Management order on Nyungah Community Aboriginal Corporation

15/10/02
The State Government has registered a new management order over the Caversham land occupied by the Swan Valley Nyungah Community Aboriginal Corporation to ensure it is managed in the best interests of its residents.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said today that agreement had been reached with the community to ensure that there was open access for Government agencies and that the corporation was properly run.
"The Government was not prepared to tolerate residents' access to Government being controlled by the management of the community," Ms MacTiernan said.
"The management order, which takes effect immediately, ensures that Government agencies have full access to the community, so that residents can get the benefit of Government services.
"The order requires that a gate, allowing free pedestrian access, will have to be installed in the front fence within a month.
"It will also allow us to monitor the corporation, so we can be confident it is run in an open and democratic way and in compliance with its rules and the Commonwealth legislation.
"The corporation will have to provide me with relevant details concerning the membership and operation of its governing committee."
As part of the order, the corporation is required to prepare a management plan within six months for the approval of the Minister.
"For some time, the Government has had grave concerns about the management of the reserve and consequently the health and well-being of residents," Ms MacTiernan said.
"Particularly, I have been extremely concerned about ongoing access problems - especially for community services, education and health officers.
"It is not acceptable that community access to Government services can be controlled by a group of leaders."
Ms MacTiernan said recent inquiries had raised a number of issues relating to the site and had contributed to the Government's concern.
One of these was the report into the findings of the Coroner's Court Western Australia about the investigation into the death of 15-year-old Susan Taylor, who suicided at the reserve.
This was followed by the Gordon Inquiry and its report 'Putting the picture together - Inquiry into Response by Government Agencies to Complaints of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities'.
The care, control and management of the reserve have been placed with the corporation since mid-1994. The reserve has been used by the Nyungah Community as a living area for more than 25 years.
Minister's office: 9213 6400