RedFest overdue financials put charity status in question

Financial reporting delays and governance issues are threatening the charity status of a major local festival that was forced to cancel this year’s event after a scheduling clash with a bayside council.

RedFest’s income and expenses for the 2022-23 financial year as documented on the ACNC website.

The Bayside’s largest annual festival, RedFest, is under renewed scrutiny, with fears the iconic Redland event could lose its charity status.

Less than a week after this year’s event was sensationally cancelled following a scheduling dispute with Redland City Council, the charity’s financial reporting is being questioned.

Redland Spring Festival Inc, the registered charity behind the long-running spring event, submitted its 2022-23 financial report to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) in February 2025, more than 18 months past the official due date of August 31, 2023.

The online document showing the charity’s financial status and the late tabling of its documents on the ACNC website in February.

Charities which continually fail to meet ACNC reporting deadlines can be at risk of deregistration and, under the commission’s strict reporting guidelines, warnings may be issued, penalties imposed, or further corrective action taken.

The RedFest financial reporting year runs from January 1 to December 31 and reports can only be filed after being ratified at an annual general meeting.

The late-lodged report showed the charity recorded $4154 in income, mostly from sponsorships and fundraising, while incurring $14,069 in expenses, resulting in an operating loss of $9916.

A $20,000 repayment listed as a Tourism and Events Queensland grant pushed the overall net loss to $29,458 for the 2022 calendar year.

The charity’s records show it incurred $6842 in wages and salaries and $843 in superannuation expenses in 2022, despite previously stating in its annual return that it had no paid staff.

Other notable costs included $3720 for insurance, $1798 for audit fees, $2023 for administrative expenses, and $933 for licensing.

RedFest president Arno Nel. Picture: The Australian

An additional $4385 was listed under “Other” expenses without further breakdown.

The 2022 Annual Information Statement also noted the charity was relying on diminishing reserves, operated with an estimated 10 volunteers, and had no employees.

It stated that Redland Spring Festival Inc did not intend to conduct fundraising in the 2023 reporting period, raising concerns about how the organisation planned to support future events.

After the September 2023 event, there was a flight of committee members leaving the charity after disagreements with the executive committee of president and secretary, who then assumed the role of treasurer.

The delay in reporting has added to concerns about the charity’s governance and financial transparency, particularly in light of this year’s cancellation following the unresolved scheduling dispute with the local council.

The 2022 financial return stated the festival was cancelled that year due to lingering Covid-related impacts but full-scale RedFest festivals were held in 2023 and 2024.

Despite its return in 2023, and 2024, RedFest 2025 was cancelled earlier this week.

Organisers cited a clash with Redland City Council over the use of the Cleveland Showgrounds on the second weekend in September, a traditional window for the event, though not a fixed date.

Redland City Council said it had done all it could to accommodate RedFest, before organisers cancelled this year’s event.

Festival president Arno Nel criticised Redland council’s scheduling decisions and said due to the council “dragging its feet” over the date, all fund raising was delayed.

“Offering dates in August for example, shows that the council is either just not supporting the biggest event in Redlands or has no understanding how the Ekka affects any big event in Brisbane and surrounds,” he said.

“We had several discussions with the council in 2022 and early 2023 … when the Events Department made it clear that it is council policy that you cannot book a date more than a year ahead.

“The department was made aware of our preference for the second weekend of September in these meetings and they confirmed that they will keep it in mind when they do the scheduling.

“We have asked the mayor and the department to clarify why they made a multi-year booking and why the facility is booked from midnight Sunday to the next Tuesday and why this was done without having discussions with the RedFest association.”

A Facebook post showing the RedFest committee voting in April 2023. Picture: Facebook

Mr Nel also said the association had to repay money to the council after it held a replacement smaller festival during the pandemic that was found not to meet council grant criteria.

However, he said the current RedFest committee was working to address financial issues stemming from before 2023 and was also working with the council to finalise the 2026 event.

The council said it received RedFest’s application in April 2024 but had already leased the venue for September 13–15, 2025, to the Cleveland Caravan, Camping, Boating Expo.

“RedFest has traditionally been held on the first weekend of September, and council has protected this weekend for the event’s delivery from 6–7 September 2025,” the council said.

RedFest, which traces its roots back to 1960, has long been a fixture in the Redlands cultural calendar, drawing thousands to the Cleveland Showgrounds for music, food, arts, and fireworks. Its absence this year will leave a noticeable gap in the region’s cultural life.

As of April 28, 2025, RedFest’s 2023-24 financial report, due to the ACNC by June 30, 2024, remains outstanding.

In 2018, the festival took place from September 7 to 9.

Originally published as RedFest overdue financials put charity status in question