Remote Aboriginal Communities

We have undertaken a number of assignments for various stakeholders in relation to Indigenous organisations. DuncanPowell has a complete understanding of community needs, cultural sensitivities and the governance challenges facing Indigenous organisations. Indigenous organisations have a unique set of stakeholders and our consultative approach, together with our clear and transparent method of communicating underpins our strong record working with remote communities and ensuring that the projected outcomes are fully understood.

We recognise that various funding programs are provided to support economic development and sustainability of Indigenous persons and communities throughout Australia. Through our work with Indigenous organisation we have engaged with all levels of Government in respect of funding arrangements.

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Experience

Buffalo Farm

We were appointed Liquidator of Gagudju Charitable Association, an entity established to provide services to, and benefit, the local aboriginal people in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. Gagudju owned and operated a buffalo farm with a herd numbering 400, which was managed and ultimately sold during the course of the Liquidation. This was a challenging appointment during which cultural issues and sensitivities needed to be managed.

AP Services

We were appointed Special Administrator over the Corporation by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations. Based in Alice Springs, the Corporation provided municipal services to the APY Lands in South Australia. There were ongoing disputes between AP Services and the APY Executive, which led to our appointment. We streamlined the operations, reduced the extent of services and returned control of the organisation to its members. It continues to operate, albeit under a new name, on a profitable and sustainable basis.

Yuendumu Womens Centre

We were appointed Special Administrator of Yuendumu, a not for profit organisation that, amongst other activities, operated an Outback Store. A significant reason that we were awarded this engagement was our willingness to promote a senior female staff member as one of the Special Administrators. This was important from a cultural perspective. Our investigations revealed the theft of funds by an employee that resulted in a successful criminal prosecution.

Gagudju Charitable Association Incorporated

We were appointed Liquidator of Gagudju, an entity which was the recipient of royalties from the Ranger uranium mine and provided outstation and ranger services to its constituents. During the course of the appointment we restructured the organisation’s management and operations, as well as negotiated a sustainable financial package with government funding bodies to enable Gagudju to continue to operate under the control of a new Board structure.

Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

We were appointed Special Administrator over the Corporation by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations. The Corporation is the third largest aboriginal corporation in Australia with turnover of $40m and covering 10,000 square kilometres of West Arnhem Land. The Corporation engages in a wide variety of commercial enterprises and is pivotal to the local economy and continued to trade under our control whilst a comprehensive restructure is implemented and it returns to solvency.