Benevolent Fund

The Opera Australia Benevolent Fund was established in October 1980 (as the Australian Opera Benevolent Fund) with the purpose of helping past and present employees of the company in times of hardship.

Over the years the Fund has fulfilled its purpose by providing financial support to present and past employees of the company through financial gifts, interest-free loans and financial advisory services free of charge to beneficiaries.

The Fund begun with a $100 seed donation from the company and the Trustees drew up a Trust Deed to formalise the purpose of the Fund and the power and duties of Trustees. The initiative for the Fund was driven largely by (then) performers in the company all too aware of the unstable nature of employment within the industry.

The dealings of the Fund are absolutely confidential to the Trustees, and the Fund has been of genuine assistance to eligible applicants who are suffering financial hardship.

The Trust Deed has been updated over time to clearly reflect the purpose and processes of the Fund and its Trustees.  Trustees hold positions on a voluntary basis and are made up of current and past members of the company.

In the early days membership to the Fund was a mere $10 annually.  Nowadays some 46 years later the minimum fees are just over $100 annually.  These contributions are processed through fortnightly deductions through payroll of a minimum of $2 a pay.

If you are a member of the OABF thank you for your ongoing support.

If you are not a member, please consider joining – forms for payroll deductions can be sourced from the HR Department or via Payroll.

Life membership was introduced in 2005 for any company member to pay a one-off sum as an alternate to payroll deductions or when they leave the company.  The Life contribution is $150 and at last count we have over 100 life members.

If that option suits you better, then please do not hesitate to email us and we will provide the bank account details for you to deposit your life membership fees.

It is not a requirement for an individual to be or to have been a financial member of the Fund to be a beneficiary in cases of hardship.

For more information, contact any of the trustees, or email BenevolentFund@opera.org.au.