Annual Report 2017-2018
Family Responsibilities Commission
The annual report of the Family Responsibilities Commission summarises the Commission and its financial and corporate performance for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Only limited copies of this annual report will be available in hard copy. To obtain a copy please contact:
Family Responsibilities Commission
PO Box 5438
Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4081 8400
Fax: (07) 4041 0974

Alternatively you can visit the following website:
www.frcq.org.au

The Queensland Government is committed to providing accessible services to Queenslanders from all culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you have difficulty in understanding the annual report, and need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask them to telephone the Family Responsibilities Commission on (07) 4081 8400.

Front cover: Genai Fa’Aoso, Coen
© State of Queensland (Family Responsibilities Commission) 2018
ISSN – 1837-4565

The Commission recognises we are visitors to the country we travel across and work in and that many of our Local Commissioners are Traditional Owners and Elders of their communities. The Commission acknowledges and pays our respects to the Traditional Owners, Elders and Teachers of these lands; to those of the past whose unseen hands guide the actions and decisions of the Commissioners today; to those of the present working for their communities setting the example for the next generation; and to those of the future, the Elders not yet born who will inherit the legacy of our efforts.

	Family Responsibilities Commission
Cairns Commonwealth Centre
Level 3, 107 Lake Street, Cairns
PO Box 5438
Cairns Qld 4870

Ph: 07 4081 8400
Fax: 07 4041 0974
www.frcq.org.au

3 October 2018

The Honourable Jackie Trad MP
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
GPO Box 611
BRISBANE   QLD   4001

Dear Minister Trad

I am pleased to submit for presentation to the Parliament the Annual Report 2017-2018 and financial statements for the Family Responsibilities Commission.

I certify that this Annual Report complies with:
•	the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009, and
•	the detailed requirements set out in the Annual Report Requirements for Queensland Government Agencies.

A checklist outlining the annual reporting requirements can be found at page 118 of this annual report.

Yours sincerely

David Glasgow, AM
Commissioner
Family Responsibilities Commission

Preamble – Noel Pearson	6	
Commissioner Glasgow's Message	7	
Strategic Overview	11	
How the Family Responsibilities Commission Works	18	
Who Makes Up the Commission	22	
Community Consultations	32	
Client Profile – They never gave up on me	35	
Local Commissioners’ Year in Review – Aurukun	36	
Local Commissioners’ Year in Review – Doomadgee	39	
Local Commissioners’ Year in Review – Coen	42	
Local Commissioners’ Year in Review – Hope Vale	44	
Local Commissioners’ Year in Review – Mossman Gorge	46	
Registrar's Year in Review	48	
Home Ownership – First Time Home Buyer	52	
Local Commissioner Development Week	54	
Building Relationships – Apunipima Coen Wellbeing Centre	56	
Our Performance – Review of Operations	57	
Local Commissioner Profile – Cheryl Cannon	69	
Challenges and Outlook	70	
Local Commissioner Profile – Karen Gibson, OAM	76	
Governance	78	
Local Commissioner Profile – Karen Shuan	89	
Financial Statement	90	
Appendices	115	
Glossary of Terms	121	
Contact Details	122	

