It is business as usual at the iconic Mount Barnett roadhouse and station on the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley, Western Australia. The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Anthony Beven, has from today ended the special administration at the Kupungarri Aboriginal Corporation.
The corporation is located about 300 kilometres north-east of Derby at Mount Barnett Station. The corporation looks after the local Kupungarri community, owns the Mount Barnett roadhouse and Mount Barnett cattle station and manages the Manning Gorge, a popular tourist attraction and camping area in the dry season.
On 2 October 2009 a majority of the directors of the Kupungarri Aboriginal Corporation asked the Registrar to appoint a special administrator after the members failed to settle some longstanding governance problems.
Mr Glen Walker of the Queensland-based firm of Walker Reid was appointed by the Registrar as special administrator on 15 October 2009 to help the corporation.
‘The directors of the corporation must be congratulated for seeking outside assistance during a difficult time.’ Mr Beven said.
‘The special administrator has introduced stronger financial controls and systems and restructured the make-up of the board of directors. He has also secured government funding for the supply of diesel fuel to run the community powerhouse’ Mr Beven added.
The board is now made up of representatives selected by each of the major family groups residing in Kupungarri. The board has also appointed a senior elder from the community as an independent director to provide cultural guidance to the board. The new board met for the first time on 8 April 2010 and the Registrar attended at the invitation of the new board.
The Registrar will be providing corporate governance training with the new directors of the corporation and other interested members in May 2010.
The Registrar provides a range of support to build strong corporations, strong people and strong communities.
Background
Special administration is a special measure under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006. See the Registrar’s fact sheet Special administrations: what members and directors should know for more information.
Contact:
Sayuri Piper on (02) 6219 7658
15 April 2010
ORIC MR0910-25