Alice native title organisation out of administration

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
 
Sir – The special administration of four traditional owner corporations based in Alice Springs — Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (LAAC), Antulye Aboriginal Corporation, Mparntwe Aboriginal Corporation and Irlpme Aboriginal Corporation has ended.
 
 
LAAC holds the native title rights of the Central Arrernte people over Alice Springs. Antulye Aboriginal Corporation, Mparntwe Aboriginal Corporation and Irlpme Aboriginal Corporation represent the three separate clans (estate groups) of the Central Arrernte people.
 
 
The corporations were put into special administration on December 9, 2013 after a request to do so was received by the Registrar from the directors of the four corporations.
 
 
There was a lot of frustration among traditional owners with the complexity of how the corporations were structured and the lack of transparency in how some businesses were being conducted in their name.
 
 
The special administrators, Mr Gerry Mier and Mr Tony Jonsson from the Cairns-based firm of Grant Thornton, have changed all that. They held a number of information meetings and consulted widely on new constitutions and a new group structure. They also secured private funding for LAAC to cover its annual operating costs.
 
 
On Saturday, 28 June 2014 LAAC held its first annual general meeting (AGM) since 2011. At the AGM new directors were appointed and for the first time in many years the traditional owners heard first-hand about the businesses they owned.
 
 
A very positive outcome has been achieved for the traditional owners of Alice Springs. In just six months the focus has moved from discussions about how to keep the doors open to what the future holds for traditional owners and how they want to manage their land and culture.
 
 
There is still a long way to go but my office will continue to work closely with the four traditional owner corporations as they settle into their respective roles in the new structure.
 
 
Details of the new directors of LAAC can be found on the Registrar’s website. : www.oric.gov.au.
 
 
Anthony Beven
Registrar of Indigenous Corporation