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Australia’s charity watchdog is expected to review the damning charges of tax evasion and money laundering leveled against the Hillsong church.
It comes a day after Independent MP Andrew Wilkie used parliamentary privilege to accuse the Hillsong church of multiple abuses of parishioner donations to finance travel and lavish lifestyles.
Hillsong has disputed the Tasmanian MP’s allegations, saying his comments were taken out of context and based on “unsubstantiated allegations”.
“We are a different church than we were 12 months ago and we are under new leadership from the pastoral board,” the church said in a statement.
“The statements made by Mr. Andrew Wilkie in the federal parliament are out of context and have not been proven by an employee in a legal case.”
Wilkie claimed Thursday that tens of thousands of leaked financial records and documents show the misuse of church funds and excessive spending.
It said the money was spent on “the kind of purchases that would put a Kardashian to shame” and shows former Hillsong frontman Brian Houston, who quit last year, “treating private jets like Ubers.”
“Hillsong fans believe that the money they put in the poor box goes to the poor, but these documents show how that money is actually used to make the kind of purchases that would put a Kardashian to shame,” she said.
Over a three-month period, Houston used church money for trips that cost $179,000, Wilkie said, and documents showed four Houston family members and friends spent $150,000 of church money on a luxury retreat in Cancun, Mexico, in 2021.
Hillsong’s new head, Phil Dooley, is also alleged to have spent tens of thousands of dollars on business class flights for himself and his daughter.
“Hillsong fans believe that the money they put in the poor box goes to the poor, but these documents show how that money is actually being used to make the kind of purchases that would put a Kardashian to shame,” Wilkie said on the House floor. of the Federation of Parliament.
“Sending millions of dollars of Australian charitable donations abroad is illegal in some circumstances,” he said.
Wilkie also alleged that Hillsong earns $80 million more in Aussie annual revenue than it publicly reports.
It said the leaked financial records and documents were provided to the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission under the whistleblowers’ protection, but they failed to act.
Education Minister Jason Clare said it was important that these two bodies and the charity watchdog look into the serious allegations.
“If you are a member of the congregation and have donated to the church, then you would be legitimately concerned about where your money is going here,” Clare told Seven’s. Sunrise program.
On Thursday, he said the nature of the allegations and “the nature of the church’s response” seemed “the kind of thing the tax office should take seriously.”
Deputy Charities Minister Andrew Leigh told ABC he understood the Australian Charities and Nonprofits Commission would review Wilkie’s claims and documents.
Neither the ATO nor the ACNC have commented publicly.
In its public response, Hillsong said the allegations were made under parliamentary privilege and were “wrong on many counts.” He said he was disappointed that Mr. Wilkie didn’t make any effort to contact the church first.
“Had it done so, we would have answered your questions and provided you with financial records to address your concerns,” the statement said.
“Hillsong has sought independent legal and accounting advice on these matters since the employee involved in the legal case made these claims, and we believe we have complied with all legal and compliance requirements.”
Houston is fighting allegations that she concealed her late father’s child sexual abuse and has pleaded not guilty to concealing the crime until her father’s death in 2004.
The case will resume in June.
Hillsong announced in April 2022 that it had accepted Houston’s resignation after it was discovered that he had violated the church’s moral code by having inappropriate relationships with two women.
-with AAP
