Bynoe Community Advancement Co-Operative Society rocked by watchdog complaints

An embattled north Queensland Indigenous organisation, already reeling after the suspension of its CEO, has been further rocked by complaints to the national charity watchdog.

Aerial views of Normanton in north Queensland. Picture: Mark Cranitch

An embattled north Queensland Indigenous organisation has been further rocked by complaints to the national charity watchdog.

Normanton’s Bynoe Community Advancement Co-operative Society, which receives millions of dollars in government grants, has been left reeling after the mysterious suspension of its CEO just before Christmas.

Members have since launched a full-scale revolt, presenting a petition to the board demanding a special emergency meeting be called to forensically examine Bynoe’s operations over the past three years.

This masthead can also reveal the organisation, which specialises in providing housing for Indigenous Australians in the remote gulf country community, has been the subject of several complaints to the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission (ACNC).

Changes to governance surrounding Indigenous organisations were made at a Federal level several years ago requiring them to register with the Office of the Registrar for Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act.

However, it can also be revealed that Bynoe was granted an exemption from the new rules after the Indigenous Affairs minister of the time Nigel Scullion decided “registering with ORIC would cause Bynoe CACS unnecessary hardship”.

In 2023, Bynoe generated more than $13 million in revenue, with almost $11m coming from various government grants.

Bynoe has until April 15 to deliver the 2024 financial report, but fed-up members have presented a petition to the board calling for a special emergency meeting to be held within the next three weeks for an independent forensic review of the business.

It comes as the mysterious suspension of CEO Letitia Rainbow extends into a third month, with several complaints being lodged with the ACNC.

A spokesperson for the ACNC said the body could not comment on details of complaints or investigations and could not confirm if a probe had been launched.

The spokesperson said Bynoe was up to date on all its reporting requirements, though it is understood a deadline for the 2024 financial report has been extended from January to mid-April.

The Sunday Mail also contacted the Federal department of Indigenous Affairs, with questions about Bynoe’s history referred to the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

In a statement, an NIAA spokesperson confirmed Bynoe had received an exemption from the Strengthening Organisational Governance (SOG) Policy requirement for all Indigenous organisations to be registered with ORIC.

“In March 2018, the then-Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion, decided that an exemption should be granted on the grounds that registering with ORIC would cause Bynoe CACS unnecessary hardship,” the spokesperson said.

Bynoe acting CEO Owen Richardson, who previously served as a co-CEO with Ms Rainbow for two years, was contacted for comment but had not responded by deadline.

He has previously told the masthead he is unable to comment on staffing issues.

Ms Rainbow could not be contacted.