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Terms of Reference for Directors
12 September 2014
Dear Badulgal
FUNERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY SUSPENDED
On Thursday, 11 September 2014 the Directors of Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation passed a resolution that Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation will no longer provide funeral assistance under its former policy.
The Directors plan to develop a new funeral assistance scheme similar to the one used by the former Badu Island Council. This scheme will be self-funded and designed to support those families that contribute to the fund.
Further details will be announced at a later date.
Koeyma Esso
The Directors
Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation
Terms of Reference Interagency Group
Note: The below information has been abstracted from the Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation RNTBC (ICN 3720) Rule Book.
Role/Purpose
Role/Purpose
- The Interagency approach at Badu Island is all about our community being smarter in how we as leaders do formal business, using “what works strategies’ to attain the best possible outcomes for our community.
- The Interagency is about leaders collectively recognising and acknowledging the community as our common denominator. The community is the reason for our positions being in existence. Agencies do not have to struggle as multiple, individual silos to achieve quality outcomes.
- The Interagency approach is about us, as community leaders, identifying strategies/initiatives for improvement and development in the policies and directives that we as leaders are expected to implement and be held accountable for. The interagency members have the benefit of drawing on our collective knowledge and experience as leaders in our community to devise ‘what works’ strategies to counter these blockers so that we move forward much faster.
Staff Profile
Manager Louisa Taylor
PBC Manager
Louisa Taylor-
Louisa Taylor is employed as the PBC Manager for Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation RNTBC. She was first engaged as a consultant to explore the possibilities of the corporation becoming the social housing provider from TSIRC. She was employed in this role for 6 months and was later offered extended employment as a PBC Support Officer to assist with the added responsibilities and demands that followed after the DOGIT Transfer.
Louisa is highly skilled and experienced in management and is most passionate about training, skill sharing and upskilling people. Before working for the PBC she was employed in the education and training sector. Majority of her time was spent working in remote and isolated Indigenous communities and some of these included the Torres Straits, the Northern Peninsula Area, Cape York, Northern Territory and her work even took her to PNG which was a highlight of her employment career. She has also worked as a public servant in a number of government agencies but prefers the flexibilities of an NGO.
She has always found native title interesting and as a proud Meriam she grew up learning the struggles of the late Koike Mabo in his efforts to prove that native title existed. While hearing about it, she never fully understood native title until now. Native Title and land tenures are so complex and understanding the layers of legislation is really mind boggling and confronting. In this position she learns something every day and she finds it most interesting when learning about Badulgal culture and lore because it’s different to how Meriam people manage their lands according to their culture and lore.
Although very different and unique, they are both leading PBC’s in the Torres Straits and are steering the way towards self-management of their lands. Louisa feels very honoured to be part of this growth and the exciting and challenging times that lay ahead for this PBC. She believes there is so much potential on the island and with the traditional owners support, Mura Badulgal will continue to make their vision a reality.
Lastly a favourite quote or saying that she lives by. If it didn’t happen, it wasn’t meant to be.
Council of Elders
Note: The below information has been abstracted from the Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation RNTBC (ICN 3720) Rule Book.
Role/Purpose
What is the Purpose of the Council of Elders?
The directors shall use their best endeavours to ensure that any intra-Island disputes and competing claims in respect of Native Title Land of whatsoever nature are resolved as fairly and expediently as practicable.
In the event that the directors receive notice of any such dispute, regardless as to whether notice of that dispute comes to the attention of the directors by any person involved in the dispute or otherwise, the directors must take prompt steps to resolve such dispute.
The directors may summon the parties to the dispute to a mediation session convened by the directors and the directors‟ appointed for the mediation must use their best endeavours to resolve the dispute. The directors may call upon elders of the Badulgal people to assist in the mediation process.
In the event that the dispute is resolved at or following mediation, the directors shall ensure that the resolution is recorded in writing and signed by the persons authorised to speak for the land in question on behalf of the parties involved in the dispute.
In the event that the dispute is not resolved following mediation attempts, the directors must convene the Council of Elders to resolve the dispute.
Executive Officer's Report
Executive Officer's Report - Peter Gadsby
Typically of many PBC’s, Mura Badulgal (TSI) Corporation RNTBC is under resourced to properly administer its functions for members and Traditional Owners of the corporation.
Recognising this dilemma and through foresight of respective board members of the PBC and Badu Island Foundation Ltd it was decided to share executive administrative services from the writer as CEO of the Foundation. This arrangement was formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding signed off on 8 June 2011. To date, this has given the PBC a functional permanent office and with funding support from Torres Strait Regional Authority, office equipment to match those needs.
The board and directors have invested considerable time with negotiations to and from all stakeholders in respect of the Badu Island Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT). As this matter is now reaching a conclusion with an imminent transfer date of the DOGIT for early in 2014, the resultant activity of the Mura Badulgal office will be greatly increased.
The directors and executive staff will be required to deliver significant input into not only managing existing day to day issues regarding land and customary laws but the added duties of Trustee of the land. These duties will include the management of leases for commercial and non commercial uses and to the allocation of land for future infrastructure and housing needs.
To this end, Mura Badulgal is seeking to become the community housing provider for Badu and if it does so, significant workload will be expected on the organisation for this economic development activity.
The future for Mura Badulgal is for a busy organisation, requiring appropriate office accommodation and personnel to manage the organisations activities.
The challenge is before us to establish a solid footing to deliver the needs and aspirations of the community from our people within, rather than reliance from external organisations and agencies.
