7th Sep 2023, 9:06 AM – Senate Committees - Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Reference - Aboriginal Community Services (ACS)

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson (One Nation), which means it failed.

Motion text

The activities of Aboriginal Community Services (ACS), with particular reference to:

(a) whether there was fraudulent usage of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (NATSIC) vehicles and fraudulent usage of NATSIC fuel cards and credit cards by current and former staff members and directors of ACS;

(b) whether any former NATSIC members and/or employees were in receipt of payments from ACS as contractors or employees;

(c) whether any of these former NATSIC members and/or employees were receiving WorkCover or other workers' compensation/insurance payments while being paid/employed by ACS;

(d) whether third party related member benefits were appropriately approved by membership and reconciled against grant agreements (approved, expended and reconciled in accordance with grant agreement requirements);

(e) whether employment of family members was appropriately approved by the membership and in accordance with conflict of interest requirements;

(f) whether taxation was avoided through the use of third party related member benefits, or income in the form of payments, incidental costs, including credit cards, and fringe benefits arrangements for staff and directors, and what property has been purchased as a result (for example, housing, vehicles, jewellery etc, subject to Proceeds of Crime legislation);

(g) whether unlawfully obtained income or benefits were used in the setup of trust accounts related to ACS or by any staff or directors of ACS;

(h) whether investigations, whether related to fraud or otherwise, have been undertaken by the relevant Commonwealth and state departments into the operation of ACS and current and former staff and directors of ACS, including their involvement in suspected fraud relating to other organisations and boards such as the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Executive Board and NATSIC;

(i) any third party payments, including any payments made to consultancy firms, including James S Sturgeon Consultancy (ABN 55 592 208 638), Altitude Strategies Pty Ltd, NFP Success and other related entities;

(j) whether there are any financial conflicts in the provision of auditing services to ACS;

(k) whether the ACS board has complied with legislative governance requirements in regard to financial approvals, processes, reporting and transparency, including membership transparency requirements, for example, notifications to members for annual general meetings and whether ACS has met all requirements for legitimate annual general meetings;

(l) whether any current or former ACS staff and directors were unable to obtain appropriate working with vulnerable people and working with children's tickets in any jurisdiction across Australia;

(m) whether any current or former ACS board members have been paid in any form by ACS, including through income or by receiving benefits; and

(n) any other related matters.