Singers knock homeless choir treatment

Homeless members of the award-winning Choir of Hard Knocks have engaged a lawyer,
claiming its huge commercial success hasn't flowed to them.
Lawyer David Brett, who is representing some members, said it was only fair that all
shared in the collective success of the choir, which was the subject of an ABC
documentary and has recorded two CDs and performed sell-out concerts.
Its first release, Songs from the Series, won an ARIA Award and sold in excess of
110,000 copies.
Its second album, Songs of Hope and Inspiration, was released at Christmas, says the
choir's website (www.choirofhardknocks.com.au).
But Mr Brett on Thursday told reporters that choir members had been left bitterly
disappointed.
"If the Choir of Hard Knocks had not made any money, then there would be no
problems," Mr Brett said.
"But the fact is it's made substantial amounts of money."
He added that members of the public who came to know about the choir were
"encouraged to donate supposedly on the basis that it was for the choir's benefit,
that such donations would benefit the choir equally".
Mr Brett said choir members were not necessarily seeking cash handouts.
But they believed they should participate equally in the benefits through programs
such as dental or medical care, or clothing benefits.
" ... there's nothing in place to do that at the moment," he said.
Allan Crabbe, a drug and alcohol addict who is listed as a choir member on the
website, told reporters some members felt used and as though they were treated "like
props" during the filming of the documentary.
The website says former Opera Australia tenor Jonathon Welch - inspired by a
homeless choir in Montreal and in Sydney - formed a partnership with ABC TV,
Fremantle Media and RecLink Australia to document the 2006 creation of the Choir of
Hard Knocks.
The choir was thrown into turmoil last month when Mr Welch, who acted as conductor,
announced he was branching out on his own because of dissatisfaction with the way
the choir was run, the Herald-Sun reported.
RecLink, which runs the Choir of Hard Knocks as a program for the disadvantaged, on
Thursday said it was not intended to be a money-making scheme.
Chief executive Adrian Panozzo said any money the charity received from CD or
performance sales was reinvested in the choir program.
"All our members have equal access to our programs and support, and some also
participate in other RecLink programs," he told AAP.
"After the TV series finished filming, when we got involved, we fully funded the choir.
"The program is not a cash cow.
"In fact, the choir is going to lose money this year, but our promise to choir
members before we knew how long it might last, or before it became successful, was
that we would keep it running, we would keep the doors open."
Comment was being sought from the ABC.