July 1 2018 marks ten years since the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) was created through a bipartisan partnership of Australian and Queensland Governments to support the courageous leaders of Aurukun, Hope Vale, Coen and Mossman Gorge, and almost four years since Doomadgee also committed itself to membership in August 2014.
The FRC is a shining light of the structural reform needed to support Indigenous agency to take and use power. It has been instrumental in rebuilding and empowering local authority to support families to take control of their lives and build their future.
At the heart of the FRC are the Local Commissioners who work so tirelessly and with great love to motivate and support their people to take up and manage their most fundamental responsibilities to themselves and to their families.
The Local Commissioners supported by Commissioner Glasgow have been resolute in their vision and determination to improve the lives of the families they support and serve. The same bipartisan support that led to the establishment of the FRC must now be recalled and applied with full effect to build on the success of the past ten years.
The ongoing uncertainty over the future funding by government of the FRC is very disappointing and must end. The FRC has spent six of its short ten year life under a cloud of funding uncertainty yet I have lost count of the conversations I have had with local families in support of the FRC and with local leaders asking about how they can get this support for their people.
The focus for all partners must be firmly on the future and making the FRC the strongest and most effective vehicle of Indigenous agency and authority that it can possibly be. This means by necessity that the FRC must become a permanent entity and that clear thinking is applied to the grass roots collaboration between the FRC and Justice Groups, and extending the network of FRC support across Cape York and other regions in Queensland.
The ongoing lack of connection between Queensland’s referrals and service delivery system and the Australian Government’s income support payments also needs to be addressed as a matter of utmost urgency.
Conditional Income Management is a tool that has been used to great effect through the authority of the FRC as an instrument of support rather than punishment. But the FRC’s use of Conditional Income Management has been constrained by the overall lack of tools that it has in its armoury to wrap around families. Conditional Income Management on its own will never be sufficient to encourage people to get the supports that they need to build their capabilities, or oblige them to meet their most basic obligations.
The great strength of the FRC is the agency and authority of the Local Commissioners and the FRC support structure and conference system that they lead. This is a most precious thing to be celebrated and supported.
Noel Pearson

From the Commissioner
This year completes ten years of operations for the FRC in the welfare reform communities of Aurukun (AU), Coen (CO), Hope Vale (HV) and Mossman Gorge (MG), and four years of operations in the community of Doomadgee (DM).
Established in 2008 by the Queensland Bligh Government, we embarked upon a trial which was set originally to conclude on 31 December 2011.
In introducing the Bill to Parliament, then Premier Anna Bligh AC said:
“This is a ground-breaking trial, unique in the world. It will be a significant departure from the policies that have been tried in the past. The bill establishes the Family Responsibilities Commission as the driving force in changing local social norms and behaviour. It will directly link improved care for children to welfare and other government payments”.
What followed was the creation of a genuine partnership of equals between the Queensland Government, the Australian Government and the Cape York Institute (the Institute) led by the courageous and insightful Anna Bligh AC, Jenny Macklin MP and Noel Pearson.
The Family Responsibilities Board was led in its early years by Ken Smith, Director-General of the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet; Dr Jeff Harmer, Secretary of the Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; and Noel Pearson, Director of the Institute.
Reflecting on the past ten years, former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh AC (now CEO of The Australian Banking Association) records:
“More than a decade ago the Family Responsibilities Commission was charged with an historic challenge. The intervening years have seen a team of committed and dedicated people rise to this challenge in ways that have made a remarkable difference to the lives of many families and, most importantly, to many children. The strong and ethical leadership of David Glasgow has contributed immeasurably to the achievements of the Commission. David and his trusted team of Local Commissioners have more than lived up to my expectations in establishing the FRC in 2008, and the lives of many families are the better for their pioneering work.”
Professor Ken Smith (now CEO and Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government) records:
“In 2008, when the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) was formed, I was working as the Director-General of the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Noel Pearson had convinced the State and Australian Governments that there was a need to reform passive welfare delivery and build the capacity of families in Cape York to take greater responsibility for their own futures, and particularly their children’s well-being. After extensive policy discussions the FRC was formed in 2008 following the passage of landmark legislation by then Premier Bligh through the Queensland Parliament, with the full support of the Australian Government, and the four communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. The initial Commissioner appointed to lead the FRC was a highly experienced Queensland Magistrate, David Glasgow. He commenced the task of setting up the Commission and appointing the Local Commissioners in these four diverse and wonderful Cape York communities.
Over the last 10 years, the FRC has worked closely with individual families, community leaders, and government and non-government service providers to really make a difference to the welfare of children and strengthened the important family networks and bonds which are at the core of improving social, educational and health outcomes. It was a great honour to be the inaugural chair of the Board for the FRC in 2008 until I left the Queensland Public Service in mid-2011. I thank my fellow inaugural directors, Dr Jeff Harmer and Noel Pearson for their support and vision in seeking ways of achieving positive change. I also thank the Commissioner and all the dedicated Local Commissioners for staying the distance on what has been, at times, a difficult reform agenda. The experiences of the last 10 years will be important not just for the four Cape York communities, but the FRC evidentiary base will be important for demonstrating that local control of local programs is the only way that real long term change can occur in remote communities.”
The Commission’s work in strengthening Indigenous local authority, building and maintaining respect for Indigenous decision-making, and encouraging local community members to take responsibility for their lives and behaviours speaks for itself.
In each community there has been significant and lasting improvement to the wellbeing, safety and education of their children.
Conditional income management 
There was some concern expressed when the Commission commenced as to whether the Local Commissioners should have the authority to income manage clients. Unlike other trials, the FRC was never part of a blanket income management program.
Commissioners have always considered each client on a case by case basis with Conditional Income Management (CIM) issued as a last resort, and it is informative to consider how that power was exercised over this ten year period by the Commissioners.
Table 1: Percentage of clients who were placed on conditional income management 
for each financial year 2008 to 2018.
Financial Year	Number of CIM Orders Made	Number of Unique Clients Placed on CIM	Total Number of FRC Clients at 30 June	Percentage of Clients Placed on CIM as at 30 June	
2008-2009	89	84	N/A	N/A	
2009-2010	232	217	1,047	20.7%	
2010-2011	223	205	1,191	17.2%	
2011-2012	218	208	1,344	15.5%	
2012-2013	304	268	1,467	18.3%	
2013-2014	304	239	1,566	15.3%	
2014-2015	238	194	1,856	10.5%	
2015-2016	249	202	2,000	10.1%	
2016-2017	265	212	2,164	9.8%	
2017-2018	233	179	2,312	7.7%	

