NAAJA deputy chair Colleen Rosas defends Aboriginal legal service amid financial audits, instability

  • 📰 abcnews
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 51 sec. here
  • 8 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 45%
  • Publisher: 83%

Naaja News

Priscilla Atkins,Colleen Rosas,Leanne Caton

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency's deputy chair Colleen Rosas has defended its ability to deliver services amid multiple audits, executive resignations, the domestic violence history of its chair, and an impending federal court decision.

The deputy chair of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency has defended the organisation's ability to provide legal services amid ongoing internal instability.The federal court is on Thursday expected to rule on a long-running unfair dismissal case brought by a former NAAJA chief executive.

Former NAAJA chairperson and current deputy chair Colleen Rosas said NAAJA was working to address the issues raised by the NIAA.But Ms Rosas said the board had rejected requests from NIAA and the NT government to directly observe NAAJA's board meetings. NAAJA is to receive almost $16 million of federal funding in 2024-25, a spokesperson from the NT Department of Attorney-General and Justice said.During Senate estimates this week, Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle said it was unclear on regulator ASIC's website who NAAJA's board directors currently are.

"The attorney-general at the Commonwealth level and the Indigenous Australians minister have met with the Northern Territory attorney-general to express our deep concern and frustration with what's happening at NAAJA," she said. Former deputy chief executive Leeanne Caton is the latest of four executives to depart the agency since the dispute reached the courts, announcing her resignation to the board last week.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 5. in LAW

Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Federal, NT governments attempting to retrieve almost $2.7m in unspent funds from NT legal aid service NAAJAThe NT and federal governments are seeking to retrieve almost $2.7 million in funding from NAAJA. It comes amid revelations NAAJA chairperson Hugh Woodbury allegedly violently assaulted his pregnant partner in 2020.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »