The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Anthony Beven, has today placed Mitakoodi Aboriginal Corporation under special administration for the second time.
‘This is not a decision I have taken lightly,’ said Mr Beven, ‘but it is clear that the corporation is not conducting its affairs in a proper manner and needs further assistance.’
The special administration will be for a period of three to six months.
Mitakoodi Aboriginal Corporation is an important organisation providing affordable housing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in and around Cloncurry, which is about 120 kilometres from Mount Isa in outback north-east Queensland. It owns and manages about 72 residential properties.
The Registrar’s decision to place the corporation under special administration for the second time in two years comes after the directors of the corporation breached the corporation’s rule book and were found not to be acting in the best interests of the corporation and its members.
On 9 July 2013 the corporation’s property managers (LJ Hooker Mount Isa) evicted three tenants from the corporation’s property at 70–72 Ham Street, Cloncurry, for breaches of their tenancy agreements.
On 23 July 2013 the Registrar discovered the directors of Mitakoodi had exceeded their authority under their corporation’s rule book when they allowed the same people who had been evicted from 70–72 Ham Street on 9 July 2013 to re-enter the premises without paying rent. When rent is not paid by some tenants the cost of maintaining the corporation’s properties must be borne by the other tenants who are doing the right thing.
‘As the directors have not been fulfilling their role of governing the corporation or protecting its publicly-funded assets I have decided to appoint a special administrator,’ said Mr Beven. ‘The corporation needs help with resetting its direction.’
Mr Glen Walker from the Queensland-based firm of Walker Reid has been appointed as the special administrator. Mr Walker was previously appointed as the special administrator of the corporation between 18 July 2011 and 9 December 2011.
Media contact
Patricia Gibson
(02) 6146 4743
ORIC MR1314-07
16 September 2013
Special administrator
Mr Glen Walker
T: (07) 5494 3744
M: 0408 739 404
Email: walkerreid@bigpond.com