Indigenous water voice management accused of systemic dysfunction

The senior management of an embattled Indigenous group set up to advise the government on how to manage the Murray-Darling river system has been accused of systemic dysfunction, bullying and wasteful spending.

Fletchers Lake near the confluence of the Murray and Darling rivers.

The senior management of an embattled Indigenous group set up to advise the government on how to manage the Murray-Darling river system has been accused by its former chair of systemic dysfunction, bullying and wasteful spending.

Fred Hooper, former chair of the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations organisation, has claimed the organisation’s new management spent more than $450,000 within nine months of his departure.

In detailed allegations disclosed in Mr Hooper’s resignation letter, obtained by The Australian, he alleges he experienced bullying and lateral violence by two unnamed members of the board.

Mr Hooper claims he was “constantly attacked and lied to”, and that two directors were “on a witch hunt to tarnish my reputation”, as he questioned why the Murray-Darling Basin Authority continued to pour money into the organisation when it was aware of the board’s dysfunction.

“I have been bullied and lateral violence has been directed at me by two board members, which I am no longer willing to accept,” Mr Hooper wrote.

“They have constantly attacked and lied about decisions that they say I have made by myself and when told and evidence produced they constantly bring up the same issues board meeting after board meeting. This tells me that your board is dysfunctional.

“I believe that these two directors are on a witch hunt to tarnish my reputation.”

Mr Hooper claimed five staff members subsequently departed the organisation soon after he left – an executive officer, project manager, cultural flows project officer, NSW project officer and administration officer – with two employees placed on stress leave.

The fresh allegations come after The Australian revealed the NBAN had received almost $1m since being set up to advise on Murray-Darling river management before having the funding revoked by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

In answers to questions on ­notice asked by Nationals senator Perin Davey, the MDBA confirmed it had revoked its funding for the NBAN ­because it “no longer had confidence” in the group’s capacity to address internal challenges.

The organisation was set up to provide strategic advice to the MDBA on First Nations water rights, a requirement under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, but has ­failed to meet contractual obligations.

“The decision to finalise the MDBA’s contractual arrangements with NBAN was carefully considered, but ultimately taken as the MDBA no longer had confidence in NBAN’s capacity to ­address organisational challenges and to rectify outstanding deliverables,” the MDBA said.

Mr Hooper’s allegations have been seized on by Indigenous senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who urged the Senate to support her push for a forensic inquiry into the funding of Aboriginal organisations amid concern some waste taxpayers’ money.

“Reports such as this further highlight the need for an urgent inquiry. Despite being shut down by Labor, the Greens and David Pocock in the Senate this week, we will not stop and we will continue to prosecute the need for a widespread, forensic inquiry into funding of Aboriginal organisations.

“There will be many people who will breathe a sigh of relief because they know they have been let off the hook this week. But we won’t stop.”

The MDBA said it had worked “actively” with the NBAN to address organisational challenges since November 2021 to help it deliver on contractual commitments and rectify contract performance issues. The NBAN was contacted for comment.