A proposal to lease the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Community and Cultural Centre to the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council for 99 years will go on public exhibition.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A report presented at the March 14 meeting that recommended it go on public exhibition received unanimous support from councillors.
With funding options currently being looked at to expand the centre, councillor Larry Whipper said a long-term lease could help the submission.
“It spells out a new future for self determination through a legislated body,” he said.
“A 99 year lease….that will empower the local Aboriginal community to have that space to actually develop culture and to impart culture to the wider community. This is no small thing we’re talking about. I’m hoping that any feedback we get is positive and move forward.”
While there was unanimous support for the motion to put the proposal on public exhibition, there were some concerns among councillors as to whether this had the backing of the shire’s Aboriginal community.
Mayor Ken Halstead said he had been approached by a member of the community who held concerns.
“I’m certainly well aware of what the issues are. I’d hope the people in question that have the concerns to this point in time actually put in a submission in,” he said.
“The one thing that has to happen through this whole is consultation and it has to be genuine.
“I’m big on consultation and my god am I big on the Aboriginal community and where it sits in the scale of things. All of us sitting around here will pay every submission that comes in here the appropriate attention.”
A council spokesman said the proposal was not yet on exhibition as the lease was currently being prepared.