Religious Charities in Australia: Implications for Governance Under Traditional Values and Outlooks

Abstract

Attitudes and practices surrounding governance duties and conflicts of interest among charity leaders in Australia vary appreciably according to demographic and cultural factors. In this article we analyse views expressed by leaders of religiously affiliated charities in Australia and compare them to their ‘other-than-religious peers’. While there are broad similarities in many respects, we identify potential weaknesses in governance practices in religious charities and suggest targeted education and guidance as a first step.

Keywords

• religious charities
• charity governance
• australian charities
• governance duties