‘Deeply concerned’: Linda Burney intervenes to resolve NAAJA chaos
The Albanese government will haul in the board of the nation’s biggest Aboriginal justice service amid revelations its chairman beat up his pregnant partner.
The Albanese government will haul in the board of the nation’s biggest Aboriginal justice service amid revelations its chairman beat up his pregnant partner and demand the crisis-riddled agency show“leadership” on family violence.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney on Monday said she was “deeply concerned” about the situation at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, and had called an emergency meeting with Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Northern Territory Deputy Chief Minister Chansey Paech.
The Australian this month revealed the board of appointed Hugh Woodbury as its chair, despite knowing he had assaulted his pregnant partner by standing on her stomach, slamming her arm in a door, shoving her to the ground and yelling obscenities at her in front of their two-year-old child.
Those revelations sparked a renewed push from MPs and legal experts for the board to be “hosed out” and replaced, and for the federal government to examine funding arrangements for the organisation, which receives some $20m a year under the National Legal Assistance Partnership.
“It’s time for the board of NAAJA to show leadership when it comes to family violence,” Ms Burney told The Australian. “We all have a responsibility to lead by example. It’s time for the board to step up and to ensure Aboriginal people who need services from NAAJA are being supported.”
The NAAJA board has thrown its “full support” behind Mr Woodbury, telling NAAJA workers “people who do the hard work to turn their lives around deserve a second chance”.
“At the time of his appointment, the NAAJA board was made aware of the incident, for which Mr Woodbury was fined and issued a good behaviour bond. No conviction was recorded,” a leaked all-staff email reads.
“Mr Woodbury subsequently undertook extensive family counselling and, with the ongoing support of his partner and extended family, he has worked hard to get his life on track. He is currently studying an arts degree at university and, through his role at NAAJA, is dedicated to improving justice outcomes for Aboriginal people across the Territory.”
Mr Woodbury was fined $200 and given a 12-month good behaviour bond following the incident.
The Australian on Monday revealed the most senior female NAAJA executive, Leeanne Caton, had quit in the wake of the Woodbury revelations, having served in the embattled organisation for five months.
“I regret to advise I will be ceasing employment with NAAJA as of close (of) business today,” she wrote in an email to staff on Friday.
“I’d like to thank the NAAJA staff for the commitment, dedication and tireless input into the service delivery to our people across the Territory.”
The organisation has been gripped by chaos over the past 18 months, eventuating most significantly in a mass exodus of staff that saw vulnerable Aboriginal defendants forced to represent themselves in court.
The current acting chief executive, Phillip Brown, is the nephew of former chair Colleen Rosas, who is at the centre of a federal court case brought by former CEO Priscilla Atkins.
Ms Atkins claims Ms Rosas – who is still NAAJA’s deputy chair – repeatedly misused company funds, including requesting her pay be given to her on a credit card so as not to alert the Tax Office and therefore threaten her Centrelink pension.
Ms Rosas, meanwhile, claims Ms Atkins used company funds to acquire clothes, artworks, flights and cars – including a $129,000 Range Rover – and forged her signature on a contract extension form.
Both women have denied the allegations against them, and Northern Territory police have concluded an investigation into Ms Rosas and found no wrongdoing.
The outcome of that Federal Court case, however, is due to be handed down on Thursday.
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