BGF: truth costs $5.50
Tracking down The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation’s $1.3 million in ‘other expenses’ was as simple as paying a $5.50 membership fee and asking to inspect the charity’s financial accounts.
Sydney Star Observer made the request to BGF CEO Bev Lange after claims last week the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) had been asked to investigate the HIV charity’s expenses after months of “failed attempts … to have that CEO, her treasurer or auditors disclose where the money had in fact been spent”.
Gaining access to the financial records was as straightforward as becoming a BGF member and seeking to inspect their financial reports — an opportunity BGF says it had previously offered the complainants.
The largest amounts under the ‘other expenses’ ledger item include event production costs ($375,642); accounting and legal fees ($199,741); client programs ($186,575); and Charitie House prize money ($125, 750).
Other smaller items include staff training, administration costs, program administration costs and rental and outgoings.
DOWNLOAD: BGF expense details
SSO can confirm the OLGR audit started at 9am yesterday. Lange would not comment on the expense breakdown while the audit was underway.
However, BGF president Martin Walsh last week sent a letter to its supporters advising them of the investigation.
“Following an enquiry by two community members, BGF has been asked by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing to participate in a compliance audit,” the letter stated.
“As a registered charity, BGF welcomes this review and is willingly co-operating with the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing. This audit is being undertaken to determine whether our processes fully comply with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW). There is no allegation of misappropriation of funds.
“The ‘other expenses’ item of $1,334,966 from the income statement in the financial report, which is the principal subject of the complaint, comprises fundraising expenses, client services expenses and administrative overheads. It is also important to note that BGF has given the complainants numerous opportunities to discuss their concerns with us directly. When they first raised their concerns about the changes to the provision of our client services, BGF’s Chief Executive Officer Bev Lange provided a written response.
“Bev then invited them to meet with her to discuss the issues in more detail. This invitation was declined.
“The complainants have also been invited to view our accounts at the BGF office. No response to this invitation has been received.”
BGF has to help people with HIV/AIDS rather than simply exist as a fundraising charity like the Black and White Committee or the Peter Pan Committee.
It must not be allowed to build itself into an empire and/or social organisation which spends more on itself and its fundraising parties than on its clients.
It must not be about making us in the LGBTQ communities feel good about ourselves.
It must actually do good work for HIV/AIDS clients.
Well said HD.. i am now 22 years HIV+ but have not been in a situation where i have had to call on BGF’s support. I do know many people who have though, some who in my opinion have used BGF to “top up” their lifestyles.. again, in my opinion, if you can afford to chain smoke, do party drugs, drink etc.. then you can afford to pay your power bill!.. I’ve been involved in “big business” so i understand P & L sheets and these expenses seem to me to be excessive compared to support $ to clients so i think the audit can only be a positive step forward to ensure the longevity of BGF. To reiterate what HD said, the HIV/AIDS world is vastly different now to the 80’s and BGF needs to change and move forward in order to survive. A question to all.. What if BGF ceased to exist?
Oh they will vilify HD because “they” dont like the way the money is being spent.
Sure it seems they need to cut back on things so more money goes to clients.
But “they” have been attacking Orgs for years now. First it was ACON but nothing happened.
Now the cause is BGF.
Oh and dont forget that SSO and SameSame and others are all in the conspiracy to cover up their claims of piss ups and trips away and Penthouses that get refurbished twice a year oh and dont forget the 2 sets of books BGF has oh and the suitcase of money they say someone at BGF took …
Still both Orgs need to be looked into but not attacked the way “they” do.
What’s BGF’s purpose? That’s for it’s Board and membership to decide. BGF was originally set up to provide assistance and support to people who were going to die of AIDS. Now most people with HIV live for decades after diagnosis and the funding simply isn’t there to support thousands of people for 20, 30 and 40 years in the same way that support was provided 10 or 15 years ago. BGF has to adapt to survive. BGF doesn’t get government funding for direct financial assistance for clients – it’s reliant on fund-raised money. To provide the same level of direct financial assistance that was being provided 10 years ago would cost millions more than BGF has.
They’ve got two choices: go back to what they were doing and go broke or concentrate on identifying ongoing models of support that are sustainable over the medium term.
It’s got nothing to do with Bev Lange. She just happens to be the CEO at the point when the original model has run it’s course. The fact that she’s working to find new ways to keep the organisation viable should be praised not vilified and some of the criticism has been vile.
BGF.. What exactly are you doing to us ?
Hammering us further into the ground ?
