Kimberley College audit reveals lavish spending on football trips

AN EMBATTLED private school south of Brisbane has spent $460,000 on its football program so far this year, including over $115,000 on five-star accommodation in the south of France. READ THE AUDIT DOCUMENTS

Kimberley College principal Paul Thomson (inset).

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MORE than $115,000 was spent on five-star accommodation in the south of France for Kimberley College Football Academy’s students this year, including $1500 on a Prestige Junior Suite.

MinterEllison, which is reviewing the college’s governance structure and the role of the board, has uploaded two interim reports to college’s website.

It comes after principal Paul Thomson with wife Jennifer, daughter Amy Ferguson and husband Kevin and other daughter Debbie Horn were suspended from the school, at Carbrook in Logan, this week.

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Interim report 1

Interim report 2

In Interim Report 2, dated June 1, forensic accountants GT Advisory and Consulting found the college prepaid flights, accommodation and a cruise for a “further trip” to Europe from June 27 to July 8 this year.

For those 12 days, accommodation totalling $115,954.07 was booked at five-star hotel Sofitel Biarritz le Miramar Thalassa Sea and Spa.

This included various rooms, double rooms and a “Prestige Junior Suite” for around $1500.

There was also a payment of $100,918.60 paid to Cruise Republic.

Kimberley College principal Paul Thomson outside his home on Monday. Picture: John Gass/AAP

“Various payments were made in respect of prepaid bookings on or around March 29 2018 which was around the same time the accounts team’s viewing access to online banking was removed by Mrs Ferguson,” the report said.

According to the report, over $459,000 has been spent on the Kimberley College Football Academy so far this year.

It comes after more than $350,000 was spent on a six-week “holiday” to the UK and Finland in 2016 which members of the family attended.

“We have concerns regarding the substantiation of payments ‘expensed’ in the management accounts as the bulk of these expenses relate to direct transfers made from the company to Mr Thomson and Mrs Ferguson’s personal bank accounts,” it said.

Between January 4 and August 31 last year, $131,692.62 was also paid directly to Amy and her husband Kevin.

“Prima facie, given the payments have been transferred directly to the accounts of Mrs Ferguson and Mr Ferguson, it will be our recommendation that these amounts unless adequately substantiated should be booked to their personal loan accounts,” the report said.

In the 29-page report, GT Advisory and Consulting also addressed a “potential link” between “unauthorised” bonuses and back pays from 2016 and related party loan accounts.

The Courier-Mail previously revealed that Amy and her father were loaned more than $400,000, however in the college’s 2016 financial report, audited by Total Audit Services, it stated: “At the date of issuing these financial statements, the auditor has received written confirmation that loans provided to Paul Thomson and Amy Thomson have been fully repaid to Kimberley College Limited.”

Kimberley College at Carbrook in Logan

However the Interim Report 2 states, “Prima facie, based on the information available to us at the time … our view is that these transactions were primarily affected in order to reduce the related party loan account liability, primarily that of Mrs Amy Ferguson.”

The report also addressed board related conflicts, calling for the bus contract with chairman Paul Wilton to be reviewed.

A reconciliation of receipts from cash collected by Underwood Bus Service is currently being conducted.

The accountants also recommended that all board positions be put to a vote at an annual general meeting.

Mr Thomson and Mrs Ferguson could not be reached for comment.

Mr Wilton said the board had no choice but to “get everything in a row before we fixed the problem”.

“None of the directors are long term directors,” he said.

“Every time anyone tried to ask questions they were removed from the board.”

On the school’s website MinterEllison wrote the review was sparked following unpaid superannuation between 2014 to 2017 and concerns raised about overseas transactions and financial management practices.

“The information made available on the website has been published because of significant speculation within the College community and in the interests of transparency.”