Last week,independent MP AndrewWilkie made allegations against Dooley,church founder Brian Houston and other senior members of the church under parliamentary privilege,while also tabling 17 binders of church financial records provided to him by an unnamed whistleblower.
The Tasmanian MP said church money was used “to do the kind of shopping that would embarrass a Kardashian” and that Hillsong was “breaking numerous laws in Australia and around the world relating to fraud,money laundering and tax evasion”.
Dooley and church board member Stephen Crouch both apologised to the congregation on Sunday and committed to detailing the findings of a forensic audit,which began in August last year.
“I am also announcing today that on top of the forensic audit that has been conducted by[accounting firm] Grant Thornton regarding the allegations,we will be beginning this week a complete re-evaluation,via an outside third party,of our financial structure and systems to ensure they line up with the mission going forward.”
Dooley,who took over as head of the church from Houston last March,said Hillsong’s “full focus is to be a mission-driven church … we will do whatever is necessary to investigate these[allegations]”.
“We’re already implementing systems to ensure that if there are any excesses established,they cannot be incurred going forward. I can’t change the past,but I can play a significant role in changing the future,” he said.
The decision to let go of backroom staff,Dooley said,was made because “we want the vast majority of our staff to be front face-facing,focused on people,and the needed and necessary work of face-to-face ministry”.