ABORIGINAL community members on North Stradbroke Island protested against the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation during the opening of the Quandamooka Festival on Saturday.
Group spokeswoman Shelly Moreton said QYAC did not represent the needs of Aboriginal people and only represented Native Title Act requirements.
“Many Aboriginal community members are dissatisfied with the Native Title agreement and the role of QYAC,” she said.
“QYAC facilitates exclusion at many levels, nepotism, workplace abuse, intimidation and threats through lateral violence.”
Ms Moreton said QYAC, the state and local government needed to recognise, respect and accept that the Aboriginal community of North Stradbroke Island was made up of more than just QYAC members.
QYAC chief executive Cameron Costello said they had 749 Quandamooka people as members and were the Queensland government’s registered cultural heritage body for Minjerribah.
He said their governance was through a board of directors with a position available for each Quandamooka family group under the Native Title Determination of July 4, 2011.
“Our financial records are fully audited, compliant and publicly released as required by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations,” he said.
“QYAC is very proud of its employment, business and financial record over the first seven years of its existence.”
