Some details about the audit failures.

[old man emu]

I wonder if there has ever been an audit of RAAus' management policies and procedures.

 

I would say that it is well within the Rights of the Membership to demand such an audit, and to be given the results.

 

OME

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Whoa there big fella, don't make it to complicated! As Captain has suggested you need to find out the depth of the problem first, only then can you come up with a clear solution.

 

I would think the RAA policies and procedures are probably 'up to scratch' for the most part, I suspect it is the execution that is lacking!

 

 

[dodo]

I wonder if there has ever been an audit of RAAus' management policies and procedures.I would say that it is well within the Rights of the Membership to demand such an audit, and to be given the results.

 

OME

The March issue had a paragraph referring to a two day assurance workshop held last February to look at board oversight etc. Not an audit, by any means, but clearly a chance for the baord to look over themselves and look in the mirror a bit. I have no idea what the outcome was.

dodo

 

 

[turboplanner]

The March issue had a paragraph referring to a two day assurance workshop held last February to look at board oversight etc. Not an audit, by any means, but clearly a chance for the baord to look over themselves and look in the mirror a bit. I have no idea what the outcome was.dodo

I wonder whether the owners of the Association:

 

(a) Were made aware of this

 

(b) Were given the opportunity to attend and participate

 

© Approved the two day expenditure without (if (a) and (b) answers are "No") being made aware of it.

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

I think this workshop might have been what Cazza was referring to here

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/raaus-fails-casa-audit-again.50744/page-34#post-255019

 

Which looks like it was Board members only.

 

Sue

 

 

[dodo]

I wonder whether the owners of the Association:(a) Were made aware of this

 

(b) Were given the opportunity to attend and participate

 

© Approved the two day expenditure without (if (a) and (b) answers are "No") being made aware of it.

The membership don't get a say on every expenditure. For the board to commission a workshop on oversight would seem to me to be entirely sensible and reasonable, and it was reported to the membership quite reasonably. I don't have any idea what it cost, but it doesn't seem that our board oversight is satisfactory, so you could argue:

 

- It was a waste of money,as the oversight is still poor; or

 

- Oversight is poor, so we need something like this, so it was a sensible investment in the organisation.

 

Take your pick!

 

dodo

 

 

[turboplanner]

The last time I looked there were hundreds of thousands of dollars in unclassified expenditure each year.

 

 

[dodo]

The last time I looked there were hundreds of thousands of dollars in unclassified expenditure each year.

Yes. The board should spend money as they think best (and not have to ask the membership for any particular approval), but they should then report it.

The membership then gets a chance to decide whether or not the board is spending their money prudently on the basis of that reporting..

 

That would require that expenditure is set out in sufficient detail, and reported, neither of which have occurred. It may be that the unclassified expenses meet accounting standards, but you would hope that a board would go beyond the bare minimum set out in law. Instead they haven't even met that regulatory minimum.

 

dodo

 

 

[turboplanner]

This is not a Board of Directors dodo.

 

 

[dodo]

This is not a Board of Directors dodo.

True - but what difference does that make? I am not sure who, within the board can authorise expenditure, or who is technically responsible for financial reporting (is it just the Treasurer, or the whole board?), but I imagine that the board of management is ultimately responsible. They can delegate to hired staff, or amongst themselves, but ultimately, they would appear to be responsible. Otherwise, who is responsible?

dodo

 

 

[turboplanner]

Coulda, woulda, shoulda

 

It would be worth your while obtaining the Annual Reports from Department of Justice, and taking a look at the blowout in unclassified expenditure.

 

If you've got financial skills it should put a different perspective on your thoughts.

 

 

[facthunter]

The board have to approve the financial statements (which would be audited by that stage as well). as to detail there may be occasions where it should be more specific depending on circumstances. ie member concerns... Nev

 

 

[dodo]

Coulda, woulda, shouldaIt would be worth your while obtaining the Annual Reports from Department of Justice, and taking a look at the blowout in unclassified expenditure.

 

If you've got financial skills it should put a different perspective on your thoughts.

