A Wodonga Indigenous group is investigating whether its vehicles have been misused over the past four and a half years.
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Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation has advertised for qualified consultants to examine how its cars have been acquired and disposed of in that period.
Special administrator Alan Eldridge said the call for expressions of interest came after past board and community members raised concerns about the corporation’s cars being passed on to other members.
“We’re not sure of the validity of those transactions, we’re testing the validity to make sure that the process was dealt with correctly,” he said.
Mr Eldridge said any abnormalities were likely to be referred on to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.
“This is about accountability being demonstrated to the community that we are here to basically deal with the past, but get on with the future,” he said.
Mungabareena, which is funded by various agencies to deliver community, youth and health programs, is also seeking applications to conduct rental reviews for its 17 properties.
ORIC placed the corporation under special administration in December after two years of monitoring its operations.
Mr Eldridge said much had changed in the four months since but many people “are still waiting to see what happens” before coming back to Mungabareena.
“There were people (in the past) even concerned to come for their own welfare because they were threatened, things like that,” he said.
“It’s not anecdotal, it’s true because we’ve had to deal with the consequences of that through the formal complaint processes.
“What we want is a safe environment, a happy environment and one that really has the right attitude for the community.”
About 17 people applied to join the special administrator’s advisory group, with Andom Rendell, Pam Griffin, Yaraan Bundle, Aaron Perkins-Kemp-Berger and Uncle Walter Melrose being selected.
A community meeting on Tuesday attracted about 20 community members and Mr Eldridge encouraged more people to re-engage with Mungabareena.
“It’s here for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, we welcome them back, we want them back, really that’s it,” he said.