‘GET RID OF DANNY’: Private messages show Club manager wanted Danny gone

THE Junee Bulletin has obtained explosive private messages that appear to show a former senior manager of the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club expressing their desire to “get rid of” Danny’s Kitchen — casting fresh doubt over the Club’s official explanation for the controversial departure of one of its most beloved tenants.

The leaked screenshots, taken from a private Facebook group chat called JEMC crew — reportedly used by the Club’s general staff, bar workers, cleaners, and managers — appear to support longstanding claims made by restaurateurs Danny Yap and Emily Yin that they were effectively pushed out of the Club amid a hostile work environment.

Despite repeated public denials by the Club that anything “untoward” had occurred, and assurances that it was “saddened” by the restaurant’s departure, the newly surfaced messages tell a different story.

Given the overwhelming public interest in transparency, governance, and fair treatment within one of Junee’s largest community organisations, the Junee Bulletin has elected to publish verified excerpts of the private chat.

◾️ “WOULD LOVE TO GET RID OF DANNY”

The messages were exchanged between senior managers and staff members within a private Facebook group chat used by Club employees.

In the chat, one staff member jokes: “Ooooo kick Danny’s out,” to which a senior manager responds: “Would love to get rid of Danny.” Another senior figure replies, “Oh yeah,” and others react with heart emojis.

The messages suggest that, contrary to official public statements, there were internal discussions about wanting Danny’s Kitchen gone.

◾️ ALLEGATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION

This is not the first time serious claims about internal efforts to remove Danny’s Kitchen have been raised.

Two statutory declarations signed by Club members, and seen by the Junee Bulletin, allege sitting board members made disparaging and discriminatory remarks about Danny’s Kitchen and its Chinese-Australian proprietors.

One declaration alleges a board member was overheard at Danny’s farewell event boasting about “trying to get rid of the Chinese catering staff for 10 years.”

Another states a different board member said, “the sooner Danny and Emily leave, the better.”

Separately, the Club’s official Facebook page, and several individual staff and board members, have been observed liking or endorsing social media posts critical of Danny’s Kitchen — even while publicly expressing sadness at its closure.

◾️ DANNY’S DEPARTURE

The sudden resignation of Danny Yap and Emily Yin in April 2024 stunned the Junee community.

After nearly 30 years of service, the pair served their final meals at the Club in June, triggering a wave of public backlash and community support.

At the time, the Club insisted that “nothing untoward” had occurred and that management and the Board were “shocked” by the decision.

“To the club’s knowledge, there have been no other reasons for leaving expressed by Danny and Emily to any of management or the Board,” the Club said. “Their resignation came as a shock to the club, as well as our members.”

The Club expressed thanks to Danny and Emily, citing a desire to “spend more time with family” as the reason given for their departure.

However, Danny and Emily issued a public statement alleging they had been forced out to make way for the Club’s own new bistro, Harvesters, which opened in October following a full kitchen and dining room renovation.

Danny claimed that repeated rent increases rendered his business untenable.

Despite having signed a fixed agreement in 2022 to pay $4,000 plus GST per month — double his previous rent — with CPI increases locked in until 2025, Danny alleged he was pressured to accept additional hikes of 50% in both 2024 and 2025.

He tendered his resignation the day after a meeting with management, giving three months’ notice before closing the kitchen in June.

Since relocating to the Red Cow Hotel, Danny’s Kitchen has enjoyed strong public support.

◾️ FALLOUT & RESIGNATIONS

Following months of public pressure and backlash from members, general manager Clare Hoadley resigned in March 2025, ahead of the Club’s crucial Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Her departure followed the earlier resignations of board members Simon Broad and Jason Hindmarsh, who stepped down in August 2024 and February 2025 respectively.

Luke Brown, who had briefly stepped into the role of acting general manager during Hoadley’s maternity leave in 2023, also quietly left the Club after Danny’s departure.

In her 2024 Annual Report — one of her final acts as general manager — Hoadley described Danny’s resignation as “shocking,” thanked the restaurateurs for their service, and lamented the backlash.

“The last year has been a particularly difficult one, the shocking resignation of Danny and Emily from the Club and the subsequent backlash the Club received,” Hoadley wrote.

“I would like to thank Danny’s Kitchen and their staff for their hard work in the first half of the year, you have been an asset to the club, and we are sad to see you go.”

The newly surfaced private communications, however, appear to starkly contradict the Club’s previous public statements.

◾️ “THE TRUTH NEEDED TO COME OUT”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told the Junee Bulletin that the leaked screenshots “confirmed what many already suspected.”

“The Club kept telling everyone they loved Danny’s Kitchen and were devastated they left — but behind closed doors, it was very different,” they said.

“There was a deliberate plan to push Danny out. It wasn’t about business decisions; it was personal.”

The source alleged a culture of fear existed within the Club, preventing staff from speaking out.

“Staff were walking on eggshells. If you questioned anything, you were frozen out — or forced out.”

“I didn’t feel safe saying anything before. But with the AGM coming and people finally paying attention, it feels like the right time.

“There’s still a lot more that hasn’t come out yet. People need to demand the truth.”

◾️ CONTEXT: A CLUB UNDER PRESSURE

The revelations come as the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club faces mounting pressure ahead of next week’s AGM.

Documents reveal the Club has failed to turn a profit since 2022, burning through more than $1.4 million in cash reserves in two years.

The Club attributes the spending to major renovation projects including kitchen upgrades, a new car park, and interior refurbishments.

However, some members argue that such spending, declining revenue, and transparency concerns have left the Club vulnerable.

As of December 31, 2024, the Club’s liabilities exceeded its current assets by $131,195, with negative operating cash flows of nearly $11,000.

While the Club claims to have turned a corner in early 2025, it has refused to release its latest quarterly financials to members to prove those claims.

Membership has also fallen, dropping from 2,208 to 2,113 in 12 months.

The AGM, scheduled for Wednesday, April 30 at 6:00 pm in the Club auditorium, is shaping up as a defining moment — with frustrated members signalling they want major change.

◾️ BOARD ELECTION VOTING UNDERWAY

Voting for the new Board of Directors opened Tuesday and will close just hours before Wednesday’s AGM.

🔺 In-Person Voting Schedule:

• Monday, April 28: 10am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm
• Tuesday, April 29: 10am – 12pm
• Wednesday, April 30: 10am – 1pm

🔺 In-House and Institutional Voting:

• Tuesday, April 29: 1pm – 4pm

Members requiring an email ballot can contact the Club’s office to arrange voting papers.

The election process has itself been marred by controversy, after an initial ballot was cancelled and reissued.

The ballot mishap has fuelled growing frustration among members, many of whom see it as yet another example of poor communication and governance issues within the Club.

Combined with mounting financial concerns and a perceived lack of transparency, the flawed election process has only intensified calls for accountability and change ahea of the AGM.

🔺 EDITORS NOTE

The Junee Bulletin has obtained and verified the authenticity of private communications between former and current employees of the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club.

The contents raise significant questions about management practices, transparency, and the circumstances surrounding Danny’s Kitchen’s departure.

Publication has been undertaken in the public interest, to ensure the community is fully informed ahead of the Club’s Annual General Meeting.

Where appropriate, sensitive personal information has been redacted to protect privacy.

The Junee Bulletin has chosen not to name individuals involved in the leaked communications.

This decision reflects our commitment to focusing on the broader issues of governance and accountability, rather than personalising the matter.

This article has been prepared in good faith with due regard to accuracy, fairness, and the community’s right to know.