Charities Services has announced a do-it-yourself tool for incorporated societies to build their own constitution, created with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Every incorporated society is required to have a constitution or set of rules, stating clearly how it intends to be run.

The tool works for groups that are, or would like to be registered as charities, and those that just want to be an incorporated society.

It’s also useful for existing incorporated societies looking to amend their rules.

The builder ensures charitable incorporated societies will meet most of Charities Services’ requirements. However, groups aiming to register as a charity must ensure their rules have exclusively charitable purposes.

The Companies Office says the tool should not be substituted for expert legal advice and that professional consultation should be sought before finalising constitutions.

Any constitution prepared using the Constitution Builder will need to be reviewed once the proposed new Incorporated Societies Act has been enacted by Parliament.

MBIE says the Government agreed to a number of changes to the Incorporated Societies Bill, intended to replace the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.

The Ministry expects the Bill to be introduced to Parliament late 2019.