Brisbane Coast Guard stalwarts suspended amid investigation

Three Brisbane Coast Guard veterans with nearly 60 years experience between them have been stood down pending the outcome of an investigation by the national body.

Three veterans of the Brisbane branch of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association have been stood down. Picture: David Clark

Three longstanding members of the Brisbane branch of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association have been stood down, as the national body brings in a solution consultant to deal with a range of issues plaguing the local branch.

Harvey Shore, Steve Creevey and Kevin Franklin were suspended from the Brisbane Coast Guard, based at the Manly Harbour, pending an investigation over the use of a Facebook group called ‘Manly Roster Mates – Members Uncensored’.

Mr Shore and Mr Creevey both have 17 years of service with the Coast Guard with Mr Franklin serving for more than 20 years.

The members received a letter from the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association informing them of the decision on July 24.

“The reason for this decision is that preliminary evidence shows that there are breaches of many AVCGA policies but also including possible offences under State and Commonwealth Crimes Acts and Criminal Codes,” the letter said.

Generic pictures of the Brisbane Coast Guard facility. Picture: David Clark

“The Association is taking this matter extremely seriously due to the nature of the evidence.”

However, an anonymous source said the Facebook group was not aligned with the organisation but was used to promote the good work the Coast Guard did in the community, which was “previously supported”.

The source said the problems arose when an anonymous member of the Facebook group posted clips ofThe Courier Mail’s reports into claims of a “toxic culture” within the Coast Guard.

Brisbane Coast Guard stalwart Harvey Shore was one of three stalwarts stood down over a Facebook group. Picture: Renae Droop/AAP

The report indicated up to 20 volunteers had either resigned, were suspended or decided not to renew their membership with the organisation in recent months after a dispute with some of the organisation’s leaders.

Those claims were rejected by a representative of the Coast Guard.

Sources within the Coast Guard and former members have said the trio stood down were not responsible for posting the story in the group or for posting any other negative material about the organisation.

Mr Shore was an administrator member of the group but is believed to have removed himself from that position before the report was posted.

The Brisbane Coast Guard facility. Picture: David Clark

Both sides have since engaged lawyers to resolve the issue.

National PR captain for the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Deanne Semmens, confirmed several members had been stood down and were being investigated due to the Facebook group but said they could not comment due to it “being a legal issue and with legal implications”.

The group was later taken down by a former member of the Brisbane Coast Guard, who was an administrator, after lawyers acting on behalf of the AVCGA threatened legal action.

“We need to remember that everyone here are volunteers,” a former member of the Brisbane Coast Guard said.

“They’ve put in decades of quiet service for our local community and deserve the respect of a phone call, a conversation, a chance to give their side of the story and for issues to be de-escalated.

“To be hauling people over the coals should be a last resort.”

It is believed two more skippers have departed the Brisbane Coast Guard during the past week.

After the recent issues within the organisation, Ms Semmens confirmed the “National Board has engaged the services of a professional workplace solution consultant to assist us with these and other matters”.

Originally published as Brisbane Coast Guard stalwarts suspended amid investigation