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Hillsong church has announced it will commission an independent financial review after being accused in federal parliament of "fraud, money laundering and tax evasion".
- Church leaders say 153 staff took voluntary redundancies last year for "overstaffing", saving $9.7 million a year
- Global senior pastor Phil Dooley says the church will make changes after the ACNC and independent investigations
- He tells followers the allegations feel like being "king hit from behind"
Speaking in parliament last Thursday under parliamentary privilege, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie tabled financial documents that he alleged showed leaders used church donations on luxury flights, accommodation and events, which broke financial laws.
On Friday, the Charities and Not-for-profits Commission announced it would investigate those allegations.
Senior Hillsong leaders used the church's Sunday morning Baulkham Hills service to address the allegations and to announce a third-party review of its financial structure.
"As a church, we will make changes as we work through with regulators on areas that need adjustment," Hillsong chairman Steven Crouch said.
"We will reshape the way we do things, financially, going forward."
Global senior pastor Phil Dooley used the sermon to defend allegations levelled at him, including that he flew business class multiple times.
"If I travel internationally, I travel business class, simply because I'm going somewhere to work," Mr Dooley said.
"Last year, I only spoke in one church other than a Hillsong church and that was in Guatemala and [more than] 60 per cent of that flight was covered by the church in Guatemala. I've also paid a portion of that flight myself to cover the costs of my daughter flying with me.
"The rest was covered by our global church budget as I went to do ministry in both our churches in Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. In fact, that trip involved nine different flights. And not all of them were business class."
Mr Dooley said he made certain decisions to stay "healthy to serve (the) church effectively".
He said 153 staff voluntarily resigned last year due to "overstaffing", which would save $9.47 million a year, and allow the church to spend at the "local campus level".
"We need to ensure our financial structures line up with our mission," he said.
"If we have been doing things in an excessive manner, or that are out of alignment with our mission, these things will stop."
Mr Dooley said an unnamed third-party organisation would begin this week reviewing the church's financial structure and systems.
"If mistakes were made, we will be up-front about them," he said.
“It kind of feels like being king hit from behind, but Jesus loves you Mr Wilkie."
Hillsong is currently defending claims in the Federal Court by a former employee that the global church misused member funds.
Mr Crouch claimed the leaked documents tabled in parliament were from this case, which was in its final stages of mediation last week.
Hillsong's founder, Brian Houston, resigned last year after an internal investigation found he behaved inappropriately towards two women, which prompted a"independent review" of the church's governance structure.
The findings of the independent investigation are yet to be released by the church.