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Guide Dogs Victoria manager leaves
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Immediately after latest discoveries
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Still declining to launch Hayes findings
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One year on, all very same concerns stay
ANTHONY KLAN
The manager of Guide Dogs Victoria has actually signed up with the march to the door, as it emerges his departure was revealed simply hours after discoveries he was alerted — a years earlier — over “politicisation” favouring the Liberal Party.
The departure of Iain Edwards, who was selected chair in 2018, follows that of previous CEO Karen Hayes, along with the charity’s primary monetary officer and its basic supervisor of marketing and interactions, who each resigned late in 2015.
Edwards will leave Guide Dogs Victoria on April 14 next week, almost a year to the day it emerged that Hayes had actually appeared in political ads spruiking then Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg.
It is unlawful for charities to back political leaders or political celebrations.
Last June Edwards moved from being chair to the function of “interim CEO” after Hayes left.
It was revealed Edwards would “step down” from “his current role as Board Chair for a short period” and “take on the role of Interim CEO” up until a brand-new CEO was discovered.
However Edwards will now leave totally next week, with the beginning of brand-new CEO Nicky Long, who was previously the CEO of deafness charity Expressions Australia.
Guide Dogs Victoria published news of the appointment of Long — and departure of Edwards — to its website in January, nevertheless it appears to have actually been missed out on by the country’s media (including this publication).
The declaration was released on January 13 — which was hours after The Klaxon released an expose revealing Edwards had actually been alerted of major issues of “politicisation” a years earlier.
On the afternoon of January 12 The Klaxon revealed a Guide Dogs Victoria customer composed to Edwards in 2013 revealing significant issues about it having actually been “part of a political event” for the Liberal Party on the eve of that year’s federal election.
(Edwards began on Guide Dogs Victoria’s board in 2011).
The Klaxon’s January 12 expose. Source: The Klaxon
The customer was so distressed by the charity ”freely marketing” for the Liberal Party, they took out of a plan to appear in the charity’s fundraising product, stating it would be unconscionable to do otherwise.
“My concern is Guide Dogs is an independent charity and in my view showed very poor governance by openly campaigning in a federal election for one side of politics,” the customer composed to Edwards on September 24, 2013.
“There is a big difference between lobbying government for money and being part of a political event” — Guide Dogs Victoria customer
“There is a big difference between lobbying government for money and being part of a political event”.
Edwards reacted the very same day: “I think today’s board meeting will be interesting. I fully support your views”.
“I fully support your views” — Iain Edwards
What took place at that board conference and what action the board took control of the issues – if any – is unidentified.
“I heard nothing further…they did nothing about it,” the customer informed The Klaxon.
Iain Edwards. Source: Guide Dogs Victoria
After the Hayes scandal broke on April 19 in 2015, Guide Dogs Victoria board’s launched a statement credited to Edwards, who was chair sometimes.
“The board had no prior knowledge of the distribution of this material and does not endorse it,” the April 20 statement says.
That position raised eyebrows.
By then the ads, including Hayes as “CEO, Guide Dogs Victoria, were already being dispersed to letterboxes; and a video of Hayes spruiking Frydenberg was likewise running as a paid ad on social networks.
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The board’s “no prior knowledge” claims were likewise in spite of it emerging — later on that very same day, on April 20 — that Hayes had also appeared in a similar video in 2019, spruiking Frydenberg ahead of that year’s federal election.
The April 20 declaration from the board said:
“The board has launched an internal investigation…we will make no further comment during this process”.
“We will make no further comment during this process” – Guide Dogs Victoria board
Board declaration April 20. Source: Guide Dogs Victoria
Days later on, on April 25, the charity launched another declaration, Hayes had actually been “stood down” pending what it now called an “independent investigation”, which was “underway and is ongoing”.
“The purpose of the investigation is to understand what happened and ensure it never happens again,” the charity said.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while the investigation is continuing.”
