ABORIGINAL CORPORATIONS —
GOVERNANCE
19. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to leaked documents showing
that one of Australia's oldest and best-resourced Indigenous
corporations, the Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation in Fitzroy Crossing,
has not had a valid board of directors since 2017 and is unable to account for
more than $28 million worth of transactions.
(1) What is the
government's response to assertions that there is a lack of accountability
in Aboriginal corporations?
(2) Does the
state government have any plans to increase accountability and transparency in
Aboriginal corporations or other groups that receive state taxpayer funding?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Given that
the leaked documentation is not publicly available, it is not appropriate to
comment on those allegations pending a formal investigation. However,
addressing governance issues for Indigenous corporations is a federal
responsibility regulated by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous
Corporations under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act
2006, which can investigate and intervene if required.
(2) I understand that a review of the Corporations
(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006—CATSI—is
underway, and that a report with 72 recommendations has been presented to the
federal Minister for Indigenous Australians to consider. We look forward to
actively participating in the implementation of the recommendations where
appropriate.