By ERWIN CHLANDA
Former Labor MLA for Stuart, local Aboriginal man Karl Hampton (at right in the photo, with former Chief Minister Paul Henderson), is the new CEO of CAAMA.
He is following two non-Aboriginal people into the Aboriginal broadcaster’s top job, days after station manager Gman resigned over “Aboriginalisation,” triggering a storm of public protest.
CAAMA board member Tracey Brand says when Mr Hampton decided to apply for the CEO position late last year, he resigned as the chairman of the CAAMA board.
During Mr Hampton’s chairmanship the contract of the previous CEO, Michael Robinson, non-Aboriginal, was was not renewed. Joanne Miller, also non-Aboriginal, was appointed acting CEO while a national recruitment process was under way.
Ms Brands says Mr Hampton’s appointment was made “after an open national recruitment process conducted by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)”.
When asked whether the organisation has an “Aboriginalisation” policy Ms Barnd: “Yes, it is a policy to employ, support and develop Aboriginal people based on competency and skill set.”
She says the board will give preference to Aboriginal job applicants but will employ non-Indigenous people when no competent Aborigines are available.
“We want to grow our own workforce,” says Ms Brand.
She says Gman resigned of his own accord. “People resign every day. It was a voluntary resignation.”
Gman was with CAAMA for 16 years, the first six as a volunteer.
Ms Brand praised him for “expanding the CAAMA footprint, the fantastic work he did,” and “the selfless decision” not to stand in the way of the “Aboriginalistion” policy.
She says similar policies that preference Aboriginal job candidates are in place in other Aboriginal community controlled organisations, such as Tangentyere and Congress, the ABC and the NT Government.
Mr Hampton will start his new job tomorrow.
He has previously worked at Ngurratjuta HR & Labour Hire, Ninti One, the Commonwealth Public Service and Aboriginal organisations including Tangentyere Council and the Central Land Council.
He is a board member of Imparja Television and the Indigenous Remote Communications Association (IRCA) and a committee member of the Central Australian Football Club (Redtails).
Monday, November 18, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
What a conspiracy.
Getting rid of the CEO while he was the chair, and then becoming the new CEO?
And to the board, and “spokesperson” Tracie Brand, getting rid of the great Gman, and then dismissing his resignation that it “happens every day”!?
Desert Rat (from another article), you’re a board member at CAAMA. Tell us what is really going on here. Non-Aboriginal taff at CAAMA will be too scared to take holidays.
Well done CAAMA board – racism is alive and well!
Nigel Scullion needs to have a good look at what he is funding. A business? An icon? Or a vehicle for racial cleansing?
And a national recruitment campaign? What skills, besides Aboriginality, does Karl Hampton have to run a business?
He lost interest in his own Parliamentary seat so how is he going to keep interested in running CAAMA?
And getting rid of someone so he can become the CEO? Has Karl Hampton no shame? It appears not.
Brassie Babe. You have mentioned the words racial cleansing. Wow! Well, let’s talk about the history of Central Australia. Not to mention the rest of Australia.
When I searched for history of my people I came across archives where they were labelled octoroon, quadroon half castes etc.
That was done so my people could then be forcibly removed, clearly a plan for racial cleansing. Many people still feeling the effects of the stolen generations and similar events.
Gman has done a great job which all have agreed but he resigned he was not forcibly removed. He himself said has been grateful to work for CAAMA.
If Gman is indeed the man people are saying he is then he is probably disgusted that people like you are using this story to launch a racist attack against CAAMA.
CAAMA was around long before Gman and provided a great service to the people across Australia.
I have no doubt those such as Karl Hampton, the board and the staff are more than capable of making sure this will continue.
Only the small-minded would think that an organization such as CAAMA, with its rich history, cannot continue to operate because of the resignation of one person.
Real Arrerente: You are kidding right? As it stands CAAMA is merely a shadow of what it once was.
Many have lost faith and abandoned ship, it appears, so as not to have to work under the current board.
Does Karl have what it takes to lift CAAMA out of its current sad state?
A full investigation by ORIC is what needs to occur before the whole place collapses.
