Hillsong Church is denying whistleblower accusations that it intentionally deceived the Australian charities regulator, about its financial records.
This has come in a defense filed to the Federal Court.
The megachurch is being sued by one Natalie Moses who alleges she was unfairly suspended from her role in the finance department after she complained about financial misconduct and questionable expenditures inside Hillsong.
On its part, Hillsong alleged Natalie Moses breached its IT policy after she downloaded 40,000 documents over a June weekend.
Lawyers for the church’s subsidiary, Hillsong CityCare, denied these accusations in a defense they filed on Friday.
The defense said the church’s transfer of money overseas was not in breach of Australian regulations and its international operations were not subject to its external conduct standards.