150 Years - Social Good
New Zealanders are often surprised that we manage over 420 charities, run New Zealand’s largest training farm, and administer KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals.
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New Zealanders are often surprised that we manage over 420 charities, run New Zealand’s largest training farm, and administer KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals.
Our 150 years of trustee services expertise means that we have picked up various roles. We lift the lid on what these roles are, why Public Trust holds them, and how they help New Zealanders.
Public Trust is one of New Zealand's largest charitable trust administrators and advisers, helping over 420 charities, including the largest we manage, the TG McCarthy Trust, which we have administered since 1912.
Our charitable trustees have deep expertise in charitable gifting and take care of registration, reporting, gifting, legal, accounting and taxation, making sure assets are invested to provide lasting benefits, and working to make sure a benefactor’s intentions are carried out for the life of their charitable trust.
Public Trust manages many different asset types, including New Zealand’s largest farm cadet training farm, Smedley Station. Josiah Howard bequeathed his 4500 hectare central Hawke's Bay farm to the Crown in 1919 with instructions that it be used for agricultural education. Since 1931, more than 600 young farmers have successfully graduated with many going on to hold senior positions in the farming industry. Today, Public Trust administers 30 farms.
In the most recent financial year reporting period (FY22), Public Trust was supervisor of 13 of New Zealand’s KiwiSaver schemes and four of the six default KiwiSaver schemes. When KiwiSaver members are experiencing, or are likely to experience, serious illness or significant financial hardship they may be eligible to withdraw part or all of their KiwiSaver balance. Public Trust assesses the hardship withdrawal applications for the KiwiSaver schemes it supervises and makes the final decision on whether an application meets the required criteria.
We also care for some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people. Under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights (PPPR) Act 1988, for example, Public Trust can be appointed by court order to provide personal management services for customers who no longer have the capacity to manage their own affairs.
We also have a contract for services with the Ministry of Justice for the work we do with some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights (PPPR) Act 1988 who would not otherwise be unable to financially access our support.
We are also the only entity in New Zealand that can be appointed to the role of Trustee of Last Resort. This means that we will step in and act as trustee where no other appropriate person or entity is available to perform the trustee role.
Throughout our history, Public Trust has been requested to step in to resolve unique and often complex issues. In 1932, for example, we helped Thames Borough Council recover from pending insolvency during the Great Depression. Most recently, in 2021, Public Trust agreed to play an independent review role in the settlement reached between former members of Glorivale and the Christian Community Charitable Trust, which administers Gloriavale on the shores of Lake Haupiri in Westland.
