Hillsong Church Accused Of Misusing Church Funds To Pay For Private Jets And Designer Gifts

Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has used parliamentary privilege with leaked financial information to allege Hillsong Church broke financial laws in Australia and worldwide. 

Mr Wilkie said the financial documents indicated former Hillsong leader Brian Houston was “treating private jets like Ubers” and  “shopping that would embarrass the Kardashians”. 

The Tasmanian MP claimed the church earned more than what it publicly declared, with an estimated number of more than $80 million.  

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“Hillsong followers believe the money they have put in the poor box goes to the poor. But these documents show how that money is actually used to do the kind of shopping that would embarrass the Kardashians,” he said.  

The leaked financial reports and documents were submitted to the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. However, Mr Wilike said these two departments had not acted on the issue. 

“For example, this document shows how in 2021, four members of the Houston family and their friends enjoyed a three-day luxury retreat in Cancun, Mexico using $150,000 of church money,” he said in parliament. 

“That is a failure of regulatory oversight every bit as alarming as Hillsong’s criminality.” 

Hillsong Church responded that the claims are out of context and relate to untested allegations made by an employee in an ongoing legal case.  

A spokesman for Hillsong Church said these numbers “have been misrepresented”. 

“These allegations, made under parliamentary privilege, are in many respects wrong, and it is disappointing he made no effort to contact us first. If he did so, we would have answered his questions and provided him with financial records to address his concerns,” a spokesperson for Hillsong Church said.

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