A taxpayer-funded medical council faces allegations of tracking its staff, nepotism and reneging on sponsorship commitments.
One of the state’s key taxpayer-funded medical councils is in chaos amid allegations of staff being digitally tracked, a rugby league sponsorship backflip, nepotism and critical delivery failures in some of Australia’s most disadvantaged communities.
Nicole Turner, the peak body’s fourth chief executive in two years, has called in a third set of auditors after two recent inquiries by Catalina Consultants and Workwize investigated potential conflicts of interest and allegations of staff tracking. Workwize concluded further investigations were necessary. Investigators from PwC are now looking into the culture, governance and finances of the council.
Charlie Coyle, an accountant working remotely from Palm Beach in Queensland, has been stood down on paid leave from his role as the AHMRC’s head of finance while the investigation into the organisation unfolds.Credit:Six current and former staff members who requested anonymity to discuss internal issues say the day-to-day operations of the NSW council were effectively taken over by Coyle.
Three staff members said Coyle was open about his personal connection to the owner of the catering company. In another instance, the AHMRC paid a mystery invoice containing sparse details about an office room that was rented at the Bila Muuji Aboriginal Medical Centre in Dubbo for $22,000. Coyle also ran the finance for Bila Muuji centre, though it is not suggested he profited from the deal. It is run by a family member of former AHMRC chair Phil Naden.
In March 2024, the Arthur Beetson Foundation claimed Naden told them in person that the AHMRC NSW would spend $27,500 in taxpayer funding sponsoring a rugby league game at Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland. The foundation, which promotes Indigenous football, said the offer was verbally confirmed four days later.
The expenses inflamed tensions within the peak body as staff struggled with what some called a toxic work environment that has seen at least eight staff resign or go on WorkCover since 2022. In a letter to Coyle on the outcome of its investigation in December 2023, Catalina Consultants said it had determined the AHMRC should remove “geo-location tracking” from its systems and that Coyle “displayed behaviours that go against workplace standards under Safe Work NSW’s Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work”.
Rambaldini sent Naden a report detailing his concerns on the morning of September 15, according to the statement of claim. An hour later, he said he received an email from Naden terminating his employment for “serious misconduct”. Naden denied the leadership turmoil had affected the council’s ability to deliver services to regional communities.
In a statement, the AHMRC board said it was in “the process of understanding historical challenges within our organisation, and in partnership, are addressing them appropriately to ensure our organisation’s stability into the future”.
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