The Charities Registration Board has declined an application by the Scoop Foundation for Public Interest Journalism to be a registered charity.

The Board says it has declined the application to be registered because it does not advance exclusively charitable purposes.

"Although the Board considers that Trust’s stated purposes are charitable under the advancement of education, the Trust has not demonstrated that its relationship with Scoop Publishing Limited (“the Company”) advances a charitable purpose," the decision says.

"One of the Trust’s main activities is providing support to the Company.  Based on the information provided by the Trust, the Board is not satisfied that the Company’s income will be ultimately applied to charitable purposes.

"The Trust has not shown that the Company is capable of raising funds for charitable purpose. The Trust has also not provided evidence that there are sufficient protections in place to ensure that the Trust does not provide benefits to the Company or to individuals associated with the Company."