As the Interim APY General Manager and representative of the APY Executive board, I am pleased to announce that the dispute in regards to the employment and matter of unfair dismissal of Mr. Kevin Chan has now been resolved amicably. The APY Board and the Interim General Manager, Mr. Richard King acknowledge the achievements(1) that Mr. Kevin Chan had made during his previous tenure as the Financial Controller of APY and decided to resolve the matter.

In June 2015 APY Land Management went nyanganyi Puntiku (looking for Punti); in the Middle of the Apara-Makiri-Punti-Alkara Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). Up until last year, this sites location was unknown and there had been many trips out looking for it with only flat tyres to show for it. This is the second trip out to Punti since it was rediscovered in 2014. There were seven of us on this trip: Traditional owners and IPA rangers; Tjingilya Stewart, Inputi Winton, Adrian Intjalki, Margaret Winton & James Aitken along with IPA Coordinator, Jimi Kidman (Land Management) and Pin Rada (PY Media).

The follow up snap audit of APY lands financial situation that was conducted by KPMG in June 2015 paints a very different picture to the audit in April 2015.  The report is based on current APY financial situation and reflects significant improvements across the APY financial systems. Interim General Manager Mr Richard King has provided a response to the snap audit KPMG report which highlights the positive work being done. The report was completed in June 2015.

 APY Review June 2015 (214.07 kB)

http://www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/aboriginal-affairs/aboriginal-affairs-and-reconciliation/publications/apy-lands-reports-and-newsletters

Please take the time to read the short report.

26 June 2015

I am pleased to announce that after many discussions and much  lobbying. The APY have been included in the telecommunication upgrades across the lands. APY lands will receive 6 new towers. The Anangu across the lands will soon have access to information and technology that the rest of the world take for granted.

Federal government should be congratulated for supporting such a crucial decision. It will enable all our children to engage with the world. Ex American president Benjamin Franklin once said: “We live on an islet of all that is known, surrounded by a sea of infinite possibility”. We in the APY, will soon have access to the shores of that sea.