Village Roadshow is facing fresh attention after court proceedings revealed further allegations concerning the alleged misuse of company funds by former executives of its theme park business.
The matter was first publicly reported in April, when Village Roadshow chief executive Clark Kirby told staff that the company had identified more than $1 million in inappropriate payments.
According to an email from Mr Kirby obtained by the ABC, the company had identified what it described as serious conduct involving the misuse of company funds and resources, with alleged deliberate misreporting used in some cases to disguise the activities. Village Roadshow said at the time that an investigation was continuing and that the total amount could increase.
The matter has now progressed into legal proceedings, with Village Roadshow Theme Parks suing two former executives in the Queensland Supreme Court.
Recent reports based on court documents have detailed further allegations concerning spending and payments allegedly made using company funds. The amount involved has reportedly grown beyond the figure initially identified by the company.
The allegations include claims concerning significant personal expenditure and lavish events. These details have been reported from documents before the court and form part of Village Roadshow’s legal case against the former executives.
It is important to stress that these are allegations made in legal proceedings and have not been proven. The former executives are entitled to respond to the allegations and to the presumption of innocence.
Village Roadshow has previously said the conduct under investigation was unacceptable and that the company was taking steps to establish exactly what had occurred.
The developing case is attracting attention on the Gold Coast given Village Roadshow’s long-standing connection to the region and its major theme park operations, including Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild.