“The purpose of the investigation is to understand what happened” – Guide Dogs Victoria board
Those declarations had the result of hosing down the extreme media protection.
However a year later on, Guide Dogs Victoria is still declining remark — and the voting public still has no concept what took place.
“The voting public still has no idea what happened”
Guide Dogs Victoria board is steadfastly declining to state what the “investigation” discovered — or perhaps who performed it.
That’s in spite of the charity getting countless dollars a year in taxpayer funds.
Charity announces “investigation” – declining to launch the findings a year later on. Source: ABC
Guide Dogs Victoria’s board and management have actually provided no media interviews because the scandal broke, rather launching a handful of carefully-worded media declarations.
The board — which lavished Hayes with appreciation when she “resigned” — has likewise steadfastly declined to state whether Hayes did anything incorrect.
That’s in spite of it being the most significant scandal in the charity’s 66-year history, sending it into a tailspin from which it has actually not recuperated.
Frydenberg — who formally “authorised” both the Hayes leaflets and social networks video — has likewise at all times declined to comment when inquired about the specifics of that electoral product and how it happened.
At the May election Frydenberg, who had actually been Federal Treasurer, lost his seat of Kooyong to independent Monique Ryan.
It is the very first time the seat has actually left Liberal hands because the celebration was established in 1944.
On the night of the election Frydenberg fronted nationwide tv and — though supplying no context — explained Hayes as “one of the best CEOs in Australia”.
2022:
April 19: Media reports Hayes appearing in Frydenberg advertising
April 20: Guide Dogs board says “internal investigation” introduced
Apr 26: Hayes “stood down”, “pending an independent investigation”
May 21: Frydenberg says Hayes “one of the best CEOs in Australia”
May 30: The Klaxon inquiries board on Hayes – consisting of continuous income
May 31: Hayes “resignation” announced
June 2: Announced Edwards to become “interim CEO” for “short period”
2023:
Jan 12: The Klaxon exposes Edwards alerted of “politicisation” a years earlier
Jan 13: Edwards resignation announced
Investigations into Guide Dogs Victoria have actually revealed a damaged charity.
Guide Dogs Victoria has actually been providing woeful efficiency, is filled with governance failures – consisting of being captured lying to donors — all while drawing up countless dollars a year of taxpayer funds.
In December we revealed the charity provided simply 40 guide dogs last fiscal year, in spite of getting over $21 million in income.
In 2021-22 it got $11.3m in public contributions however provided simply $1.33m of dogs, its worst outcome because 2011-12 (the earliest outcomes released on its website).
The Klaxon’s expose June 11 in 2015. Source: The Klaxon
It provided 28,349 “total client hours” in 2021-22, which was down a little on a years previously, providing 28,897 in 2011-12.
In that time its overall yearly income rose from $11.98m to $21.51m; its salaries expense swelled from $6.37m to $9.8m; and its federal government financing rose over four-fold, from $1.07m to $4.5m – the huge bulk under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
That continuous federal government financing is on top of over $10m of taxpayer funds the charity has actually gotten for redeveloping its Melbourne head office — much of that directed by Frydenberg as Federal Treasurer.
Revelations by The Klaxon:
2022:
June 11 — Taxpayers charged 4 times more for less services
June 23 — Spends more on fundraising than dogs
June 27 — Fundraising manager offered $87,000 to Liberal Party
Nov 20 — Guide Dogs Victoria captured lying to donors
Dec 16 — Supplies most affordable worth of dogs on record
Hayes was paid a yearly income of $299,000 in the 2013-14 fiscal year.
Her income in the years because stays a secret given that because from 2014-15 the charity no longer breaks out the figure in its yearly reports — and the board is declining to state.
As formerly revealed, the Guide Dogs Victoria board ended up being even more “corporatised” in 2015, with its reporting far less transparent.
What inbound CEO Long will be paid has actually not been divulged.