As at 30 June 2018 141 clients were subject to a current CIM order, although as can be seen from the table opposite, a total of 179 unique clients were placed on a CIM order throughout the entire 2017-18 year. A breakdown by community is presented below:
Table 2: Present number of clients subject to conditional income management orders at 30/06/2018.
Actively Managed CIM Clients	AU	CO	DM	HV	MG	Total	
Income Management	54	2	43	11	7	117	
Income Management Alteration	0	0	0	0	1	1	
Total	54	2	43	11	8	118	

Remaining CIM Clients	AU	CO	DM	HV	MG	Total	
Not Receiving Centrelink or CDEP	7	1	5	3	2	18	
Pending Centrelink Action	4	0	1	0	0	5	
Total	11	1	6	3	2	23	

Grand Total of Clients subject to CIM Orders	65	3	49	14	10	141	

Local Commissioners
The women and men who accepted their roles as Local Commissioners are leaders of outstanding capability who are now as comfortable negotiating with bureaucrats and Ministers, as they are meeting with and helping their fellow community members.
Over the past ten years, during which time Indigenous Affairs in our State has been in the hands of seven Ministers and seven permanent Director-Generals, the Commissioners have performed their functions with care, compassion, firmness, determination and resilience.
In the current year Local Commissioners in the original four welfare reform communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge have, without my assistance or that of the Deputy Commissioner, presided in the majority of conferences. These statistics, including a breakdown by community, are set out in the Challenges and Outlook section on page 74.
The Local Commissioners’ eligibility for appointment, in considering history and past conduct, is more restrictive than that required for the appointment of many other public officers in Queensland. They are not only outstanding Indigenous leaders, but they are great Australians who, by accepting their appointments, live everyday with the responsibility of, and reaction to, their decisions.
Commission staff
This year’s operations have seen a surplus of $180,294 after accounting for the return of $165,000 to the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP) to meet specific unfunded departmental expenditure in Aurukun.
I acknowledge the skills of Registrar Maxine McLeod and Finance Manager Tracey Paterson in the management of the Commission’s operations.
Our small dedicated staff in Cairns and our community based Local Coordinators deserve special recognition for their dedication and commitment, particularly over the past twelve months when working under the ever present possibility of closure.
The Commission’s future
In late 2016 the State Government commenced a review of Welfare Reform and the FRC. Consultations with the five communities commenced on 21 March 2018 with a day visit to Mossman Gorge.
The team, which included representatives from the Queensland and Australian Governments and the Institute, visited each of the four welfare reform communities, with the Queensland Government only visiting Doomadgee.
It is expected a decision on the future will be forthcoming later this year.

