Noosa Surf Club ‘toxic’ culture as administrator appointed

An administrator is set to be appointed to one of Queensland’s top surf clubs following a damning report into allegations of a toxic culture.

Noosa Surf Club has had more dramas.

An administrator is set to be appointed to one of Queensland’s top surf clubs following a damning report into allegations of a toxic culture.

Surf Life Saving Queensland will install a “special manager” at strife-torn Noosa Surf Club this week after an independent investigation by a former top cop into the running of the powerhouse club.

Noosa SLSC, which boasts more than 2000 members, has been rocked by allegations of bullying, departures of star athletes and staff and bitter infighting.

Long-time club president Ross Fisher, 79, announced in February he was stepping down amid outcry over the running of the club from current and former members.

Lawyers acting for Mr Fisher had issued an apology to former member and prominent Noosa businessman Rob Neely over a blistering email in which the president slammed critics as “unfortunate clowns”, “spiteful and pathetic past members” out for revenge, and “psychopaths”.

Ross Fisher.

Rob Neely.

The email was followed by a letter from lawyers for Mr Fisher who said he made an “unequivocal retraction and apology” for “false and defamatory statements”. He “unconditionally apologised” to Mr Neely, who was not named in the email.

In further turmoil, former general manager Byron Mills resigned after months of stress leave and surf sports manager Craig Law also quit.

Several former members, including former surf sports director Noel Jamieson who brought lifesaving stars including Grant and Jett Kenny and Darren and Jordan Mercer to the club, have not had their memberships renewed after speaking out.

Stars to have left the club in recent years include champion ironwoman Lana Rogers and Electra Outram.

Critics have complained about issues including new rules they claim stripped members’ rights and allowed them to be kicked out of the club “with no right of appeal”.

Questions have also been raised about the club’s “obscene” multimillion-dollar bank balance, a lucrative bursary scheme for competitors and $100-an-hour payments to members to “volunteer” at the Noosa Triathlon.

Noosa Surf Club will have an administrator appointed.

In February, the Sunday Mail later revealed that SLSQ had appointed former Queensland police assistant commissioner and Sunshine Coast local Andy Henderson to conduct an independent investigation into Noosa Surf Club.

Mr Henderson’s investigation is understood to have upheld a large number of allegations.

A special meeting of the surf club board has been called for Wednesday night when it is expected Mr Fisher and deputy president Melissa Pinchbeck will formally stand down, lifesaving sources said.

A special manager, believed to be a prominent Sunshine Coast surf life saving identity, will then take over the running of the club.

Sources said the manager would work to try to stabilise the club before a new board can be elected at an AGM in coming months.

“This is a major shake-up – we’re talking about the second most powerful surf club in the state,” a source said.

“There have been big problems at Noosa for a long time. A lot of very serious allegations have been substantiated by the independent investigation.”

Originally published as Noosa Surf Club ‘toxic’ culture as administrator appointed