Questions Arise Over Utilization of Wyndham City Council's $300,000 Donation Amid Bunurong Land Council's Financial Allegations
A significant Indigenous community organization, the Bunurong Land Council, has been placed under special administration following allegations of financial impropriety involving former leaders. The allegations, which surfaced earlier this year, involve the misappropriation of funds totalling more than $150,000.
The Bunurong Land Council, based in Frankston, serves as the recognized Indigenous body for a vast area extending from Melbourne’s western suburbs to South Gippsland, including the Mornington Peninsula. Notably, the organization received a substantial lump-sum payment of $300,000 from the Wyndham City Council as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities.
Concerns regarding the allocation of these funds were raised by Patrizia Barcatta of the City of Wyndham Action Group, who reached out to the Wyndham City Council for clarification. In response, Emily Keogh, the Executive Manager of Corporate Affairs, stated, “Council has systems and processes in place to manage the acquittal of funding to all organizations and agencies, this is inclusive of the Bunurong Land Council. I would like to assure you that due diligence is exercised to ensure that ratepayer funding is expended appropriately, this includes regular external audits as per Council’s legislative requirements.”
However, questions linger about how the $300,000 donation was utilized by the Bunurong Land Council, given the recent allegations of financial impropriety. Investigations are ongoing to determine if any part of this funding was misappropriated.
Financial records indicate that in the fiscal year 2021-22, the Bunurong Land Council generated revenue of $8.3 million, including fees collected from developers and farmers for cultural heritage plans and other related services.
The federal government’s Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations has announced the appointment of a special administrator for the Bunurong Land Council, effective from Monday, September 11, 2023, until Friday, March 15, 2024. This decision followed the issuance of a show cause notice to the council last month.
Renowned business performance and risk management consultant Peter McQuoid has been selected to oversee the organization during this period of special administration.
Notably, since February of this year, the Registrar has deregistered nearly 700 Indigenous corporations across Australia due to their failure to submit required reports.
In July, several members of the Bunurong Land Council provided testimony in the Federal Court as part of a legal dispute with the rival Boon Wurrung Land and Sea Council. The dispute revolves around a native title claim over 13,000 square kilometers of territory.
During the court proceedings, Judge Bernard Murphy expressed frustration with the lack of clarity surrounding the Bunurong identity claim, stating, “It doesn’t look to me like there is any process, there’s no meeting of elders going on. Why isn’t this a matter which is capable of being sorted out by the people who should be sorting it out rather than an elderly white man?”
The special administration of the Bunurong Land Council aims to address the financial allegations and ensure the responsible use of funds, allowing the organization to continue its crucial work in serving the Indigenous community of the region. Investigations into the alleged fraud are ongoing, and further developments will be monitored closely.
