APY board condemns SA Government plan to appoint administrator
The executive board of the remote APY Lands has criticised as "draconian" a South Australian Government proposal to put the corporation into administration.
The Government wants bipartisan support to change legislation so it can sack the APY management and appoint an administrator, citing unstable management over the past four years.
In that time there were four different managers and three interim managers and the latest was dismissed before his probation period ended.
APY chairman Bernard Singer argued there was no reason to change the legislation as there was no evidence of poor administration or funds misuse.
Mr Singer said appointing an administrator would be undemocratic as the board was elected by locals.
The legislative change the Government wants would give investigators from the Independent Commission Against Corruption the power to enter the lands without a permit or needing to give any advance notice.
SA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ian Hunter met Opposition Leader Steven Marshall on Friday to discuss the legislative plan.
"A strong administration is necessary if the APY executive is to operate as an institution that is effective and accountable to the communities they represent," he said.
"Under existing legislation there is only limited power for the minister to intervene in the governance and management of the APY."
Mr Hunter said he hoped the legislation could get through Parliament next week, the final sitting week of the year.
