Audit Lowe Down – What Should Be on the Board/Management Committee Agenda for NFP and Smaller Entities?
Lowe Lippmann Chartered Accountants
What Should Be on the Board/Management Committee Agenda for NFP and Smaller Entities?
We are fast approaching the end of the calendar year – the second most common reporting date for entities in Australia. Board and Management committees (Boards) of not-for-profits (NFPs) and small entities will be considering their annual reports and the 2025 outlook and as part of this project, it will be time to ensure the Board attention areas are appropriate.
Boards should focus on current and emerging risks to ensure their organisations remain resilient and effective – the normal items of financial management, governance, and strategic planning remain relevant, however other key matters which should be included are:
- Cybersecurity: Ensure your organisation is protected against increasing cyber threats and has robust data protection measures in place, including knowing what data is collected and retained by the organisation.
- Climate Risk: Evaluate how environmental changes impact operations, funding, and long-term sustainability and whether there is impact from the mandatory climate-reporting risk regime on your suppliers which may impact you.
- Diversity & Inclusion: Ensuring your governance and decision-making reflect the community your organisation serves, and the appropriate voice is being heard.
- Digital Transformation: Discuss emerging technologies for operational efficiency and addressing any digital gaps. Ensure appropriate policies for the use of AI are in place.
- Staffing and Succession Planning: Regularly review staffing levels, development opportunities, and establish succession plans for key roles, such as the Chair of the Board, CEO or General Manager.
- Geopolitical situation: Consider any likely impacts from the current world uncertainty and overseas elections including supplier and beneficiary locations, changes in exchange rates and interest rates.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Lowe Lippmann Relationship Partner if you wish to discuss any of these matters further.
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Government to permanently extend $20,000 instant asset write-off The Government has recently introduced legislation that would make the $20,000 instant asset write-off permanent for small businesses (as announced in the 2026 Federal Budget). If enacted, the changes would: permanently set the instant asset write-off threshold at $20,000 (instead of $1,000) for eligible depreciating assets first used, or installed ready for use, for a taxable purpose from 1 July 2026; and permanently set the general small business pool threshold at $20,000 from 1 July 2026. The changes would also further suspend the 'lock-out rule' until 30 June 2027. This rule otherwise prevents a business that has chosen not to use the simplified depreciation rules from re-entering the regime for five years.
High Court decision and ATO statement on Bendel’s Case The High Court recently handed down its decision in Bendel’s Case, confirming that an unpaid present entitlement (or UPE) between a discretionary trust and a beneficiary company does not fall within the extended definition of a “loan” for Division 7A purposes. The Australian Taxation Office released a Decision Impact Statement in response to the High Court findings, concluding the High Court's reasoning makes it clear that where a beneficiary company is entitled to a share of trust income that remains unpaid (a UPE) and the company takes no positive actions to call for payment of the entitlement, this will not fall within the expanded definition of a "loan" for Division 7A purposes. This is in contradiction to the ATO’s historical position that treated UPEs as "loans".
Government's tax reform package The Government has recently legislated several of the tax reform measures announced in the 2026 Federal Budget (and in later media releases). These include, among other things: Replacing the CGT discount with cost base indexation and a 30% minimum tax on gains accruing from 1 July 2027 (including gains on pre-CGT assets); Increasing the small business turnover threshold for the 50% active asset reduction from $2 million to $10 million; Limiting negative gearing for residential property to new residential dwellings from 1 July 2027 (subject to transitional rules); and Introducing the Working Australians Tax Offset from 1 July 2027, and the $1,000 instant tax deduction for work-related expenses from 1 July 2026. After a round of consultation, the Government has also announced further proposed measures, broadly including (among others): A new targeted CGT discount for investors in innovative start-ups; Barring SMSFs from utilising future limited recourse borrowing arrangements ( LRBAs ) to acquire residential property; and Exempting income of discretionary testamentary trusts from the minimum tax proposed for trusts. We recently released a Tax Alert considering the legislation restricting SMSFFs using residential property LRBAs – to read click here . For full details of each of the 2026 Federal Budget announcements, please see our Federal Budget Tax Alert – to read click here .
