iTnews
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Finance

EFA members revolt as cash dries up

By Ben Grubb on Sep 20, 2017 6:55AM
EFA members revolt as cash dries up

'Unnecessary spending' claim unnerves board hopefuls.

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) is embroiled in an ugly behind-the-scenes row fuelled by concerns it is running short of money.

The concerns were raised after comments by recently appointed treasurer Shaun Haddrill that the EFA's funds "are quite limited" and that there was a need to "rein in unnecessary spending".

Haddrill also believed the EFA needed to increase its fundraising activities "so that we can return our budget to a healthy level”.

The comments set off a chain of emails between current EFA board members, its chief executive Jon Lawrence, and candidates vying for five board positions in an upcoming election on October 1.

Several emails were sent demanding copies of financial statements for 2017 as well as board minutes that could shed light on the EFA's financial position. 

“There is a question mark over whether or not the organisation is solvent and, therefore, will board members be liable under the new org structure,” one candidate, who did not want to be named, told iTnews.

EFA's last published financial statements are for the year ended June 2016 when it had -$439 in its bank account, down from $6179 the year prior.

EFA chair David Cake told iTnews that the "500-plus" member organisation's financial statements were normally released "shortly before" the AGM.

“People are just asking for it a few weeks ahead of schedule, so they’ve caught us a little bit unawares," Cake said.

"It's really only our members who have a right to see that information but we usually post it publicly [anyway]."

Cake said that the EFA had "some debts that we are paying down" - including a "long-term" debt to the taxman - and that the organisation had also experienced "banking issues that have taken us slightly longer to sort out".

He said the EFA had not experienced any drop in its income.

However, he said that the organisation would try to reduce its staff costs this year; CEO Jon Lawrence is the EFA's single member of staff, and he "would be paid for fewer hours".

Cake also said there was a proposal on the table to convert the EFA from an incorporated association into a 'proprietary limited' one so that it could add an arm to collect donations that are tax-deductible, as well as gifts – something it does not currently offer.

iTnews has learned that Cake later emailed board nominees on Tuesday afternoon over their concerns.

He said the release of financials would be sped up, admitted that board minutes should have been made available, and apologised for not commenting on the issues before now.

Update, 9.06am: EFA CEO Jon Lawrence said in an emailed statement that the organisation is "solvent and are, subject to approval by the members, about to complete a three year project to reincorporate and thereby get access to new revenue opportunities."

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
Tags:
efaelectionfinancefinancialfundingmemberposition

Partner Content

Why Genworth Australia embraced low-code software development
Promoted Content Why Genworth Australia embraced low-code software development
Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
Promoted Content Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
Promoted Content The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
Why rethinking your CMS is crucial for customer retention
Promoted Content Why rethinking your CMS is crucial for customer retention

Sponsored Whitepapers

Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership

Events

  • Micro Focus Information Management & Governance (IM&G) Forum 2022
  • CRN Channel Meets: CyberSecurity Live Event
  • IoT Insights: Secure By Design for manufacturing
  • Cyber Security for Government Summit
  • Forrester Technology & Innovation Asia Pacific 2022
By Ben Grubb
Sep 20 2017
6:55AM
0 Comments

Related Articles

  • IMF, 10 countries simulate cyber attack on global financial system
  • Australian businesses lose $227 million to BEC-like scams
  • Westpac sets sights on hybrid meeting spaces
  • Openpay hits pause on US market
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

Australia scraps digital passenger cards for international arrivals

Australia scraps digital passenger cards for international arrivals

PayTo rollout kicks off

PayTo rollout kicks off

Neobank Volt exits the banking industry

Neobank Volt exits the banking industry

Westpac sets sights on hybrid meeting spaces

Westpac sets sights on hybrid meeting spaces

Digital Nation

Case Study: Multicloud business drivers at MLC Life Insurance
Case Study: Multicloud business drivers at MLC Life Insurance
Case Study: EY invests in AI to improve approach to flexible working
Case Study: EY invests in AI to improve approach to flexible working
Case Study: Good360 deploys NetSuite, Magento and Salesforce
Case Study: Good360 deploys NetSuite, Magento and Salesforce
Personalisation strategies need to be built from the ground up
Personalisation strategies need to be built from the ground up
Case study: AFL kicks goals with its new digital platform
Case study: AFL kicks goals with its new digital platform
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.