Special administration start - Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service

The Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations, Ms Tricia Stroud, has placed the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (ICN 792) under special administration.

Between March and June 2025 ORIC undertook a comprehensive examination of the corporation’s books. Conducted in two phases the examination included field work and the assessment of information from various officers and stakeholders concerning the effectiveness of the Board and its governance of the corporation. 

The examination found that disputes between the directors had resulted in the board having not met since March 2025 failing to meet the requirements of the corporation’s rule book. The examination also found the disputes had cause disruption to various parts of the corporation’s business operations.

On 11 July 2025, ORIC put the examination findings to the corporation with a show cause notice, inviting the corporation to explain why it should not be placed under special administration. After assessing the corporation’s representations, the Registrar determined that sufficient grounds existed warranting the appointment of a special administrator.

The corporation was previously under special administration from 20 September 2021 to 27 May 2022. That special administration was instigated by a request from the board at the time and was to address matters unrelated to this current special administration.

The Registrar has today appointed Mr Matthew Mullen and Mr Tony Jonsson from Grant Thornton Australia as the joint and several special administrators. Their appointment is until 13 February 2026. All board positions have been vacated and the special administrators will conduct the affairs of the corporation.

Background

Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service provides a health care service for Aboriginal people in Wellington, Dubbo, Moree, Western Sydney, Penrith and Nepean Blue Mountains. Their service offering includes primary health care, child and maternal health, drug and alcohol, social emotional wellbeing and a range of other specialist programs.