David Glasgow, AM
Family Responsibilities Commissioner

Our vision
Vibrant welfare reform communities that are responsible, healthy, safe and sustainable.
Our purpose
Supporting welfare reform community members to restore socially responsible standards of behaviour, local authority and wellbeing for themselves and their families.
Our values
Safety:	We value the right of everyone to live in safe communities.	
Respect:	We believe that respect for oneself builds the foundation for wellbeing.	
Ownership:	We are committed to encouraging communities to take ownership of their present and future.	
Innovation:	We actively seek and encourage creative ideas to build the potential for lasting change.	
Empowerment:	We are committed to empowering people to take the initiative to reform their communities and build their own direction and future.	
Diversity:	We are passionate about respecting the diversity and cultural richness of the communities.	
Strategic outcomes
•	Improved community wellbeing
•	Improved community responsibility
•	Improved organisational capability.
Strategic objectives
•	Support the restoration of socially responsible standards of behaviour and local authority in welfare reform communities
•	Help people in welfare reform communities to resume primary responsibility for the wellbeing of their communities and the individuals and families of their communities
•	Create a capable, agile and innovative organisation
•	Know our clients, communities and build partnerships.

Service Charter Statement
The Family Responsibilities Commission knows that you value good customer service. Our aim is to give you the best service we can. We will work with clients and stakeholders to deliver outputs for the State and Australian Governments that achieve the outcomes sought for the welfare reform communities. In doing so, we will nurture a spirit of inquiry and innovation, and will embrace the challenge of sourcing unconventional and creative solutions to address the complex problems that confront our communities.
The creation of the Family Responsibilities Commission
In early 2006 the Australian Government agreed to fund the development phase of the Cape York Welfare Reform (CYWR) trial proposed by the Institute. The Queensland Government also agreed to participate in the development and provided in-kind support and assistance throughout the development period.
The Institute subsequently released a design report titled ‘From Hand Out To Hand Up’ in May 2007 and a final report with the same title in November 2007. The report outlined the Institute’s proposal for the CYWR trial to be implemented in the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. The objectives of the CYWR trial were to restore social norms and local Indigenous authority. The trial aimed to initiate and support a positive change in social norms and community behaviours in response to chronic levels of passive welfare, social dysfunction and economic exclusion within these communities.
In December 2007, the Queensland Government agreed to contribute $40 million and the Australian Government $48 million to finance the implementation of the CYWR trial over four years.
The broad objectives of the welfare reform agenda are to:
•	rebuild social norms and restore Indigenous authority
•	address the welfare pedestal through changing incentives
•	support engagement in the real economy
•	move from welfare housing to home ownership
•	enable children to make full use of their talents and creativity and to enjoy the best of both worlds.
The reforms are designed with a strong emphasis on partnership, capacity building, respect and use of local authority. Emphasis is also placed on the enhancement of services and appropriate service delivery mechanisms. A range of policy, program and service delivery reforms and practical on-the-ground initiatives have been implemented to help reduce welfare dependency, promote social responsibility, provide pathways to participation in the real economy, improve school attendance and enhance educational opportunities.

