The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Mr Anthony Beven, has today announced that the special administration of the Muluridji Tribal Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (Muluridji Tribal) will end at midnight tonight.
The corporation is located in Far North Queensland and is registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act).
In 2011 the Federal Court of Australia recognised the Muluridji people’s native title rights and interests over 12,030 hectares of land and waters north-west of Mareeba. Muluridji Tribal was appointed as the registered native title body corporate for the Muluridji people to hold and manage their native title interests.
The corporation was placed under special administration in December 2013 after complaints were received by the Registrar and an examination in August 2013 revealed that internal disputes were affecting the governance of the corporation.
The Registrar appointed Mr Brian Woods from the firm DFK Kidsons on 9 December 2013 as the special administrator.
‘I am very pleased that the special administrator has been able to resolve the key issues at the corporation in a relatively short space of time. He has worked closely with the members to establish good governance at the corporation,’ Mr Beven said.
Importantly, the special administrator secured funding from the North Queensland Land Council (NQLC) to support Muluridji’s native title functions and engaged an external bookkeeping service to ensure the financial accounts are kept up-to-date. A new board of directors has been appointed to take the corporation forward, including two independent directors.
The rule book of the corporation was also reviewed and redrafted to better reflect membership eligibility and the corporation’s important native title functions.
‘The corporation is now set to move forward as the native title representative body for the Muluridji people. All business regarding the Muluridji people and their land can be directed to the corporation’s new directors and contact person. My office will continue to monitor the corporation to ensure the new rules are adhered to,’ Mr Beven added.
Media contact
Christa de Jager
02) 6146 4737
ORICMR1314-30
16 May 2014
Special administrator
Mr Brian Woods
(07) 4031 1390
0407 033 985
brianwoods@dfkkidsons.com.au