TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY 1997~1998 ANNUAL REPORT 60011 Cover 16/11/98 2:43 PM Page 2 ©Commonwealth of Australia 1998 ISSN 1324–163X This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA). Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction rights should be directed to the Public Affairs Officer, TSRA, PO Box 261, Thursday Island, Queensland 4875. The artwork on the front cover was designed by Torres Strait Islander artist, Alick Tipoti. Annual Report 1997~98 PUPUA NEW GUINEA SAIBAI ISLAND (Kaumag Is) BOIGU ISLAND UGAR (STEPHEN) ISLAND DAUAN ISLAND TORRES STRAIT DARNLEY ISLAND YAM ISLAND MASIG (YORKE) ISLAND MABUIAG ISLAND MER (MURRAY) ISLAND BADU ISLAND PORUMA (COCONUT) ISLAND ST PAULS WARRABER (SUE) ISLAND KUBIN MOA ISLAND HAMMOND ISLAND THURSDAY ISLAND (Port Kennedy, Tamwoy) HORN ISLAND PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND SEISIA BAMAGA CAPE YORK TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY © Commonwealth of Australia 1998 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA). Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction rights should be directed to the Public Affairs Officer, TSRA, PO Box 261, Thursday Island, Queensland 4875. The artwork on the front cover was designed by Torres Strait Islander artist, Alick Tipoti. TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY Senator the Hon. John Herron Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Suite MF44 Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Minister In accordance with section 144ZB of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989, I am delighted to present you with the fourth Annual Report of the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA). This Annual Report covers the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. The TSRA will continue to work in partnership with the Commonwealth Government to improve the quality of life for all Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people living in the Torres Strait region. Yours sincerely John Abednego Chairperson 10 September 1998 CONTENTS Our vision vi Our goals vii Preface viii Guide to the 1998~99 Annual Report ................................................................... viii Report stucture ........................................................................................................ viii Additional information ........................................................................................... viii Chapter 1. Chairperson’s Report 1 Chapter 2. General Manager’s report 5 Chapter 3. TSRA Members 13 Advisory Committees ............................................................................................. 21 Portfolio Positions ..................................................................................................... 22 TSRA Meetings ......................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 4. About the TSRA 23 Torres Strait Region .................................................................................................. 24 Operating Environment .......................................................................................... 24 Formation of the TSRA ............................................................................................. 27 Functions of the TSRA .............................................................................................. 28 Powers of the TSRA .................................................................................................. 29 Powers of direction by the Minister ....................................................................... 29 Relationship with ATSIC ........................................................................................... 30 Program Structure ................................................................................................... 30 Program Performance Reporting .......................................................................... 32 Corporate Documents ........................................................................................... 32 Torres Strait Development Plan .............................................................................. 33 Ministerial Appointments ........................................................................................ 34 Review of Electoral System .................................................................................... 34 Chapter 5. Programs 35 Economic ................................................................................................................. 36 Social and Cultural .................................................................................................. 44 Corporate Services ................................................................................................. 56 Chapter 6. Financial statements 59 Appendixes 85 1. TSRA Grants .......................................................................................................... 86 2. Torres Strait Regional Authority Structure under Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 ................................................................. 91 3. Expenditure against approved estimates ........................................................ 94 4. Advertising and market research ...................................................................... 94 5. Staffing overview ................................................................................................. 95 Glossary of abbreviations and acronyms 102 Indexes Alphabetical index ................................................................................................. 106 Compliance index .................................................................................................. 121 OUROUR VISIONVISION To empower our people to determine their own affairs based on our unique Ailan Kastom bilong Torres Strait from which we draw our unity and strength. OUROUR GOALS GOALS Gain recognition of our rights, customs and identity as Indigenous peoples. Achieve a better quality of life for all people living in the Torres Strait region. Develop a sustainable economic base. Achieve better health and community services. Ensure protection of our environment. Assert our native title to the lands and waters of the Torres Strait region. PREFACE PREFACE Guide to the 1997~98 Annual Report The Torres Strait Regional Authority’s Annual Report 1997~98 is the Chairperson’s report to the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs on the performance and achievements of the TSRA during 1997~98. It is a key accountability document to the Parliament of Australia. Report structure The Chairperson’s report provides comment on the TSRA’s challenges and achievements during the reporting period and discusses the TSRA’s performance with a political and economic perspective. The General Manager’s report provides a more detailed administrative and organisational overview of the TSRA’s performance against its expected outcomes. Chapter Three provides details of the TSRA Members, Advisory Committees, Portfolio Positions and the TSRA meetings held during 1997~98. Chapter Four provides some detail about the Torres Strait Region and the people who live there. It also describes the environment in which the TSRA operates; talks about how and when the TSRA was created and, in a broad sense, what it does and the framework in which it distributes grants and loans. Three program-based sections (Economic, Social and Cultural and Corporate Services) in Chapter Five provide more detailed information on strategies and activities the TSRA has undertaken during the year to meet its program objectives and its commitment to effective human resource management. Audited financial statements are provided in Chapter Six. Five appendixes contain information on a range of topics including grants the TSRA has made during the year (Appendix 1); the TSRA’s statutory functions and powers as described for section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Appendix 2); TSRA’s expendi- ture against approved estimates is in Appendix 3; advertising and market research details are in Appendix 4; and Appendix 5 contains a full staffing overview including the TSRA’s organisation chart. To help guide the reader, the report also includes a table of contents, an alpha- betical index, a compliance index and a glossary of terms and acronyms used. Additional information To obtain more information please contact Ms Nicolette Kormendy, Public Affairs Officer, Torres Strait Regional Authority, PO Box 261, Thursday Island, viii Queensland 4875, telephone: 07 4069 1247, facsimile: 07 4069 1879. CHAPTER ONE Chairperson’s Report CHAPTER ONE Chairperson’s Report CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT Introduction During 1997~98, the Torres Strait Regional Authority progressed towards its goals of achieving greater autono- my and an improved lifestyle for Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people living in the Torres Strait region. A number of important events occurred in the Torres Strait which have strengthened our drive for greater autonomy, improved our standard of living and given us hope for greater economic development and self sufficiency. This Annual Report, the fourth since the TSRA was established in 1994, highlights what we have achieved in 1997~98 and the challenges