By ALENA HIGGINS
FINANCIAL allegations have emerged against Stanthorpe’s iconic Apple and Grape Harvest Festival.
Complaints have been made regarding the handling of a cancelled fund-raising raffle, which the Stanthorpe Festival Association withdrew at the eleventh hour in late February this year.
In a separate matter, legal action has been instigated against the association for unpaid invoices totaling more than $40,000.
Despite promises to contact everyone who bought tickets and refund all monies, there are doubts over whether this occurred.
An investigation has been launched by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR).
President of the Stanthorpe Men’s Shed Kevin Armstrong said he bought a couple of tickets in the sports club raffle “in good faith” but has yet to receive a refund.
To his knowledge none of the ticket holders at the Men’s Shed have either.
The 60-year-old, who has worked with not-for-profit associations for 40 years, said he had never heard of a raffle being cancelled without organisers notifying ticket purchasers.
“All of our not-for-profit organisations have a strong responsibility to the community to make sure that we honour what we take on,” Mr Armstrong said.
He is not concerned about his money, but rather the principle.
“I mean some people may not even know it wasn’t drawn.”
He said the decision to cancel the raffle could have negative ramifications for all incorporated organisations.
“If someone is not toeing the line in Stanthorpe or anywhere else, there may be a degree of scepticism from the public that something like this might happen again,” Mr Armstrong said.
“For this organisation in particular, next time they try to raise money there are going to be some people who are pretty wary.”
President of the Stanthorpe Bowling Club Justin Liddy said he believed the raffle garnered about $450 in total tickets sales before it was suddenly withdrawn.
He personally sold about 30 tickets, worth $2 each, to members of the Stanthorpe Men’s Shed and about 50 tickets to the croquet ladies, but says not everyone has had their money refunded.
“There were quite a few members of the bowling club who bought tickets too and as far as I know some have been refunded but not all at this stage,” Mr Liddy said.
He said the association agreed in a letter to him dated 21 February to still provide $150 towards the Bowls Carnival, but it “never followed through with the promise”.
The Free Times contacted the president of the Association Greg Thouard for a response yesterday, but he declined to comment.
A spokeswoman for the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) confirmed it had received complaints in relation to the cancellation of a raffle that was to be conducted by the Stanthorpe Festival Association, which it was currently investigating.
“This is the first time a complaint has been received about this association,” she said.