The rest of us locals can only look on in dispair.
GMan resigned graciously because that is what he is, a gracious man, but this is a small town and we know he would not have left if he didn’t have yet another up-hill battle before him and the lack of appreciation from powers above.
Funny how the CAAMA press release reads as though all is wonderful when we all know what’s really going on.
Disheartened local. You said ORIC should investigate.
Tracey Brand has said above that ORIC conducted the recruitment process which has lead to the employment of Karl Hampton.
So that’s up to ORIC to determine whether there are any concerns or a need for an investigation.
When I first accessed CAAMA in its first year it was operating out of an old transportable in Allchurch St.
Then it went to the premises located near Little Sisters Camp.
After that it found itself located in the CBD and looking pretty good I might add.
That looks like pretty good progress to me.
Disheartened Local, as for your statement: “We all know what is really going on.”
My comments are in response to information provided by this newspaper and those that have commented.
Oh and yes, I’m still confident Karl Hampton, Tracy Brand and the rest, including all the staff, can keep CAAMA going strong.
Real Arrernte – you sound like a true-blue CAAMA board member, defending the murky process that took place since Karl Himpton was the chairman.
A real board would have understood how Karl’s appointment would look.
They are just hiding behind ORIC. Every one knows this is pure nepotism straight from the 70s. But then again, we are in the wild wild frontier and “reverse racism” is just fine. Yee-haa!
Patsy Bisco. Thats really funny saying I’m a board member. I can’t even remember the last time I set foot in CAAMA.
I just listen to the radio as I always have. I too, as member of the community, have concerns that the public is quick to highlight anything deemed to be negative in an Indigenous organisation.
There’s has been little mentioned to the wonderful contribution that CAAMA has given to communities all over Australia since 1982.
I also love that they play a lot of country music, you know, that you can yee-haa! to.
I wonder Which way the reverse racism is going. I’m not familiar with the term. I’ve heard racial cleansing though.
Is there any proof of nepotism or corruption? Are you questioning ORIC as well? Saying “they are just hiding behind ORIC.”
There’s a lot of accusations which are sounding like gossip aimed to whip up the posse to sort out what you call “The Wild Wild Frontier”.
It was said that Karl Hampton’s going to fail even before his first day on the job. That is the type obstacles that Indigenous people face way too often when they fill a position that people like yourself believe they the shouldn’t have or are not capable of doing.
That only makes us more determined to prove people like you wrong. Whats that saying: “The proof is in the pudding.”
Oh I feel like bread pudding now.
Over and Out or hang on is it Yee-Haa! I’m off to The Wild Wild Frontier.
Good riddens, Gerry. He used the place AND Aboriginal people in the process, should have stayed as a volunteer only, no people skills. Several great local Indigenous broadcasters like the great Carry were lost to CAAMA on his watch.
AND does everyone know that “G-Man” has just started landed a job at 3KND the Aboriginal Radio Station in Melbourne?
Bahaha, can see Gerry laughing all the way through the Gap.
I hope Karl and the CAAMA board make some more wholesale changes – long overdue.
The newsroom particularly needs new fresh leadership, same old tired and monotonous newsreader.
Yes, Karl, start Aboriginals using the place, back to its former glory and to the status it was truly destined to be.
Hi “Good CAAMA”: We reported Gman’s job at 3KND yesterday.
Kind regards, Erwin Chlanda, Editor
Good CAAMA: You sound like you are a bitter ex CAAMA employee – let me guess … fired many years ago for being lazy? But you thought it was your right to have a job there and only now having the courage to fire shots at Gman from behind a false name?
Yep, sounds like you have an axe to grind and a hand in the pocket of the new CEO Karl Hampton – who himself thought it was his right, without the skills, for the top job.
Fun fun fun in the Alice with a board thinking they can fire from the hip without a care in the world.
The Right Honourable Nigel Scullion should really look at what he is funding – a misery machine that serves the purposes of a few who stick letters after their names for all to see, but don’t know how to use them.
[ED – We have delayed posting this comment for 24 hours to give Mr Hampton the right of reply. He did not exercise it. Should he do so we will consider publishing his reply.]