Aboriginal Corporation Handed Huge Native Title Deal Despite Being in Administration

The Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation was placed under administration due to finance and governance issues.

Ronald 'Ringo' Terrick, an elder the Wurundjeri tribe sits on the steps of Parliment House during Sorry Day May 26, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Simon Fergusson/Getty Images

Questions have been raised around the capabilities of a group that won a massive Indigenous native title claim in Victoria despite being in administration.

During July, the Victorian Labor government agreed to a native title claim spanning thousands of square kilometres over the state’s north west corner, including the town of Mildura.

The area also covers parts of the Mallee and Sunraysia regions along the Murray River and parts of the Murray-Sunset National Park.

The native title claim will provide exclusive rights to some parcels of land, but is predominantly a non-exclusive agreement, and cannot override others’ rights in minerals or waters.

Many areas of the land have been excised and are not subject to native title.

The Federal Court determined that three groups of Indigenous people can control access to parts of the land, with the Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation put in charge as the body corporate.

However, the corporation was placed under administration in December 2024 by the Australian Government Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, citing concerns over unresolved disputes.

Close the Gap Research Chairman Gary Johns said it was an “interesting part of the decision” to hand control to an organisation with a troubled past.

“The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, concerned at the standard of financial management and corporate governance, placed the First People of the Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation under special administration in December 2024,” he told The Epoch Times.

“The registrar found that unresolved disputes were hindering the corporation’s proper operations,” said the former Labor minister.

Johns said that while the claimants had won some rights, they seemed unable to exercise them effectively.

“We hope that they get their act together and manage their rights, in conjunction with the interests that citizens living in the area wish to see managed,” he said.

The move to place the group into administration was made after the issuing of a compliance notice on March 12, 2024, raising concerns around the corporation’s standard of corporate governance and financial management.

The Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation was given three months to address six core issues, but had only resolved one despite receiving an extension.

Jack James and Paula Smith from Rodgers Reidy were then appointed special administrators, with all board positions vacated.

A date had originally been set for the special administration to end on June 21, however, the registrar officially extended that time until Sept. 19, 2025.

The registrar and the Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation were contacted for comment.