By ERWIN CHLANDA
Patricia Miller (pictured) has accepted her retirement as the CEO of the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) as having come into effect two days ago – January 31.
The Deputy Administrator of the Northern Territory made the announcement through her brother, Bob Liddle, who spoke to the Alice Springs News Online a short while ago.
He says Mrs Miller wants the current matters “put to rest”. She has served CAALAS for 35 years.
The last few weeks have been marked by serious internal strife within the organisation that has a staff of about 40, including 18 lawyers.
The CAALAS board had earlier this afternoon issued the following statement: “Contrary to recent inaccurate media reporting and social media posts, the CEO has not been ‘sacked’.
“Ms Miller gave the CAALAS board notice of her intended retirement at its meeting on 29 August 2014.
“Ms Miller herself nominated 31 January 2015 as her intended retirement date.
“CAALAS wishes Ms Miller the best for her retirement.”
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
This is a cop out and the Aboriginal people of Central Australia should not be happy about the board’s conduct and that of the retiring CEO.
There has been so much happening in regards to legal matters for Aboriginal people while the Board and the CEO have not done a thing except get good dollars for their respected duties.
The place needs a good clean out, starting with the board to fix up the bad management that has taken place over twenty years.
If you want to see good management and representation in legal matters regarding Aboriginal people, take a look at the way NAAJA represents its clients and the service they provide. That legal operation (board and CEO) make CAALAS look like pre-schoolers.
Get to the AGM and put the service delivery needs of the people first, starting by electing a good board that knows about the issues!
C’mon, decisions have been made based on decisions made by an individual, deal with it.
No individual is above [criticism]. My guess is there have been people who have influenced this still highly respected lady’s decisions.
So yes, investigate the board, clean up what you need to but make sure that applies to the staff as well.
@ Elvis:
You are correct the Aboriginal people of Central Australia should not be happy with the Board and the Management of CAALAS. Two long standing employees in Management have moved on or retired.
CEO (now retired), CFO (now retired) and long standing PLO / Ag CEO (Board appointed) is still happily employed, together with the Board formed the management team of twenty years.
So do we seek to clean the whole place out now starting with the Board and the also PLO (Board appointed) as they are still in charge?
Good representation is what our people need. Not infighting, management coups or bullying.
NAAJA operates well because they have a very smart forthright and highly intelligent PLO, and a CEO that has support of all the Management Team including their Board, unlike CAALAS has had recently.
Also from and earlier story on this saga:
“The source also says only two fuel vouchers are being given to board members, a single one to a couple living two hours’ drive out of town, and the other one to a member living 45 minutes away.”
This may be the case as of the day the Alice News posed this question to “the source”, however this is false as there is evidence of members who live in town and one who does not even drive at all, having received these vouchers.
Perhaps “the source” isn’t as reliable as they claim to be.
Also what of the inquiry? Did this get solved? What was it about? Will we as members be informed of the investigation result?
Please CAALAS Board you need to answer your Members your silence is deafening or will we hear from “the source” again?
CAALAS Board and its Ag Management have changed the date of the AGM … why?
Board Members have postponed this meeting several times from late 2014.
Are the Board and Ag Management still waiting … waiting … waiting on the results of their “Investigation”?
Perhaps they need a couple of more interim meetings (sitting fees) to allow them to prepare adequately for the AGM.
Let’s hold this board accountable.
Interesting isn’t it Harry – I wonder what qualifications these board members have to oversee such an organisation.
The only way forward is to adopt a skills based board (not a pension topping up board).
We all know it’s a far too familiar story with all Aboriginal organisations and until it stops we will continue to see serious mismanagement throughout many Aboriginal organisations. It’s quite sad really.
Locals, when you go to vote at the AGM vote for someone for their skills and qualifications and commitment to the Aboriginal community, not because they begged you to vote for them.
CAALAS Board met in late January, then last week and now again this week. Three meetings in tree weeks!
Cancelled the AGM for tomorrow and still not answered their members. Where is this inquiry and its results?
What of the investigation?
And they (Board and Ag CEO) wonder why the accusations fly.