The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Anthony Beven, has today placed the Doon Doon Pastoral Aboriginal Corporation under special administration.
The corporation is based in the Aboriginal community of Woolah, about 115 kilometres southwest of Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Its main activity is the management of the iconic Doon Doon Cattle Station that it sub‑leases from the Western Australian Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT).
‘In September 2015, my office completed an examination of the corporation which identified numerous concerns about the corporation’s governance, financial management and its running of the Doon Doon Cattle Station,’ said Mr Beven.
On 8 February 2016 the Registrar issued a compliance notice to the directors of the corporation requiring them to correct the areas of concern identified in the examination.
‘Disappointingly, the directors made no attempt to address the matters itemised in the compliance notice,’ Mr Beven said.
As a result the Registrar has appointed Mr Andrew West from the South Australian-based firm of Andrew H West & Associates as the special administrator of the corporation until 30 June 2016.
‘The special administrator will work closely with the members of the corporation, the ALT and the Western Australian Government to raise the standards of governance at the corporation,’ said Mr Beven. ‘This is a real opportunity to restore the fortunes of the cattle station and provide real employment and development opportunities for the residents of the nearby Woolah community.’
Background
For more information about special administrations see the Registrar’s fact sheet Special administrations: what members and directors should know available at www.oric.gov.au.
Media contact
Patricia Gibson (02) 6146 4743
ORICMR1516-18
31 March 2016
Special administrator
Andrew West
Andrew H West & Associates
0410 553 784