These include:
•	effective responses to alcohol and drug misuse, gambling, addictive behaviours and violence
•	improved services to promote child, individual and family wellbeing including support services which assist expectant parents, encourage positive behaviour, optimise learning by improving school attendance, prepare students for secondary school and assist in maximising the transition to boarding school
•	interventions which target employment assistance, sponsor individual enterprise, increase educational opportunities and encourage private home ownership
•	increased investment in community capacity building through social capital building programs and Opportunity Hubs that provide a central location for products to assist the community, social and civic activities as well as service co-location
•	money management services to promote financial literacy and capability, build assets and establish educational savings trusts to enable the continuing education of children and
•	income management of individuals where appropriate to assist them to manage their finances and in some instances to encourage compliance with case plans aimed at improving social responsibility.
The reforms are designed to initiate early intervention in order to address issues and behaviours before they escalate. A key feature of the CYWR trial was the creation of the Family Responsibilities Commission as an independent statutory authority. The Commission is regarded as a critical mechanism to facilitate the rebuilding of intra-community social norms and to encourage behavioural change through attaching reciprocity and communal obligations to welfare and other government payments. The intention of the reforms and of this Commission is to enhance and complement the existing responsibilities of Queensland and Australian Government agencies, service delivery and community organisations.
This philosophy is grounded in the Institute’s view that historically policies have created a passive welfare environment in Indigenous communities which resulted in a retraction of positive social norms, and fostered the displacement of Indigenous responsibility. People in receipt of welfare payments, or who are participating in community employment programs, not only have an obligation to their community not to behave in ways which are detrimental, but must reciprocate with economic engagement and actively support their community.
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living in the welfare reform communities receiving welfare or community employment program payments are subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction. Jurisdiction continues if the individual relocates from the community.
The Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 (the FRC Act) was passed in the Queensland Parliament with bipartisan support on 13 March 2008. The Commission commenced operating on 1 July 2008 and conferencing began on 12 August 2008 with the first sitting being held in Coen. As regulated by the FRC Act at that time the Commission was to cease operations on 1 January 2012. Each subsequent year until 2014, following Australian and State Government consultations and budget allocations, the Commission was granted 12 month extensions.

