Indigenous leader Cameron Costello rejoins QYAC as chairman after four-year break

Indigenous leader Cameron Costello has been elected chair of an influential Aboriginal corporation which oversees Stradbroke and Moreton islands, nearly four years after he stepped down as CEO.

QYAC chair Cameron Costello has returned to his beloved Indigenous body which he started working with in 2013.

Indigenous leader Cameron Costello has been elected chairman of the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation nearly four years after he stepped down from his role as CEO with the organisation.

The Quandamooka man, who took up his first role with QYAC in 2013, moved to the latest position after long-serving chair Professor Valerie Cooms resigned late last year.

Before taking up the new role he was interim chair at Queensland First Nations Tourism Council and was a member of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee.

Mr Costello, who was contacted for comment, said in a statement he was humbled and honoured.

He looked forward to working with the board to implement the QYAC strategic plan 2022-2026.

He thanked Prof Cooms for her leadership during significant milestones such as the end of sand mining, establishing management for the Naree Budjong Djara National Park, the 2019 Native Title Determination over Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) and throughout Covid-19.

“By her outstanding leadership and vision, Professor Cooms has left a strong and positive legacy,” Mr Costello said.

Mr Costello was elected to the post on Saturday, February 3, two days before a landmark court ruling found a senior QYAC employee guilty of illegally clearing state land.

Trees felled on native title land at Point Lookout. Picture: courtesy of Save Straddie

On Monday, February 5, Brisbane Magistrates Court fined senior QYAC employee Darren Burns $20,000 for illegally clearing land at Point Lookout in a case brought by Redland City Council.

Mr Burns was also ordered to revegetate the land and to pay Redland City Council’s legal costs.

The ruling followed a four-day trial in December in which the court heard bushland near Tramican St at Point Lookout was cleared, with felled trees left in piles and later burnt.

In his new role as chairman, Mr Costello would be responsible for leading the board of directors, running board meetings, setting the agenda and ensuring the board fulfilled its fiduciary duties.

One of his first duties was overseeing the lodging of a general report, audited financial report and directors report for the 2022–23 year.

While he was QYAC chief executive, Mr Costello oversaw the compilation of the corporation’s annual reports.

The letter from the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations denying QYAC exemption from reporting.

In January, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations denied a request from QYAC directors for an exemption from lodging the financial reports for 2023.

“Your corporation’s registered size is large and it has previously reported income more than $100,000,” the OIRC letter said.

“This means your corporation is required to lodge a general report, audited financial report and directors report for the 2022–23 year.

“Due to the corporation’s size being large, the corporation is also required to lodge an audited financial report and directors report by 31 December each year.

“The corporation has from 30 June each year to have these reports compiled and finalised.”

Mr Costello stepped down from his previous role as CEO with QYAC in December 2020, saying at the time that he was “exhausted” but the organisation was in a strong financial position.

There were mixed reactions to the appointment from Redland politicians and mayoral candidates.

Redland City Council mayor Karen Williams congratulated and welcomed Mr Costello back into a leadership role at QYAC.

Redland City mayor Karen Williams encouraged QYAC’s new chair to reach out to the new council. Picture: The Courier-Mail

“There will be great effort and collaboration required to rebuild community trust and relationships to advance the opportunities available for all Quandamooka people and our Redlands Coast,” Cr Williams said.

“I encourage Mr Costello to reach out to the new council.”

Redland mayoral candidate Andrew Laming said the appointment could have native title ramifications for future councils.

“I will fight the native title claim and I will recruit the state government, if I can, to ensure commonsense prevails and ratepayers are protected.”

Bowman MP Henry Pike said he hoped Mr Costello’s “back to the future” appointment would allow out-of-court negotiations over native title claims between QYAC and Redland City Council.

“I would welcome a phone call from him and a commitment from him that QYAC will work with all elected representatives to see a way forward, out of court, to solve the native title claim in Redland,” Mr Pike said.

“I’ve been the MP for Bowman for two years now and have never received a call from QYAC and they have never returned my calls.

“QYAC needs to talk to the council so that this issue can be solved without costing a lot of money pursuing it through the courts.”

Mayoral candidate Cindy Corrie said one of her first acts if she got elected mayor would be to meet Mr Costello to discuss the interpretation of the Native Title Act.

“Ratepayers do not want to be spending money fighting legal cases for unapproved activity on native title land and that can be avoided through stronger relationships and a commitment from all stakeholders.”

Mayoral candidate Jos Mitchell was contacted for comment.