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The Australian Charities and Not For Profits Commission (ACNC) is now investigating every state and territory branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL).
Key points:
- QLD branch submitted tranche of documents, including receipts for executive spending
- RSL's SA branch is reportedly experiencing serious cash flow problems
- Severe outcome of formal investigation by ACNC is being delisted as a charity
AM understands that the New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia branches are all under specific scrutiny, while other branches are understood to be the target of a more general review.
Some within the organisation view it as fall-out from the multiple allegations of financial misconduct at the NSW branch, which first surfaced six months ago.
The CEO of RSL Queensland, Luke Traini, said the branch had submitted a huge tranche of documents, including receipts for executive spending.
"It was a pretty fulsome reply, so that's 2,500 pages of documentation supplied to the ACNC," he said.
He said the RSL had provided everything that had been asked of it.
"For example a credit card policy would have been around things like credit card usage and out of pocket [expenses]," he said.
"The ACNC investigation requested evidence that the members of RSL Queensland, being the board and other members, had been following that policy."
ACNC investigations are often slow to come to light because the organisation is bound by strict secrecy provisions.
But the RSL's South Australian branch is understood to be getting the same treatment as Queensland.
It has reportedly been experiencing serious cash flow problems, and may need to be bailed out.
Number of agencies investigate NSW RSL
In NSW, the ACNC is just one of many agencies investigating allegations of financial misconduct.
Among them has been a police probe into the expenditure of the former state president Don Rowe, who spent $475,000 on his corporate credit card over six years.
He denied any wrongdoing, and said the spending was all on RSL business.
Mr Traini said he believed problems in other states had prompted the charities regulator to investigate in Queensland.
"I think it's probably a combination of things… I think the ACNC has just taken a general interest in the league overall," he said.
The ABC has also seen correspondence from RSL Queensland members to the ACNC, specifically requesting that Directors' expenses are investigated.
The most severe outcome of formal investigation by the ACNC is being delisted as a charity — although that is a measure used sparingly.
Topics: defence-and-national-security, veterans, law-crime-and-justice, charities, charities-and-community-organisations, australia