I have been HIV pos now for over 23 years and these new changes are nothing short of disgusting. I have always been greatful of any help i recieve and i have never ever abused this small but wonderful assistance from OUR community that makes life just a little less stressful.
Please, cut out the wasted $ on workshops, retreats etc. that i for one ( and only speaking for myself )am not interested in attending or travelling to…..what,so i can watch staff enjoy a few days away all expenses paid !? Really it is no wonder you are being audited. PLEASE, pull this organisation back to what it was set up to do…..to financially assist it’s clients with taking pressure off rising utility and relevant medication costs. Would you rather me stay out in the cold, hungry and get sicker ? ,it sure sounds like it to me and others that this is what you would prefer ! ?
It really makes us feel you have betrayed us clients to adopt your own power pleasure machines. And all with no regard to your priorities as an organisation. Many of my friends over many, many years regularly make donations to BGF. I know a few of these people my friends and family after hearing of these changes have stated to me that they will now be with-holding all donations to BGF. Until everything is restored for it’s primary purpose.
Helping rather than ….NOT ! …..maybe think about going back to what your origonal purpose was.
In FY 2009 (compared with FY 2008), Employee benefits expense increased by $211,276 whereas Client support and care only increased by $25,519.
Not enough of the money raised is going to the clients.
What is BGF’s purpose?
Gutless trolls mmmm.
You seem to be the aggressive one Anthony. First of all you don’t know who I am and second I don’t have problems with Lesbians incharge of organisations.
Oh I wonder who Garry Barnes is ???????????????
truly you lot. You slag SSO but come back using other names.
We all know your opinion on any Lesbian in charge of any of the Orgs.
As a male I would rather have them then your narrow minded viewpoints.
When no charges are laid Garry will you have the balls to come back and apologise ?
It does look like its costing too much to run BGF and maybe they do need some trimming but the way you boys attack an Org and level your personal abuse on its staff is nothing short of gutless trolls.
Maria you are a vile Misandrist.
Obviously Maria has other interests than the health and well being of HIV people. Not to mention no point lining up for help as there isn’t any, I know I have tried. It is an absolute discrace what the BGF has become. I like many of my friends that have survived used to drop hundreds of dollars in BGF tins on bars etc in the 80s. Its amazing how much money back then went to help people, not now however. The organisation was orignally volunteers helping and caring for loved ones. Well those days are long gone. I welcome the audit and hope charges are laid when and not if wrong doings are found. Without getting personal a lot of us know the track record of its leader….
Maria, maybe you should engage in some self reflection. Calling dissenters “silly gay boys” lends no credence to your arguments, you seem to have fallen into some kind of stereotyping. And Jase calling a brand damaged is not “hysterical crap”, do you think the brand isn’t damaged?
Bobby Goldsmith would be ashamed!!!
Th NSW state goverment is the one who are the trolls-$500 million on the metro.all that money witch may have helped hiv people.
Dont any of your idiots read or at least comprehend what you read.
On another site one of the trolls campaigning against BGF posted this –
“receiving only $469,333 between all 1450 of the poor souls”
of course we dont know what else in amongst all those running costs went to clients as well BUT
$469,333 is way more than the legals as some idiot posted.
Sure maybe BGF needs a shake up to make sure more gets to clients but claims of 50% went on payrol and 50% on staff is just laughable especially when you can so easily be proven wrong by bothering to search out BGF financials.
I welcome this audit by the (OLGR) I along with many of my friends have been clients of BGF for many a year and very grateful for its help, before Bev Lang, now we are without financial assistance for our utility bills, our collective question is, if BGF is a charity, where is the charity.
It might be better if BGF closed it doors.
The cruelest cut of all is it has been done by a supposed gay friendly organisation.
We also feel sorry for SSO.
David
you are the troll.
You need to get your story right.
At one stage the trolls were saying $400k was only being spent on clients and BGF used up the rest.
So why have you changed your story that 50% went on payroll and 50% on Admin ?
You trolls are becoming the laughing stock of the town.
“Imagine if BGF folded overnight and all those clients were left out in the cold” Jason?
Those clients HAVE been left out in the cold, which is precisely what all this is about. More than 50% of BGF’s income has been spent on its payroll and more than 50% has been spent on its admin, leaving less than NOTHING for its clients. Their core financial services HAVE been slashed, hence this furore.
The only group benefiting from BGF’s 2.5 mil annual donations is now BGF. LET IT FOLD.
The only ‘tolls not welcome in Sydney anymore’ are those taking from our most vulnerable and keeping for themselves: BGF and its mouthpiece.