I am not sure what you are getting at, especially the "Coulda, woulda, shoulda"

 

What effective difference does it make between a board of management and a board of directors?

 

Do you think all expenditure should be approved by the membership? Or some expenditure?

 

Or are you just commenting that the financial reporting to members is deficient (when provided at all)?

 

dodo

 

 

[Captain]

The membership don't get a say on every expenditure. For the board to commission a workshop on oversight would seem to me to be entirely sensible and reasonable, and it was reported to the membership quite reasonably. I don't have any idea what it cost, but it doesn't seem that our board oversight is satisfactory, so you could argue:- It was a waste of money,as the oversight is still poor; or

 

- Oversight is poor, so we need something like this, so it was a sensible investment in the organisation.

Or the oversight before the workshop was very very very poor, and as a result of that workshop 2 of the "verys" can be removed.

 

Some may call this attacking the Board, but the fact is that the Board is where the policy and oversight should reside. They are responsible for all that has come to the fore this year.

 

 

[winsor68]

Coulda, woulda, shouldaIt would be worth your while obtaining the Annual Reports from Department of Justice, and taking a look at the blowout in unclassified expenditure.

 

If you've got financial skills it should put a different perspective on your thoughts.

I think what Dodo is agreeing with you turbs. You are getting a bit grizzly and argumentative.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Guernsey, I know where you live - or at least I know you live on the wrong side of Adelaide.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I think what Dodo is agreeing with you turbs. You are getting a bit grizzly and argumentative.

I was trying to explain to dodo in the nicest possible way that he was suggesting a management profile while not understanding the correct sequence of operation of an Incorporated Association.

 

The answer was the members make the decisions, and that requires open and transparent two way communication.

 

You put your finger one one of the two most urgent things needing correction - communication and getting the audits correct.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Guernsey, I know where you live - or at least I know you live on the wrong side of Adelaide.

Not sure about the wrong side of Adelaide, but I live at No. 69 Funny Street, Humourous Grove SA.

 

Alan.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I've actually done core drilling there for pottery clay in the days when the area was paddocks

 

 

[old man emu]

I would think the RAA policies and procedures are probably 'up to scratch' for the most part, I suspect it is the execution that is lacking!

It is one thing to have policies and procedures that are "up to scratch". You just have to make sure that everything is mentioned when you document them.

 

HOWEVER, it requires an audit to find out if the documented policies and procedures are being implemented, reviewed and re-assessed.

 

I think I would agree that the policies and procedures are probably up to scratch, meaning that they are written down somewhere, stuck in a folder, and never referred to. The audit would result in the folder being pulled off the shelf, dusted off and implemented.

 

OME

 

 

[sain]

Along with the list of things Captain had listed at the start, i'd also like to know what, specifically, RA-Aus failed in each audit.

 

If its pretty much the same thing each time, then somebody really needs to be beaten about the head and shoulders with a clue bat.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Along with the list of things Captain had listed at the start, i'd also like to know what, specifically, RA-Aus failed in each audit.If its pretty much the same thing each time, then somebody really needs to be beaten about the head and shoulders with a clue bat.

Sain, I've received confirmation of my FoI request to CASA, and they have appointed a case officer, so in a couple of months we should have accurate details of what has occurred.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

thanks TP, looking forward to your analysis.

 

 

[dodo]

Sain, I've received confirmation of my FoI request to CASA, and they have appointed a case officer, so in a couple of months we should have accurate details of what has occurred.

This is becoming more pathetic by the day.

 

Did you asked RA-Aus for the audit reports first? Or have you just given up on asking our lords and masters for any information?

 

If you want a financial contribution towards the costs of information that should have been provided to the membership by RA-Aus, I would happily contribute.

 

dodo

 

 

[kgwilson]

Crikey, when I read the title of this thread I thought great, now I'll find out what the audits were & what the failures are & what actions were/are being taken to resolve them. But 50 posts & not a sausage. I'll give RAA management one thing, they keep a good secret when they aren't supposed to & the rest of us are mushrooms for sure.