The new mandate, approved at the July meeting of the Assembly Standing Committee, allows UCOA to meet a higher level of Government accreditation which opens the possibility of accessing increased Government aid and development funding in the future.

The Director of Uniting International Mission, Rev. Bill Fischer, told the July ASC the new mandate would involve small changes and had drawn heavily on the experience of other church aid agencies like the Anglican Board of Mission and Caritas.

“While UCOA will remain responsible to the Assembly through UIM, it’s important in order to fulfill the requirements of AusAid and the Australian Council for International Development that the UCOA mandate has an appendix on governance which can effectively operate as a summarized constitution.”

Rev. Fischer said changes had also been needed to make clearer the links between the Incorporated body of the Assembly and UCOA.

“The changes in the Mandate will allow this to happen and will mean UCOA is in a position to apply for full accreditation with AusAID which would provide access a substantially increased level of Government funding for aid and development projects each year – possibly $980,000 instead of $200,000 at present.

“It is an important step for UCOA to take and means the Uniting Church will be better placed to respond to the great need we hear from our Partner Churches, especially in Asia and the Pacific.

“My hope is that if we are successful in accessing these increased funds we can direct the majority of them to our existing Church Partnership Program in PNG and some to develop new poverty alleviation projects with our other partners in Asia and the Pacific,” he said.