Incoming Guide Dogs Victoria CEO Nicky Long. Source: Guide Dogs Victoria
Remaining on the Guide Dogs Victoria board is accounting professional and previous Ernst & Young partner David Cochrane; and Charles Thompson, a “former mergers and acquisitions lawyer and management consultant”.
Edwards is a physio therapist.
From the 2015-16 fiscal year, Edwards, Thompson and Cochrane have actually turned in between the chair and deputy chair functions.
“Edwards, Thompson and Cochrane have rotated between the chair and deputy chair roles”
Cochrane, made “acting board chair” after Hayes left, will end up being chair on a continuous basis.
There are presently 7 directors on the board.
Chair and deputy chair positions turned in between Thompson, Edwards and Cochrane. Source: Guide Dogs Victoria. Graphic: The Klaxon
Premature Exit
Like much to do with Guide Dogs Victoria, the situations around Edwards’ exit are dirty.
The Klaxon asked when Edwards’ most recent stint as chair had actually been because of end — therefore by just how much it had actually been interrupted provided his departure.
The charity declined to react to those concerns.
Guide Dogs Victoria’s governing files reveal board visits are normally three-year terms.
Edwards was selected chair in November 2018. A three-year term would have ended in November 2021, and a 2nd three-year term would have ended in November 2024 – simply over 18 months from now.
On June 2 in 2015, the Guide Dogs Victoria board announced Edwards would “step down from his current role as Board Chair for a short period and take on the role of Interim CEO”.
“Iain will commence as Interim CEO on 20 June, and remain in the role for up to six months while a recruitment process is undertaken to appoint a new CEO,” the declaration says.
“Board Director and Vice Chair, David Cochrane, will be taking on the role of Acting Board Chair during this time.”
“Iain will commence as Interim CEO on 20 June, and remain in the role for up to six months” – Guide Dogs Victoria board.
In its declaration on January 13 this year, revealing the appointment of Long, the board says:
“Iain has decided not to nominate for reappointment to the GDV Board once Nicky joins as CEO”.
“Iain has decided not to nominate for reappointment to the GDV Board” — Guide Dogs Victoria board
David Cochrane and Charles Thompson. Source: Guide Dogs Victoria
The charity supplied no response when asked on Tuesday when Edwards’ most recent stint as chair had actually been because of end.
Instead, external representative Tim Lele, of PR company Keep Left, supplied us with the following written reaction:
“In compliance with Guide Dogs Victoria’s constitution, current employees or past employees of the company in the previous 12 months cannot hold a position on the Board”.
After the Hayes scandal broke, and in its after-effects, concerns were asked regarding why Edwards stayed at the charity, provided he had actually been the chair that had commanded the scandal.
The customer who raised the major worry about Edwards in 2013 said he was unsurprised when the charity ended up being swallowed up in scandal in 2015 over Hayes’ recommendation of Frydenberg.
“They did exactly the same thing ten years ago but did nothing about it,” the customer said.
At the 2013 election eve occasion, Liberal leader Tony Abbott, then shadow treasurer Joe Hockey and after that Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg participated in Guide Dogs Victoria’s head office and presented for the country’s media holding puppies.
At the occasion they revealed a $2m “redevelopment” grant needs to they win the next day’s election — which they did, introducing almost a years in power.
Over the following years the Coalition held several media looks at Guide Dogs Victoria’s head office, in the Kooyong electorate.
Similarly, millions more dollars of taxpayer “grants” were revealed.
Dutton posts to social networks Thursday. Source: Instagram
Despite the severity of the Hayes scandal — with laws almost definitely broken — charities regulator the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) has actually consistently declined to comment.
As formerly revealed, the ACNC has actually incorrectly declared it is lawfully avoided from discussing any charity due to “secrecy provisions”.
Liberal Leader Peter Dutton continued the custom of posturing with adorable puppies today.
On Thursday he published an image of himself and “Waffle” at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
