Australia Ltd.
• Other registrations:
  • SMA is a public company, a company limited by guarantee.
    • Its ABN record is still in its former name.
    • It appears to have the provisions in its constitution necessary to permit it to omit ‘Ltd/Limited’ from the end of its name.

What do they do?

• They promote the courses of LSI International.
  • The courses are shown at http://simplymobilising.com.au/courses/ but not offered for sale there.

Do they share the Gospel?

• No – the courses are for Christians.

What impact are they having?

• Other than the page showing the courses, the website was ‘undergoing maintenance’ (for an extended period).
  • There is no mention of impact, outcomes or results on the courses page. And no report in which they may be mentioned.

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

• No financial information is available to the public. They are not required to lodge a Financial Report with the ACNC (due to their size), and because they have said that they are a Basic Religious Charity (they aren’t), they have taken advantage of the exemption from financial reporting given this type of charity.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

• Website not available to check.

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

• See above.

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes. (Six and a half months after their year-end.)

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2016: No
  • The entry under ‘Other names…’ is not a registered name.
  • SMA is not a Basic Religious Charity.
  • No outcomes are given.
• Financial Report 2016: Yes. (Not required by the ACNC.)
  • 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.” So jus ask.

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• No Report and no financial information in the AIS 2016.

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 – ‘Phone’ and ‘Website’ are blank.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Website not available to check.
• From ‘Responsible Persons’ on the ACNC Register:
  • Chris Brittian
    • I think that this is meant to be Chris Brittain
  • Nadine Brittian
    • And Nadine Brittain.
  • John Love
• With the directors being a married couple who are in Africa, plus one other person, it would be valid for you to question the governance of this charity.

To whom is SMA accountable?

• To Missions Interlink[1] via their Associate membership.
• And, as an Australian registered charity, to the ACNC.
• And, as a company, to ASIC.

1. For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review. ↑