Statutory Functions of the Regional Council

The Statutory functions of the Regional Council are set out in Sections 94, 97 and 98 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act, 1989. A Regional Council is a group of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people elected to look after the interests of their people in any of the 35 regions in Australia.

Section 94 (1) of the Act provides for the following functions of the Regional Council:

(a) to formulate, and revise from time to time, a regional plan for improving the economic, social and cultural status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents of the region; (b) to assist, advise and co-operate with the Commission, other Commonwealth bodies and State, Territory and local government bodies in the implementation of the regional plan; (c) to make proposals, in accordance with section 97, for Commission expenditure in relation to the region; (d) to receive, and to pass on to the Commission, the views of Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders about the activities, in the region, of the Commission, the TSRA, other Commonwealth bodies and State, Territory and local government bodies; (e) to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents of the region and to act as an advocate of their interests; (f) such other functions as are conferred on the Regional Council by this Act; and (g) to do anything else that is incidental or conductive to the performance of any of the preceding functions.

Section 97 (1 ) of the Act provides for the Regional Council to prepare draft budgets:

(a) prepare a draft budget for the Regional Council for that financial year; (b) give a copy of the draft budget to the Commission; 2 In preparing a draft Budget the Regional Council must; (a) have regard to the regional plan for the region concerned; and (b) consider any guidelines given to it by the Commission .....

Section 98 of the Act provides for the Regional Council to advise the Commission.

On the second day of the meeting elections were held for Chairperson of the North Eastern Indigenous Regional Council (now known as the Many Rivers Regional Council). There were two (2) nominees for the position of Chairperson. Nominees were :-

* Councillor Jimmy Budd * Councillor Des Williams

The election for Chairperson was conducted in accordance with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) Election Rules and Councillor Jimmy Budd was elected to the position o Chairperson for the North Eastern Indigenous Regional Council (now known as the Many Rivers Regional Council).

Elections were also held for Deputy Chairperson and Alternate Deputy Chairperson on 3 December 1996. There was only one nomination for Deputy Chairperson:-

* Councillor Gordon Griffiths.

As Councillor Griffiths was the only nomination, no voting was necessary and Councillor Griffiths was declared Deputy Chairperson of the North Eastern Indigenous Regional Council (now known as the Many Rivers Regional Council) by the AEC.

Only one nomination was received for Alternate Deputy Chairperson:-

* Councillor Julie Russell.

As Councillor Russell was the only nomination, no voting was necessary and Councillor Russell was declared the Alternate Deputy Chairperson of the North Eastern Indigenous Regional Council (now known as the Many Rivers Regional Council).