the usual suspects making the usual comments and only Verge seems to have any idea of what it is.

Not for Profits dont pay tax on their surplus (not profit). you dont like it? complain the the govt and watch a large number of community organisations collapse - mainly charities, welfare groups and community sporting groups etc.

most of the nonsense spread here is by people who know nothing about what goes on and even less about taxation law. if all these 'tax evasions' are going on - churches and miners for example - why do you think the ATO isnt taking action? just perhaps because... they ARENT evading tax?

longweekend58 wrote on Nov 10^th, 2011 at 6:58pm:


Ah the little ray of sunshine blesses us with his presence!



The issue, Einstein, is with the law. What is the law? The law is simply nothing more than a mere act of Parliament.

This is why "the people" are asking questions (Heaven forbid that the Great Unwashed should dare ask questions!) about the laws that allow such inequality.

Tool.

Ah poor Tool. You know nothing about me. Nothing at all.

You play the man, you do not play the ball. Silly you.

Tool.

longweekend58 wrote on Nov 10^th, 2011 at 7:21pm:




I would be ok with this if the pastor of said church didnt live a millionaires lifestyle (like hillsong).

Raising 350000 for cancer is great but if the pastor and church higherups make 1,350,000 then it's not such a great result.








Now I am one of those people with not much of a knowledge on australian tax laws but maybe someone could enlighten me.



If the tax free status of "religious" groups is abolished , but any charitable donations or outlays paid by a "religious " group is tax deductible (just like any member of society I think) would this prevent "religious" groups from doing good in society?


Or would it just prevent those unscrupulous and money hungry , millionaire lifestyle type "religious" groups from getting away with selfish profit making?

longweekend58 wrote on Nov 10^th, 2011 at 7:46pm:




The poor paranoid sod sees "Astro" everywhere!



I have no bloody idea who this "Astro" was...but whoever he is/was I like him. If he did enough to get banned/nuked/obliterated by you, then to him I dips me lid. Yessiree Bob.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Nov 10^th, 2011 at 5:08pm:



They feed and care for more of the hungry and the destitute than the Australian Sceptics or the Atheist Society, that's for sure. They run schools and hospitals here an in poor countries.


Just as a forexample, here's the Anglican Church's financial report. Tell us where the vast property expansion is evident.
http://www.anglican.org.au/Web/Website.nsf/content/Financial_Reporting_for_the_G...

Quote:


What did you do?

I do support a not for profit foundation and I know that all money goes towards the cause for which it was set up. Not much of what churches collect goes to worthy causes, but they claim tax free status on 100% of income.

Some of us think this is wrong.

Uncle wrote on Nov 10^th, 2011 at 7:09pm:



And what question have you asked?

The laws are not there to ensure equality - if equality was one of your questions. In any case, the churches give salve to far more of the down and outers than the laws. And you know why? because of what the churches are. They are community organisation. The money they have is from their congregations. That means the people who freely assemble in each church. And get this - each church has a council (as seen in the Vicar of Dibley, an excellent sociological documentary, by the way, as is yes Minister). And these council decide what they do with their money. WHen they collect, they tell you what they are ccollecting for and you can look at their books!