The Kruger Mecical Centre was constructed with funds provided by the Trust.
A recent online poll conducted by the Twin Town Times has revealed strong feelings regarding the potential for people to have input as to how the town’s Kruger Trust spends their funds. The question “Should members of the Harden-Murrumburrah Community have more say or the ability to vote on how the Kruger Trust spends money left to the H-M community for the ‘Betterment of Harden?” was placed on the Times’ Facebook page for a 7 day poll.
The poll received nearly 300 votes from readers and members of the community and encouraged strong discussion in the comments regarding the proposal. 72 per cent of respondents voted in the affirmative, while 28 per cent disagreed with the proposal. A number of commenters supported the maintenance of privacy for the trust’s decisions, including Amy Mergard who wrote a strong defence of the status quo. “It’s a private company. It has no legal obligation to publicise any financials. Instead of trying to ‘hold them to account’, why can’t we all just be grateful that we even HAVE such a trust in town to begin with? It has helped so many things get off the ground, and I’m grateful for each person on the board (both past and present) who have not only kept the trust in a strong position to be able to continue supporting people and projects in Harden for years to come, but have also done so without receiving a cent for their efforts,” she wrote.
As the Trust is a registered charity, and is classified as ‘large’ by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), it is required to submit an Annual Information Statement and a Financial Report to that Commission, which in turn makes these documents public. Financials from 2014 were originally provided to the ACNC before they were then removed in 2018.
Adam Manwaring disagreed, writing (sic) “Iv always reckon it was left to Harden Murrumburrah to benefit the whole town, iv always reckon a yearly financial statement should be publish to see where the towns money is spent, but pretty sure its claused where details cannot be revealed but always maintain as money for town, so town has the right to see a balance sheet every year.”
Martin Lang, who also published the names of the people who voted yes in the poll, but who didn’t publish the names of those who voted against, wrote in support of preventing public access to decision making processes, and appreciating the projects it has funded instead. “No way, it’s not for that …just pretend it doesn’t exist. It shouldn’t be seen as something that is a right to access. It has done some great things for our twin towns and I’m grateful for the position our town is in with the assistance for streetscapes and pool upgrades, and the medical centre … we are so lucky. It’s something a lot of other towns wished they had … and many of them should have!,” he wrote.
Ann Chaplin advocated for more transparency regarding the documents that govern how the Trust’s funds are dispersed, writing “I’m certainly not interested in the financials. What is more interesting is the way the trust deed outlines the dispersal of money and what criteria are used.” A number of documents relevant to the Trust, including annual Financial Reports, and the Governing Document, can be found by searching the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission online database.
Colina Meadows, a former resident, wrote she had personally experienced the positive impact of the Trust’s work “I no longer live in the town but know my children benefited through the Kruger support of students from Murrumburrah High attending outward bound ! A unique opportunity that both myself and my girls will be eternally grateful for! Congratulations to the trust members for the selfless work they continue to do for the town,” she wrote.
As of June last year, the Kruger Trust maintained net assets of $47,871,346. At the time of its creation in 1996, the trust contained assets valued at just over $9 million. The trust was created in accordance with the wishes of the late Geoffrey Kruger, a retired dental surgeon who lived in Harden for much of his life. The trust was formed through his last will and testament, and was created with the intention of funding improvements for the town of Harden.
