Surfing Queensland launch probe into workplace allegations against CEO Adam Yates
The future of a stood-down Queensland sporting boss could be determined at a crisis meeting to be held on Thursday night.
Gold Coast
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The future of a stood-down Queensland sporting boss could be determined at a crisis meeting on Thursday night.
Surfing Queensland CEO Adam Yates was stood down recently amid a workplace investigation at the state’s peak surfing body.
An independent expert has been hired to probe unspecified allegations against Mr Yates, who has headed the government-funded million dollar organisation since 2014.
The board of Surfing Queensland, which operates from Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, launched the investigation following a number of complaints from staff.
Board members were set to meet on Thursday night to discuss the issue.
A Surfing Queensland spokesman declined to comment ahead of the meeting.
Mr Yates has not been able to be contacted for comment. He has been stood down pending the outcome of the independent workplace expert’s investigation.
In a statement to the Gold Coast Bulletin when the matter was first reported, Surfing Queensland said it took the allegations made “very seriously”.
“The Board of Surfing Queensland received correspondence pertaining to certain workplace allegations raised by some members of the Surfing Queensland team,” the statement said.
“The Board takes these kind of allegations very seriously and moved quickly to appoint an independent workplace expert to investigate these claims.
“Any further comment at this stage could be prejudicial to this independent process.”
Surfing Queensland runs boardriding events including state championships and junior tournaments named in honour of surfing legends Mark Occhilupo and Joel Parkinson.
Mr Yates has been CEO of the organisation since 2014.
Adding to the turmoil at Surfing Queensland, the organisation was also unable to elect a new chair at its annual meeting two weeks ago.
The organisation had been chaired since 2016 by long-time board member Luke McKenzie, of multibillion dollar funds management and lending group Balmain.
Sources said an acting chair had been appointed while that “mess” was sorted.
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