A multimillion-dollar charity that cares for Indigenous children removed from their homes has had its accreditation revoked and government contract cancelled following allegations its boss was perpetuating a highly sexualised and “toxic” workplace culture.
The allegations against Narang Bir-rong Aboriginal Corporation and its award-winning chief executive Heidi Bradshaw, were first published by the Herald in March last year.
They include that Bradshaw texting staff about which member of a sports team sponsored by the company she would like to sleep with in text messages sighted by the Herald; former staff alleging they witnessed her removing the belt of a government employee at a staff party and storing it in the office; sexually grinding on staff at a work Christmas party, captured on video; and a former staff member alleging she hired someone she met on a dating app.
The NBAC board, which spoke on behalf of Bradshaw, denied all allegations at the time.
Bradshaw was also accused of using company funds to sponsor an Aboriginal rugby team in Orange, in NSW’s Central West, outside the area it was funded to cover. Text messages sent to another senior staff member, sighted by the Herald, allegedly show her ranking which players she would like to have sex with.
Multiple staff members alleged they had developed psychological injuries from working there.
In May 2024, three of its seven board members resigned following allegations of “egregious misconduct” by the organisation. The trio wrote a joint resignation letter highlighting the company’s “hostile work environment” and “chaos and inefficiency”, which they said they hoped would serve as a “wake-up call” to the board.
This masthead is not suggesting this conduct has occurred but rather that the allegation has been made.
In response to questions at the time, the company said Bradshaw acknowledged some of the behaviour at parties was “not appropriate” but denied all allegations, claiming they had been investigated and were unsubstantiated or resolved.
However, Bradshaw was suspended later that month following the Herald’s publication of allegations that she used staff email addresses to vote for herself in the 2021 Westfield Local Hero Awards, for which she was awarded $10,000 to help fund company projects.
The Herald obtained screenshots of Bradshaw’s messages to other senior NBAC staff members, which allegedly show her using five other employees’ email addresses and the personal email of another former employee to vote for herself. The NBAC board said it was investigating the allegations at the time.
On Tuesday, the Minister for Family and Communities Kate Washington announced the organisation’s out-of-home care accreditation had been cancelled, effective immediately. Specific reasons were not given.
“Accountability and transparency are non-negotiable when it comes to caring for NSW’s most vulnerable children,” she said.
The Office of the Children’s Guardian reviews organisations’ accreditation and may place conditions on them, restricting a company from taking on new children or offering specific services, though cancelling an accreditation is rare.
Narang Bir-rong was also recently notified of the government’s intention to wind down its contract due to performance issues and as part of reforms to the out-of-home care sector.
In 2024-25, the company made $12.2 million in revenue, most of which came from government contracts, according to documents submitted to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations. Almost $9.5 million of that revenue was spent on employee benefits.
The organisation cared for 103 children and young people in out-of-home care, mostly in western Sydney, and was responsible for placing children in foster care, organising their services and support, and assisting with family preservation. The children have been transferred back to the care of the Department of Communities and Justice.
The company previously used charities such as Food Bank and ran toy drives to supply items to families and children.
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
