Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?

By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW Sydney
Ranjana Gupta, Senior Lecturer Taxation, Auckland University of Technology

There’s a good reason your local volunteer-run netball club doesn’t pay tax. In Australia, various nonprofit organisations are exempt from paying income tax, including those that do charitable work, such as churches.

These exemptions or concessions can also extend to other taxes, including fringe benefits tax, state and local government property taxes and payroll taxes.

The traditional justification for granting these concessions is that charitable activities benefit society. They contribute to the wellbeing of the community in a variety of non-religious ways.

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