Yes Maria and Jase because a few trolls dont like the way the money is being spent they would rather bring down BGF.
Sure it looks like they could trim a few things but any business needs to adjust things now and again.
But these trolls do not negotiate. Its their way or nothing.
2 books scenario ? is the biggest back peddling I have seen in years. What a major laugh.
They didnt want to pay the $5.50 because they didnt want to be members and so do the dirty.
Imagine if BGF folded overnight and all those clients were left out in the cold.
Those trolls would not be very welcome in Sydney anymore.
You pathetic pack of vultures.
You’ll all be the first ones lining up at the door for BGF’s services when you contract HIV … if you haven’t destroyed one of the community’s hardest working and most worthwhile organisations first.
Silly gay boys … too many party drugs and not enough self reflection.
What a ridiculous bunch we are … first we whinge cos we want to know how the money was spent. Then someone goes and finds out, and that’s still not good enough … what is it you people want? Blood?
No comment is passed in this story on how the money was spent – that was not what was being sort – what is offered is a breakdown of the cash.
As for two sets of books – what a ridiculous piece of crap.
Oh, and remember this is just a single part of the BGF budget – not the whole thing, so Karl’s comment is just more hysterical crap.
And what this has to do with ACON is beyond me.
All this proves it that the people behind this ridiculous complaint (*and let’s not forget they are serial complainants, also targeting ACON, Positive Life and a handful of other community organisations) have some kind of agenda yet to be revealed.
A critical look at their website is proof of this.
One has to wonder how many on the naysayers here are just those very same people hiding behind false names for the sake of a stir.
Wake up and smell the roses you fools.
Better still, join BGF and pay your $5.50 and find out for yourself …
have you read that some a claiming BGF has 2 sets of books for the accounts ?
Talk about losing all your credibility boys !
Still the figures are out, now everyone can sit down and work through them and see if BGF uses too much to operate and where changes can be made so that more $’s can go to the clients.
As a small business owner, I can tell you I pay through the nose for accounting and legal advice. Professional accounting and legal firms charge market rates for their services, regardless of who the client is.
And they both provide essential services– from drawing up contracts, reviewing legal agreements, to auditing, statutory reporting and more. You would not believe the amount of paperwork that is required and it is tough to keep up with all of the legislation, regulations, changes to the law and more.
So I think for an organisation of BGF’s size and budget, $199,471 is actually quite reasonable.
HOWEVER, there is always the opportunity to look at where you can cut costs, so it would probably pay to have a look at the invoices to see what you is being charged and make sure it is essential.
Also, they could look at bringing some of the accounting and legal functions in house, but you would still have to pay someone to do the auditing and other services that can’t be done by an inhouse person.
Sorry but this is just spin! I spent a decade trying to converse with ACON before realising these hiv guys are just pawns in political games – Cut all funding – This is a disgrace!
A great number of BGF clients are suffering severe hardship while this elitist management style continues – shame!!!
Utter lies. More lies from BGF/Bev Lange – it never ends.
BGF DID NOT offer to provide that information to anyone – and several of us who have tried to gain this information have every email, every letter tracked and accounted for – so beware making false claims such as are in this article, SSO and BGF.
Bev Lange offered to have coffee with several complainants BUT NOT ONCE would provide a simple, written answer. This article is a sham.
Both fundraising and corporate expenses exceed client services expenditure.
BGF appears to be in existence mainly for the fun and esteem of the GLBTQ community and secondarily for the benefit of providing employment for its staff.
The clients seem to be an afterthought.
Administration Printing and staff support $71,502;
Administration Expenses $73,727;
That’s another $145,000 of opaque accountability.
Are you kidding us BGF. More was spent on legals than on clients. The brand is damaged and you get no more of my money.
How the hell do you spend $199,471 on accounting and legal fees, that figure requires further explanation, it’s exorbitant!
What utter nonsense. No registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient Status would ever prevent a member of the public from asking questions regarding their annual report because they “weren’t a member.”
BGF, I have been a long term donor, and have spent a further $400 per year on Glamstand tickets, but frankly if you think this spin is appropriate or even convincing, you are wrong.
The administration costs are far too high that is clear that management, and the board of BGF must be replaced. Just because they are a charity in the LGBTQ sector does not mean we should accept such poor business management. The sad reality is that now the community will stop supporting BGF, which will further entrap their clients in poverty. Shame on you Bev Lange, that will be your legacy in addition to Mardi Gras and the Gay Games.