[Andrea Dolan]

Hi brains trust,

We have received a Rates Exemption application from the Salvation Army for 2 residential properties they have purchased designated to accommodate Ministers who can serve The Salvation Army in many ways, i.e. – Mission and Chaplaincy in Aged Care. We have requested they provide us details of the church the property is associated with in accordance with “religious body” exemption.

This was their response –
Property number 1 – Our ministers often move around and are not always appointed to a specific church, though they attend a church as part of their worship. The Major works as a Mission and Chaplaincy Manager – Aged Care at the Salvation Army Head Office.
Could you please advise if this should fall under a different criterion, even though the Minister is a Salvation Army minister?

Property number 2 – Major J S lives at this address and is a Minister within the Salvation Army and pays no rent as this property is owned by The Salvation Army to accommodate our Ministers. The Salvation Army is a religious and charitable organisation that owns properties that are predominantly used for religious worship, housing for ministers, and charitable purposes. This particular property is one of several within the Canterbury council area designated to accommodate Ministers who can serve The Salvation Army in many ways, example is that Major Joanne Smith is presently serving in our mission section of The Salvation Army in charitable purposes.

My first instinct is to reject because the properties are not linked to a physical church, like a Minister’s Manse. But I haven’t had these before, so I want to make sure I’m on the right track.

Could I please ask for your input and guidance?

Thanks
Andrea

[Andrew Butcher]

Hi Andrea

Based on the information provided I would press them on meeting the criteria of the legislation, we have had similar requests and declined to grant exemptions.

The Salvation Army is a religious body, they meet that criterion. They need to use the property for the purposes in their constitution and these properties most likely do not have a permitted use under your LEP to be a place of public worship.

The main issue and show stopper for me is that the Act says, ‘land that belongs to a religious body and is occupied and used in connection with”a building used or occupied solely as the residence of a minister of religion in connection with any such church or building’.

From your post the properties do not have a connection to a church and appear to be used as a Ministers residence for residential accommodation and are not used in connection with a church.

I hope this is helpful.

Regards,
Andrew

[Author]

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