Administrator Terry Lawler has made significant changes to the office of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, with at least two of its three employees leaving this week.
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An angry former land council chair, Debbie Dates, contacted the Newcastle Herald after her daughters Candy and Tamara Towers were told they no longer had jobs with the council.
It’s understood Candy had been a project officer for seven years and Tamara a secretary for two years.
Mr Lawler confirmed the sisters were no longer working for the council.
“The two positions have been made redundant and there will be an office reorganisation,” he said. “An advertisement will be placed in the Herald.”
The fate of Awabakal’s culture and heritage officer, Peter Townsend, was unclear.
Ms Dates said she felt as though her family was being unfairly targeted.
“Why is the administrator in there, investigating something that’s already been investigated?” she said.
Mr Lawler was appointed by then Aboriginal Affairs Minister Leslie Williams last October, after an investigator found the council had breached the Land Rights Act. He pointed out Ms Dates had been suspended by the registrar of the act.
“My responsibilities are in accordance with my appointment terms under the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs,” Mr Lawler said.
When contacted by the Herald, Candy Towers denied her job had been made redundant but said she was on workers compensation due to stress from “workplace bullying”.
“I would actually love to be made redundant,” she said. “I would shake his [Mr Lawler’s] hand and walk away with a smile.”
