The body overseeing NSW Aboriginal land councils is seeking to broker a peace deal between warring factions of the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council.
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The conflict stems from an attempt by the board to relocate of the group’s administration headquarters from Karuah to Tea Gardens as part of a strategy to broaden to land council’s focus.
Police were called to the Karuah Aboriginal Mission in July when chief executive Len Roberts attempted to take items from the existing office to Tea Gardens.
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Mr Roberts was charged with assault following an alleged altercation with a member of the land council. He denies the allegation.
NSW Aboriginal Land Council registrar Nicole Courtman convened a meeting on August 27 in an attempt to resolve the conflict. However, despite the presence of the an independent facilitator, the meeting was abandoned due to the unruly behavior of some attendees.
The woes continued when office equipment and administrative files were stolen during a break-in at the land council’s office in August.
A breakaway group of members and employees held a meeting on September 17 in an attempt to take control of the organisation, however, the meeting has been declared invalid.
A NSW Aboriginal Land Council spokeswoman said the peak body was providing intensive assistance to both the Karuah land council board and members to discuss and resolve concerns raised by the community in relation to governance.
“Both the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and the Registrar have attended several Board and member meetings over the past few months . NSW Aboriginal Land Council intends to continue supporting the Board, members and community,” she said.
The relocation of the land council’s office was designed to situate the land council’s headquarters in a more central location to its activities, which include the establishment of a shop in Tea Gardens. It was also argued the existing site could be used to provide more housing.