Adnyamathanha people’s association is going from strength to strength The Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association has been commended by the Registrar of ORIC and has achieved very favourable outcomes to it’s defamation proceedings in the District Court in Adelaide. Senator Xenophon asked questions of ORIC under parliamentary privilege, he did not approach ATLA in any way prior to making outlandish statements in the Senate Estimates Committee, however, Mr Bevan the Registrar of ORIC said that there are 718 members of ATLA, and he had received complaints from 4 members. When he sent in an examiner to conduct an examination into ATLA’s affairs, who has the power of the Registrar himself, the examiner, “formed the view that the standard of corporate governance and financial management at ATLA was sound and that the directors were carrying out their functions with the required degree of care and diligence. The examiners concluded the complaints made to the Registrar could not be substantiated” Chairperson Vince Coulthard said, “I am pleased for the ATLA board who work so hard to make a difference for all Adnyamathanha people. If only the Senator had taken the time to ask he would have been saved all this trouble and embarrassment.” “Last Friday we also settled proceedings with Deborah Nanschild and Lynne Edmondson on very favourable terms. We believe the Senators questions were based on their defamatory comments.” Both women totally retracted all the terrible things said in Deborah Nanschild’s letter to ORIC: about ATLA, about its Chairperson, Vincent Coulthard, about the other Plaintiffs. Both of them “sincerely and unconditionally apologised for the harm and distress” they had caused to all the Plaintiffs and to Cramond Pty Ltd (ATLA’s wholly owned subsidiary). They gave undertakings to the Plaintiffs and to the Court, including not to repeat any of the defamatory allegations ever again and not to run any more events like “Hands Around the World” without ATLA’s permission. In addition, Deborah Nanschild and Lynne Edmondson consented to District Court judgments against each of them awarding ATLA and the other Plaintiffs substantial damages. However, the Plaintiffs agreed to waive payment of most of these damages, provided Deborah Nanschild and Lynne Edmondson paid significantly reduced amounts to ATLA over the next two years and complied with their undertakings. “ATLA is very pleased to have these Court-ordered outcomes. We have always known that ATLA is doing the right thing, and they are sorry the Plaintiffs were ever put through this whole stressful situation. We look forward to putting all of this behind us and moving on with the important work of ATLA, to protect and preserve our culture, language and land.” Mr Coulthard said today
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:40:10 +0000
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