Charities officer info

The Church has prepared this guide - Charities Officer Resource: Guide for Congregations, Trusts and Officers - to provide Presbyterian and Uniting congregations and their related trusts with guidance about the appointment of charities officers under the Charities Services Act (2005). The guide also provides information to help officers understand the role and responsibilities of a charities officer.

This guide was comprised with advice from the Presbyterian Church’s Book of Order Advisory Committee, and draws heavily on the Charities Officer Kit prepared by Charities Services, and answers the following questions:

For church councils

  • What is an officer?   
  • Who are the officers?   
  • What is Officer Certification?   
  • Who can’t be an officer?   
  • How are officers certified?   
  • How many officers should be appointed?   
  • Can an elder resign or opt-out of being a charities officer?   
  • Updating charities officers   
  • Checking who our registered officers are 

For officers   

  • Officer responsibilities   
  • As an officer, what am I liable for?   
  • Do I need to give permission to be appointed as an officer?   
  • I don’t want to be an officer, what do I do?   
  • Officer certification   

Download the Charities Officer Resource: Guide for Congregations, Trusts and Officers