WHAT WE ARE ABOUT
CHARTER
“ To provide a stable source of long term finance at affordable rates of interest, for Catholic parishes and institutions of the Lismore Diocese and to provide a stable stated return to investors.”
The Diocesan Investment Fund – DIF – is a financial work of the Diocese of Lismore. We were established in 1964 and have a long and proud history of supporting development projects within the Catholic community.
Individuals and institutions by making an investment in the Fund receive a competitive rate of interest, free of any charges. Investors’ funds are used by the DIF to make loans to enable parish and diocesan development projects to be completed at low costs. Also the DIF’s surplus is used to help fund the pastoral works of the Diocese. Investors can be proud that their funds are being used to support Catholic education, health, aged care and other pastoral works of the Church.
Some recent development projects that have been funded by the DIF are:
* St Joseph’s Primary School South Murwillumbah
* St Finbarr’s Primary School Byron Bay
* Crowley Memorial Retirement Village Aged Care Units Ballina
* St Carthage’s Community Aged Care Centre Lismore
* John Paul College Coffs Harbour
* St Mary’s Primary School Grafton
* St Joseph’s Primary School Wauchope
SECURITY OF YOUR INVESTMENT
All investments with the DIF are secured by the assets of the Diocese and guaranteed by the Bishop, Geoffrey Jarrett, Bishop of Lismore. The fund has been established for over 40 years. The Fund only lends for Church related projects. The fund is audited annually and the most recent annual report is available here.
The Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) is not subject to the provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Deposits with the DIF are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose. We welcome your investment with the DIF rather than with a profit oriented commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. Neither the DIF nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Authority; contributions to the DIF do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959. The DIF is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the DIF.
PRIVACY POLICY
The Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) has adopted this privacy policy pursuant to the Privacy Act 2000. Our investors’ privacy has always been of upmost importance to the Fund and prior to the Act being legislated the DIF had measures in place to ensure the privacy of our investors' personal information, The Fund will continue under the new Privacy Act to ensure that all investors’ personal details are kept confidential and secure.
Personal Information
The DIF collects information from its investors – name, current mailing and residential addresses, telephone numbers, date of birth, gender, tax file number, bank account details, ID details. The Fund needs this information to maintain its records in a format that allows the Fund to identify its investors and provide them with the necessary level of service they require.
How the Fund uses Personal Information
Your personal information is only used to provide you with the services you’ve requested from the Fund. It will only be used for the purposes for which you tell the DIF that it can be used, or to contact you to respond to your needs or enquiries.
Transfer of Information
Your personal information will be treated with respect and will not be provided to any individual or organisation unconnected with the DIF without your express written consent, unless we are required by law to do so. Sometimes an investor’s personal information may be transferred to or handled by:
* The Fund’s auditors
* Government agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office
* The investor’s accountants, solicitors or other professional advisers they have authorised to act on their behalf.
The Fund does not sell or rent out any of the personal information it holds and protects the security of that information in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Access to Personal Information
You have a right to access your personal information at any time. You may also request that the Fund update your personal information if it is ever inaccurate or incomplete.
Resolution of Privacy Concerns
If you wish to gain access to your personal information, raise a concern or lodge a complaint about the Fund’s privacy policy, please put your request in writing and mail it to:
The Fund Manager
Diocesan Investment Fund
PO Box 482
LISMORE NSW 2480
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
The Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) is not subject to the provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Deposits with the DIF are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose. We welcome your investment with the DIF rather than with a profit oriented commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. Neither the DIF nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority; contributions to the DIF do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959; the DIF is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the DIF.
DIOCESAN FINANCE COUNCIL
The Diocesan Finance Council exists to assist the Bishop of Lismore in his role of steward and administrator of the temporal goods of the Diocese of Lismore. In performing its duties the Council seeks to ensure that the stewardship and administration of the temporal goods of the Diocese is in keeping with the spirit of the Gospel, the teaching of the Church and the provisions of the Code of Canon Law.
A function of the Diocesan Finance Council is to administer the Diocesan Investment Fund.
The full Council meets quarterly while the DIF committee meets in between, as and when required.
Current membership of the Diocesan Finance Council:-
Mr Frank Hannigan, Chairman
Mr Michael Shay, Deputy Chairman
Mr Dudley Kelso
Mr Tony Simmon
Mr Brian Tierney
Rev Fr Peter Slack, Vicar General
Rev Fr James Reilly
Current membership of the DIF committee
Mr Frank Hannigan
Mr Michael Shay
Rev Fr Peter Slack
ABOUT OUR DIOCESE
Diocese of Lismore - www.lismorediocese.org
Catholic Education Office – www.lism.catholic.edu.au