Brisbane Aboriginal Legal Service cleared

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE — The Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations on May 8 cleared the Brisbane Aboriginal Legal Service of any wrongdoing.

Registrar Noureddine Bouhafs has advised the service that it will be able to go back to Aboriginal control. A formal clearance is pending, after a general meeting to elect a new board.

Allegations against BALS were originally made in a report by the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Legal Service Secretariat that there had been improper use of corporate credit cards and rental cars, undocumented cash spending, unauthorised travel and misuse of money for the Daniel Yock death-in-custody inquiry by BALS members.

The report was criticised by BALS senior solicitor Ron Finney and former general manager Sam Watson for being "politically motivated".

Watson said on May 8 he hoped the registrar's decision put to rest the negative perception about the former management of the service. "All concerns have been examined and dealt with", he said.

BALS is still facing a "compliance audit" ordered by Aboriginal affairs minister John Herron, which is being carried out on all Aboriginal legal services.

From GLW issue 231