Disability Rights Advocacy Service under investigation over grant management

ABC NEWS (Australia)

An investigation is underway into the handling of grant funding by past management at one of South Australia's largest disability advocacy services. Disability Rights Advocacy Service lost hundreds of thousands of dollars last year and there are now concerns around a short-lived legal arm of the service

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00:00Disability Rights Advocacy Service has been helping South Australians with disabilities

00:07for nearly 40 years, but clients were left shocked last month when they were told the

00:11organisation would be closing its doors immediately.

00:15It has since confirmed services are continuing.

00:18The ABC understands a federal government investigation is underway into the handling of grant funding

00:24by past management of the service.

00:26While details of the investigation aren't public, financial reports show the service

00:31lost more than $360,000 last financial year, including more than $100,000 on a legal service

00:38which had not yet launched.

00:41Former Chief Executive of DRAS, David McGinlay, told the ABC the organisation decided to fund

00:46its new legal arm, DRAS Legal, without government support, to highlight the significant demand

00:52within the community.

00:53He said all expenditure on DRAS and DRAS Legal was approved by the board.

00:59Despite opening the arm in July last year, the organisation was told in December that

01:03DRAS Legal would not receive government funding.

01:06It was dismantled within weeks.

01:09In a statement, the Department of Social Services said it's aware of concerns raised about the

01:13grant activities of past management, and it's working with current leadership on continuing

01:18its services under grant agreements.

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