Local Authority finds its voice in Maningrida

Maningrida Local Authority members Matthew Ryan, Marcus Pascoe, Steven Milaidjaidj, Chairperson Baru Pascoe, Catherine Wales, Deputy Chair Bernadette Yibarbuk, Steven Wilson and Charlie Gunabarra at the first official meeting on Wednesday 16 July.

THE need for a community morgue was one of the first items raised at the first meeing of the newly formed Maningrida Local Authority, held at the West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) offices in Maningrida on 16 July.

The Local Authority members for Maningrida are Ben ‘Baru’ Pascoe, Bernadette Yibarbuk, Catherine Wales, Charlie Gunabarra, David Jones, James Woods. Laurie Guraylayla, Leon Lami Lami, Marcus Pascoe, Noni Eather, Sarah-Lyn Ankin, Steven Milaidjaidj, Steven Wilson and WARC Councillors Dene Herreen, Helen Williams and Matthew Ryan.

Local Authority meetings are also due to be held in Gunbalanya on 2 July and Warruwi and Minjilang on 6 August. WARC provides secretarial assistance at the meetings and lends a close ear to the concerns of the community. Through the meetings, the Local Authorities have a direct say in how council funds are spent in their communities.

The Maningrida Local Authority members elected Baru Pascoe as Chairperson and Bernadette Yibarbuk as Deputy Chair. The members then spoke to a number of concerns, including the community’s need for a morgue.

Cr Ryan said it was costing people in Maningrida around $6000 to take a body to Katherine. “It’s around $2300 to get out, $2300 to get back, and about the same to hold a body, with charges accruing each day,” Mr Ryan said. “It’s very frustrating for me to see countrymen asking us to help and we can’t do anything. We’ve got to start pressuring to have this fixed.”

Other issues of concern included unsupervised children staying out late at night and missing school the next day as a result, and the erosion of the cliffs at Bottom Camp from tidal action. According to a report prepared by WARC’s Maningrida Community Services Manager Adam Cornell, an erosion control program will be undertaken soon in Bottom Camp in an effort to prevent further erosion of the cliffs.

WARC Infrastructure Manager Gordon Smith presented the report, which also informed the meeting of the council’s push to employ locals through their work with Jobfind on the Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP).

“We started six new local men on Monday in the Works Department,” Mr Smith said. “Council has completed the Road Reseal as part of the R2R (Roads to Recovery) program, and the culverts on Airport Road will be completed soon. This will take place when Pompey Brown is back in community.”

In other local news in Maningrida, the skip truck is still out of action and until repaired or replaced no skips will be placed around the community. 

New playgrounds installed by the council have been vandalised, with the cost of repair estimated at $60,000. They will not be repaired at this point in time. The vandalism occurred before they were even finished.

A “Clean Up Maningrida Day” is being planned between the Regional Council and Malabam, with help from RJCP, council works crew, community service workers and as many locals as possible to help with the fixing up of the foreshore area behind the sewer pond. Mr Smith said he hoped to see Local Authority Members there to encourage other local people to look after their own community.

He also said Dr Ted’s visit to deal with roaming dogs had been a great success.

“He stayed for three weeks and preformed surgery, general check-ups, and vaccinations for well over a hundred dogs. We hope to see him again next year,” Mr Smith said.