Hillsong global senior pastor Phil Dooley announces independent financial review

Hillsong has announced it will conduct an independent financial review after being accused in parliament of money laundering. Listen to the podcast.

Hillsong has announced it will conduct an independent financial review after being accused in parliament of fraud and money laundering.

Global senior pastor Phil Dooley, who defended his own business class travel, told a packed Hillsong congregation on Sunday morning that the church was changing.

Mr Dooley, who appeared emotional when addressing the claims raised by independent MP Andrew Wilkie, also revealed:

Hillsong global senior pastor Phil Dooley says the church is changing.

* Hillsong has made 153 people redundant, saving the church $9.47 million a year

* A new gift policy was introduced in October last year

*Grant Thornton was engaged to conduct a forensic investigation of the church’s finances in August 2022

* An independent review would be started this week to ensure that the church was “mission focused”.

LISTEN TO THE FAITH ON TRIAL PODCAST

Mr Dooley said at Hillsong’s 11am service, which was broadcast online, that “if mistakes were made, we will be upfront about them.”

“We will not shy away from them. We will own them as a church,” he said.

Mr Dooley also apologised to Hillsong members, who may have been criticised as a result of this week’s headlines.

“I want to start by saying I’m sorry. I’m sorry that as your pastor, you have to go through this and your kids have to go through this. That’s simply because of the church you’ve chosen to be part of,” he said.

“I’m sorry you felt betrayed by information you’ve read in the media this week.”

Mr Wilkie said under parliamentary privilege last week that Hillsong leaders used “private jets like Ubers”, went on shopping sprees that would “embarrass a Kardashian” and were involved in money laundering.

Andrew Wilkie has slammed the Hillsong church.

Hillsong’s Phil Dooley appeared emotional during the service.

He also accused the church of incorrectly using $15.7 million in tax deductible donations to buy Melbourne’s Festival Hall.

The revelations from Mr Wilkie came as a new podcast, Faith On Trial, uncovered claims of a “rape culture” at Hillsong and that its college students were interrogated about their sex lives.

Mr Dooley added: ”Recently, we were even accused of having a rape culture. That’s pretty horrible to say.

“As a senior pastor of Hillsong, I want all women to feel safe in our church and we strongly advocate against violence against women and children. We advocate for you. I have two daughters and of course, I would not want them to be part of a place with this kind of culture.”

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission revealed in an “extremely rare” statement on Friday that it was investigating Hillsong.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has also demanded the Australian Taxation Office investigate claims raised in the thousands of documents now publicly available under parliamentary privilege.

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Originally published as Hillsong global senior pastor Phil Dooley announces independent financial review