Purga Mission goes into administration

THE Purga Elders and Descendants Aboriginal Corporation has been placed under special administration following a large number of cancelled memberships.

THE Purga Elders and Descendants Aboriginal Corporation has been placed under special administration following a large number of cancelled memberships.

The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Anthony Beven, announced the decision this morning.

The Ipswich corporation holds title over part of the former Purga Mission, established in 1901 on more than 1500 acres.

In 1999 a small portion of the original Purga Mission was vested in the Purga Elders & Descendants Aboriginal Corporation, including the historical cemetery and the original Purga meeting place for the celebration of heritage and culture.

In a statement released this morning, Mr Beven said the original aim of the corporation was to improve the lives and well-being of Aboriginal people through the preservation of traditional values.

"This is a corporation with a long history but for some time I have been concerned by the number of complaints I have received from members and directors about its management," Mr Beven said.

"Of particular concern is the corporation cancelling memberships without due process."

On October 14 last year, a compliance notice was served on the corporation by the Registrar requiring the directors to review 128 cancelled memberships and to take the appropriate action to reinstate them.

The corporation failed to comply with the compliance notice and also failed to adequately respond to a show cause notice issued by the Registrar on 27 November 2015.

As a result, the Registrar has appointed Mr Peter Saunders from the accounting firm of Kennedy Saunders as the special administrator of the corporation until 21 April 2016.

"A corporation is only placed under special administration as a last resort," Mr Beven said.

"My office has attempted to work cooperatively with the corporation for some time to address concerns about the cancelled memberships but all reasonable requests have been ignored and this has left me with no other option."

Mr Beven said the special administrator would work closely with his office and the members of the corporation to resolve internal disputes and improve standards of corporate governance.