From ABC Online

The Queensland Aboriginal Local Government Association (QALGA) says Indigenous councils will be closely monitoring a move to sack a Gulf of Carpentaria council for financial mismanagement.

Mornington Shire Council in the state’s far north has been given 60 days to show why an administrator should not be appointed.

QALGA president Vince Mundabry says community councils still have two years to complete transition to the Local Government Act.

He says the Mornington situation could raise concerns the State Government is shifting the transition goal posts.

“The precedent that could be set is that any one of the councils may be open to the same process,” he said.

“There are a lot of non-Indigenous shire councils that have similar generic problems as we do.”

The State Government is being urged to assist Indigenous councils to employ qualified staff to run remote councils.

Mr Mundabry says many remote councils face problems recruiting qualified administrators.

“For a lot of the rural and remote shires that we do talk about just as similar to the non-Indigenous shires they do find it hard to recruit and retain quality people,” he said.

He says the threat to sack the council also underlines the need for more Government commitment to training and recruiting Indigenous administrators.

He says Indigenous councils making the transition to local government need well-trained staff if the process is to be successful.

“Instead of the State Government moving the goal posts we do need to make sure that we have the information, the technical skills, to make sure we do make a transition to a normal viable shire through the time period that has been given.”

Meanwhile, a Mayor from the Gulf of Carpentaria says her council would be willing to help Indigenous councils improve their financial management.

Burke Mayor Annie Clarke says neighbouring councils could help to improve the council’s affairs.

“I don’t think that amalgamations are the way to go in this part of the world because I think the Aboriginal councils need to have their own sense of identity, but crikey we’ve been living here together for a long time and we do have some partnership arrangements already with the Doomadgee council,” she said.

“I think there’s a real opportunity to explore where we can assist each other.”

Posted by kurityityin in HOME - current news, Aborigininity