The Catholic Development Fund (CDF or the Fund) has been established in this diocese for over 50 years. The Fund is audited annually and produces an Annual Report for the Diocesan Finance Council that is available to the public. The Fund only lends for Church or school-related projects and surplus funds are directed back to Church-related charitable works. Money invested with the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Development Fund ABN 59 728 447 508 (Fund) is used to support the charitable works of the Catholic Church. This is achieved by providing a return on your investment that enables us to provide low-cost funding to assist Catholic organisations, including Catholic schools. Accordingly, we are required by law to tell you that your investment with us is not comparable to those with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund is not regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) because we have been granted exemptions.
Under these exemptions, we are required by law to tell you that: you will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth); investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC; investments that the Fund offers are intended to attract investors whose main investment objective is to support our charitable work; we have an identification statement which contains information about us which may be viewed here; the Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence; there is a risk that you may not get any of your money back from us.
Investments with the CDF are guaranteed by the Bishop of the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese. CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Fund against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund.