Donations to school building funds are tax deductible, with Brethren-owned businesses across three states the beneficiaries
OneSchool Global say they are fully compliant with governance standards for charitable entities and “meet the requirements of a raft of other legislation governing national and state entities”.OneSchool Global say they are fully compliant with governance standards for charitable entities and “meet the requirements of a raft of other legislation governing national and state entities”.
Many other religious and private schools use similar arrangements to direct donations to school facilities, with a recent productivity commission reportA Brethren-owned Victorian business secured the contract for the new OSG Melton campus, which reportedly cost between $10m and $15m and opened in 2021.
OSG schools also receive significant funds through donations as part of the Brethren’s ecosystem of businesses and charities coordinated by the Sydney-based consulting firm Universal According to a promotional video recorded by the school for MKM, the contract was awarded after a “very stringent appointment process to select the right construction company”.A Brethren-owned Victorian business secured the contract for the new OneSchool Global Melton campus, which reportedly cost between $10m and $15m and opened in 2021.
Bentley Workspaces was head contractor for the 2,800 sq m redevelopment, managing concept design, contracting, construction management and “bespoke joinery solutions”. Asked about donations, Lewis said: “As a local business we support the community through various charitable donations and endeavours. We don’t comment on the details of these out of respect for the recipients.” There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Lewis, Bentley, OSG or any other party in relation to the award of the contract or otherwise.
It listed payments totalling $130,000 to Aspen from 2020 to 2022. Before 2020 the organisation did not report any related party transactions. “We proudly support our local school and other charities, and in doing so we always seek to comply with the rules. As a general rule we don’t comment on our donations to organisations.”
“Cyclo Group is fully compliant with Australian laws in the way we undertake our business and treat our staff and customers,” he said.McKay could not say “with any certainty” whether it had been part of a competitive selection process to secure the contract with OneSchool Global, and said that was a question properly directed to OSG.
At the time, the schools were embarking on a project to build new “learning centres” at their global network of campuses. The spokesperson referred questions regarding the procurement processes and their connections with the Exclusive Brethren to the school and the church. He said he did not have any involvement in Oneschool Global “for the reasons you outlined” until two months after Unispace was sold when he began volunteering with the school.
“To be clear, if a company which had a financial association with a Board member, put an application forward for work, then under the rules, that Board member would be required to recuse themselves from any discussions or decision-making.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Years at Exclusive Brethren school were ‘darkest moments of my life’, says former studentBen Woodbury says school run by sect was not a safe environment for him, with limited access to external counselling services
Read more »
Why Guardian Australia is investigating Exclusive Brethren schoolsThe sect’s OneSchool Global network has received generous support from Australian taxpayers while tightly controlling students and discouraging tertiary study
Read more »
Morning Mail: inside Exclusive Brethren schools, French far right blocked from power, public transport deserts revealedYears at school ‘darkest moments of my life’, former student says; left-green parties surge in French election; analysis reveals barriers to regular public transport in major cities
Read more »
Students under near constant surveillance at Exclusive Brethren-linked schools, insiders claimSchool laptops are allegedly monitored by a roster of church members, with parents sent summaries of their child’s internet use
Read more »
Wealthy Exclusive Brethren schools net almost $30m in disadvantage paymentsThe sect bans most women from paid work and restricts university attendance, insiders claim, and this has an unexpected benefit for network of aligned schools
Read more »
NDIA officials failed to declare gifts from US software group awarded lucrative contractA Labor MP suggests NDIA officials could have been 'inappropriately cultivated' by a US software firm that holds a lucrative contract.
Read more »