Less money for V.S.A.

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 46

Less money for V.S.A.

'I ! ' 'i ' Volunteer I Service | Abroad has reported a 20 k per cent' decline 'in dona- | tions from its recent postal appeal in Canterbury. [ | I V.S.A.’s | public affairs | officer, ;Mr Rod Donald, | said V.s!a| had estimated ' it received $7OOO j less this year than at the- same time last year, i' ' | i | “We believe [the deci- 1 sion to ' remove { tax [rebates on charitable donations has caused this drop ih support;” he said. [ | He hoped, however,' that the; postponement of the removal of the rebate I for 121 months would ( make a d fference. j “The { rebate changes were rushed through and there was a lot of confusion in; people’s minds [ that the abolition of the [ rebate wolild have an im-|

mediate effect.” "We are very pleased, though, that the Government has seen sense on this'! issue,” Mr Donald said. V.S.A. will make a submission to the Brash Committee, including: ctemmehts on GST in relation to charities, the taxing of charities’ trading income, and the tax rebate issue. Mr Donald addted that even though the | rebate was only up to $2OO it was symbolic of the ( public support charities received. | “We prefer to get funding from the public rather than a Government committee because it is a much fairer and [clearer measure of - whether we are doing good work or not,” he said.