The acting Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Mike Fordham, has today placed the Ngunya Jarjum Aboriginal Corporation under special administration.
Ngunya Jarjum Aboriginal Corporation was established in 1995. It is an accredited designated agency under the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998. Based in Lismore, it provides culturally appropriate long-term, short-term, voluntary, respite and out-of-home care for Aboriginal children in northern New South Wales. In 2017–18, the corporation received just under $7 million in grant funding to deliver these services.
At the corporation’s general meeting — held on 31 August 2018 — members removed all directors from office but failed to appoint any new directors before the meeting was closed. This left the corporation without a board of directors to govern it. Since the meeting, various stakeholders have asked the Registrar’s office to assist the corporation.
‘The corporation provides vital services and care for children and the community on the NSW north coast,’ said Mr Fordham. ‘Without a board of directors in place, the corporation’s governance is compromised and important services may be at risk.’
The acting Registrar has appointed Peter McQuoid from PDM Consultancy as the special administrator of the corporation until 12 December 2018.
Background
Special administration is a unique regulatory safeguard under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 which helps corporations to fix their problems. The aim of the process is to restore a corporation to good health and once this is achieved to return control to members as soon as possible.
Media contact
Lisa Hugg
(02) 6146 4738 or 0477 762 290
ORIC MR1819-02
10 September 2018