Runner,

You probably won't be interested to know that the rise of Hamas was actually assisted by Israel and they actively supported one of it's founders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

This was deliberately done to get rid of the PLO and weaken the Intifada.

Likewise, Israel was once an ally of Iran (the other non-Arab State in the region) and they even developed missile systems together, until the USA organised the overthrow of Iran's democratically elected government to protect their oil interests and restore the Shah and thus set off what was to become militant Islam.

Credit where credit's due.

World Vision is a huge outfit paying its office holders very handsomely indeed. Its TV advertising budget alone would be massive and it is all hard sell.

10% of those millions donated goes to administration and that reporting would be conservative, relying on clever accounting and its senior finance officers. It is very easy for instance, to boost the book value of donated items when distributed.

Tim Costello (and the ABC!) have never been backward in criticising the Australian government and its departments over policy. Where the ABC is concerned, there is a fearful brouhaha if even a junior federal public servant is accused of any wrongdoing. For example, failure to properly acquit domestic travel.

The allegations, if proved, against the director of the Gaza branch of World Vision would demonstrate severe lapses in the governance and auditing of World Vision and as such could well be systemic affecting its operations in many countries, including Australia.

Just to say that the ABC could have done a much better job in its interview of Tim Costello. Most likely it should have chosen someone else who actually knew something of the Gaza operations. It was an interview that came across as yet another senior executive of yet another large corporation hosing down any criticism. It deserved a more senior interviewer at least.

Rache,

This money went to a terrorist organisation. Sure, money could go adrift from any charities, but we are talking here about a charity which receives money from Australian taxpayers (via the government who is very free with other peoples' money) as well as ordinary Australian donors. Hamas, a fundamentalist Islamic group is an enemy of Australia. That makes it different from the run of the mill fraud case which are criminal acts. Financing a terrorist organisation is, itself, legally a terrorist act. Not defending the people funding the gambling habits,,of course.

In 2009, Tim Costello was receiving an annual salary package of $250,000. Wonder what it is 7 years later. Wonder how much in other payments to 'directors' and workers comes out of well-meaning donors' money and our taxes on top of Hamas's cut? In 2010, it was reported that a soccer field for Palestinian youngsters, paid for with Australian money, was to be named after a Fatah (terror organisation) deceased leader. Tim and World Vision were reported as being "shocked" over that, too. Seems the the security checks that Reverend Costello mentioned in his recent ABC radio interview about the latest accusations, wasn't working very well then, either; and Costello is still "shocked".

I don't particularly care what they are paid, although charities and 'save this, save that' do offer jolly good incomes, entitlements, trappings of office and travel. Bugger all stress compared with a private business.

What was disappointing was the limp ABC 'interview'. Where is the follow-up? If World Vision had supplied the questions Tim Costello couldn't have had a softer ride. Yet the issues are apparently serious. Why the kid gloves, ABC?

Onthebeach the ABC has become unfit for purpose and needs to be shut down. That is the only TV station I watch so it would be a hardship for me but it has to be done.
Charity is all fraud. They should have to have all their accounts via a Government bank account or pay 48.5% tax on all monies received.
That venal and duplicitous Keating is responsible for the "Not For Profit" fraud perpetrated on Australia. It just means people get big salaries but pay no taxes. Everyman and his left wing dog has this angle now, big salary tax free it is a disgrace!