Wages’ red flag in White Ribbon Foundation collapse
A $1 million blowout in the annual wages bill was an early red flag for the collapse of the White Ribbon Foundation, which courted controversy in recent years for dissatisfaction over its ambassadors’ choices and poor decisions.
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An early sign of financial problems within the White Ribbon Foundation, which went into liquidation on Thursday, was a $1 million blowout in its annual wages bill.
Employee costs for the anti-domestic violence charity went from $2.9 million to almost $4 million, its latest annual report shows.
The financial red flag comes amid fallout from the charity’s collapse and concern for its 28 employees.
The Sydney-based foundation courted controversy in recent years for having three chief executives in 12 months, and for its leaders and ambassadors making poor decisions.
Insolvency accountants are now sifting through the books to see how the foundation ended up $840,000 in the red, just 12 months after being $298,000 in the black.
White Ribbon was also criticised for its tokenism and for not providing practical help for violence victims.
“Domestic violence will never be ended by good men wearing a white ribbon on their lapel,’’ Alliance to End Homelessness director Felicity Reynolds tweeted.
Australia’s White Ribbon Day is expected to proceed on November 25, due to its global link with the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty said the demise of the foundation was devastating and would leave a big gap. She said the charity’s faults should not overshadow its good work for years.
Cathy Humphreys, professor of Social Work at Melbourne University, said White Ribbon’s vital message of changing men’s behaviours and ending violence against women galvanised communities.
“It’s sad to see when we have such a problem of violence against women in Australia. When you have one woman a week dying, mostly at the hands of their partner or ex-partner, you’ve got a pretty desperate situation.
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“Men taking leadership on the issue of domestic violence was an important message.’’
Tracy McLeod Howe was sacked as chief executive in 2018 after just three months in the role. She has since said the foundation’s financial position was a mess.
Also last year, director Nicholas Cowdery QC, had to quit after he made comments about baby murderer Keli Lane’s sex life during an ABC documentary.
Then White Ribbon ambassador and NSW Labor leader Luke Foley stood down amid claims he indecently touched a female reporter.