A need to talk to the right people has seen Local Government in the East Kimberley town of Halls Creek shift its ward boundaries in a move to better represent local Indigenous populations. The overhaul happened after the Tjurabalan people were recognised as native title holders over an area of land south of the West Australian town and a subsequent review found the previous levels of representation were inadequate.
Shire Chief Executive Officer, Peter McConnell, has overseen the changes, which has aligned the south ward boundary with the native title determined region and provided three Councillors instead of one. Peter McConnell said the result had improved services to the region, which is spread over an area of more than 20,000 square kilometres. The majority of the Halls Creek Shire’s population is Indigenous, with about half living in the Tjurabalan Region.
“Having the right people on Council makes the job easier,” he said. “You know when you ask important questions that you will be talking to the right people.”
The changes came into effect at the May Local Government elections which saw Julianne Johns and Harold Boomer join long term Councillor Michael Skeahan to represent the new south ward. Harold Boomer, who is also the chairman of the Billiluna remote Aboriginal community, said that his people were happy with the changes because it allowed him to represent their views on Council.
The Shire uses public works as an opportunity to employ workers from the local communities and teach them new skills such as operating large pieces of machinery and road forming.
“It is all about consideration and trust,” Peter McConnell said. “At the moment we are looking at improving the Tanami Road, a vital road important for transportation in the south ward. It is important to ask the communities where the sacred sites are, where we can take the gravel from or where can we camp. It’s a matter of courtesy.”
