APY power granted to South Australia Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ian Hunter SOUTH Australian Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ian Hunter has been granted a historic new power to put the APY executive into administration, just hours after a no-confidence motion was passed against him for his handling of the indigenous lands crisis. Controversial amendments to the APY Act were rushed through parliament in its final sitting week for the year, passing the House of Assembly last night. The Australian understands Mr Hunter will move within weeks to suspend the executive and appoint an administrator. It comes after months of revelations by The Australian raising concerns about financial propriety in the taxpayer-funded management of the lands. The elected executive governs the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, a region of more than 100,000sq km in the state’s far northwest. Mr Hunter has said the urgent reforms were “in response to ongoing and escalating concerns over the governance and administration of the APY”. The new laws also allow Independent Commission Against Corruption investigators to enter the APY Lands without a permit or notice. The APY Council of Elders said it “lamentably supports the passage of the bill”. The council called on APY interim general manager Lesley Johns to resign. Ms Johns was reappointed to the position in October on the same day as the APY executive, led by chairman Bernard Singer, sacked general manager Bruce Deans, the seventh to have lost the role in four years. “(They) seem to be determined to hang on to power until they are bombed out ... do the right thing, Ms Johns, and consider innocent Anangu,” council spokesman George Kenmore said. The council said the situation was “toxic”. Ms Johns did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier yesterday, Liberal and crossbench MPs united to successfully move a no-confidence motion against Mr Hunter in the upper house, after the Legislative Council passed his bill late on Tuesday night. Many upper house MPs are furious with the lack of notice they were given to consult and debate the bill. It was the second successful no-confidence motion against Mr Hunter in the past six months, and only the third successful no-confidence motion in the upper house in 20 years. Mr Singer said the executive would welcome any investigation by ICAC or other authorities. theaustralian.au/national-affairs/indigenous/apy-power-granted-to-south-australia-aboriginal-affairs-minister-ian-hunter/story-fn9hm1pm-1227145261552?sv=7cb966e637556338754646271f55eb2#.VIDYmlOnEto.facebook
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 23:53:40 +0000
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