The NSW RSL will be the subject of a royal commission-style inquiry with powers to compel witnesses to appear and seize evidence, with state Charities Minister Matt Kean today announcing the Government will create the most wide-ranging probe ever to hit the venerable institution.
Key points:
- Probe will run as NSW Police fraud investigators and Australia’s charity watchdog continue their inquiries
- Whistleblower welcomes probe, says culture of entitlement out of control
- Scandals anger veterans, young veteran involvement aims to make way for new era
The inquiry, to be headed by former NSW Supreme Court justice Patricia Bergin SC, follows allegations of rorting and embezzlement at the RSL’s NSW branch.
Those allegations have already sparked a NSW police fraud investigation and an inquiry by Australia’s charities watchdog.
“We will get to the bottom of these allegations once and for all,” Mr Kean said.
“These are serious complaints and the fact that they’ve allegedly been committed in the name of one of our oldest and most respected institutions is totally unacceptable
“We want to clean up the mess and make sure it never happens again.”
The announcement also comes a fortnight after RSL NSW’s governing body, the state council, sacked chief executive Glenn Kolomeitz, who blew the whistle on the alleged frauds.
The RSL maintains he was terminated due to a breach of contract, a claim Mr Kolomeitz denies.
Speaking for the first time since he was removed from his job, Mr Kolomeitz, a former army lawyer and barrister, told 7.30 he welcomed the inquiry.
“This will set the RSL up for a clearing of the decks and brighter, more transparent future for the organisation to be able to service the escalating needs of generations of veterans,” he said yesterday.
Tonight 7.30 will speak exclusively to Mr Kolomeitz about his 18 months as chief executive at RSL NSW.
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