On 5 August 2014 the Family Responsibilities Commission Amendment Bill 2014 was introduced into Parliament. The Bill, which was passed by Parliament on 14 October 2014 and proclaimed on 28 November 2014, proposed the following amendments aimed at increasing efficiencies and expanding operations:
•	to omit the FRC Act’s sunset clause (section 152), which states that the FRC Act expires on 1 January 2015
•	to allow welfare reform communities to be added by regulation
•	to add new ‘justice triggers’ for notifications to the Commission if a community member is convicted in the District or Supreme Courts, or a child is convicted in a court
•	to amend the disqualification provisions for Local Commissioners and
•	to require the Family Responsibilities Board (FR Board) to meet every six months, rather than quarterly.
On 14 July 2015 the then Queensland State Treasurer Curtis Pitt released the 2015-16 State Budget wherein it was announced that the State Government would continue to revitalise frontline services with further financial support for Welfare Reform until 30 June 2019.
A further legislative development affecting Commission operations was the passing of the Family Responsibilities Commission Amendment Bill 2015 by Parliament with unanimous support on 1 December 2015. The Bill which received Royal Assent on 17 December proposed to increase the effectiveness of the FRC Act by:
•	including an additional domestic violence trigger in response to recommendations in the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland’s report, ‘Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic Violence in Queensland’
•	expanding the scope for delegation of the FRC Commissioner’s powers and responsibilities to the Local Commissioners
•	broadening the suitability requirements for the Registrar to more accurately reflect the operational elements of the role and
•	improving information availability in regard to the existing youth justice trigger.
A Bill to amend the Commonwealth Social Security Administration Act 1999 to extend the income management legislative mechanism utilised by the Commission from 30 June 2017 to 30 June 2019 in the welfare reform communities was passed by the Australian Parliament and received Royal Assent on 26 June 2017. The Australian Labour Party and Australian Greens supported the Bill on the basis that an independent evaluation of income management in the welfare reform communities be undertaken. The Australian Department of Social Services (DSS) has now commenced a Strategic Review of Income Management in Cape York. DSS officers attended the FRC’s Local Commissioner Development Week in May 2018 to seek first-hand accounts from Local Commissioners about the effectiveness of income management in Cape York.
Between March and June 2018, DATSIP, the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) and Cape York Partnership (CYP) representing the Institute undertook community consultations in each Cape York welfare reform community, whilst DATSIP undertook the consultations in Doomadgee, to identify local perceptions of the impact of Welfare Reform and inform its evolution.
About us
As part of the broader Welfare Reforms, the Commission has the lead role in these unique reforms aimed at restoring local authority and socially responsible standards of behaviour in Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.
Local Commissioners are Elders or respected community members who encourage individuals appearing before the Commission to take the necessary steps to make lasting changes which will benefit their health, wellbeing, home and community life.
The Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Local Commissioners meet regularly to conference clients and make referrals to community support services, or in certain circumstances, to Centrelink for income management.
Policy context
Our activities support the Welfare Reforms and the ‘Our Future State: Advancing Queensland’s Priorities Plan’ published by the Queensland Government. The Commission contributes specifically to the following Government priorities:
•	‘Create jobs in a strong economy’ – by working to reduce passive welfare, assisting clients to increase their financial stability and initiating a continuous improvement strategy in regard to our organisational capability
•	‘Give all our children a great start’ – by supporting expectant mothers and young families in welfare reform communities to access maternal and child health, early childhood education and care services, and to understand the importance of the early years to the long-term health and wellbeing of their children
•	‘Keep Queenslanders healthy’ – by working with service providers to support the delivery of effective responses to alcohol and drug misuse, mental illness and violence for our clients in the welfare reform communities and developing self-care and resilience in Local Commissioners
•	‘Keep communities safe’ – by influencing the wider acceptance of socially responsible standards of behaviour, promoting Indigenous local authority and nurturing a spirit of inquiry and innovation in order to address the complex problems facing the welfare reform communities
•	‘Be a responsive Government’ – by providing effective and efficient client services for families, strengthening collaborative cross-agency partnerships to support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authorities, improving access to relevant service provision in the communities and working to increase school enrolment and attendance.
The fundamental principles of the Queensland Public Service Code of Conduct are strictly adhered to and the principles of natural justice, conflict of interest and confidentiality are established and strongly reinforced with employees and Local Commissioners through the Commission’s Workplace Policy, the Local Commissioners’ Handbook, the Local Commissioners’ Conference Guidelines and annual online training in Ethical Decision Making and the Code of Conduct.
Our activities specifically support DATSIP which is the department responsible for promoting and monitoring the government’s progress in Closing the Gap on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage. There are seven strategic areas for action established under the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA) for driving the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) reforms which the Commission addresses through its conferencing processes and participation in collaborative cross-agency partnerships:
•	Early childhood – improving child and maternal health care, supporting good parenting and strengthening childhood education and care through early intervention
•	Schooling – supporting the improvement of literacy and numeracy levels and year 12 or equivalent attainment of children in our communities by providing guidance, encouragement and information to families on the requirement for children to attend school
•	Health – closing the gap in health and longevity
•	Economic participation – closing the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples
•	Safe communities – addressing the problem of violence, alcohol, criminal and anti-social behaviours
•	Governance and leadership – enhancing government policies and systems to improve engagement mechanisms, developing and supporting community capacity and leadership and supporting the development of leadership for women and young people
•	Land and culture – promoting and affirming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
The Commission supports the ‘Our Way Strategy’, formerly known as ‘Towards a Queensland action plan for vulnerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families’ by participating in round table forums and working groups and empowering and stabilising families through the conferencing and referral processes.
Our challenge
The Commission delivers services to five communities, all of which are culturally unique and some of which are geographically remote. Each community is different, however, each can be characterised by the entrenched disadvantage of Indigenous community members. High rates of Indigenous welfare dependency and multi-generational poverty have resulted in communities with high numbers of individuals and families with complex needs.
Our challenge is to work collaboratively with partner agencies, as part of a linked service system to engage, empower and enable individuals, families and the wider community to make positive and lasting change. In meeting this challenge the Commission is supporting the ‘Moving Ahead Strategy’, a whole-of-government strategy to improve Indigenous economic participation. The Commission interacts with the strategy by referring individuals to public services, assisting community members to gain benefits from available opportunities and improving student transitions to education.
Our Local Commissioners collaborate with the community to identify and resolve critical issues, advocate for their community by meeting with Ministers and government departments, and assist in ensuring that informed decisions are made by the transparent sharing of information.

FRC Strategic Plan 2018-2020

The primary objective of the Commission, as set out in the FRC Act, is to hold conferences with community members. Conferences are held to encourage clients, individuals and families to engage in socially responsible standards of behaviour whilst promoting the interests, rights and wellbeing of children and other vulnerable persons living in the community.
The Commission may conference a community member who is a welfare recipient living in a welfare reform community if the person, or their partner, is in receipt of certain welfare payments. The full list of payments subject to income management under the Cape York initiative is available at http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/publications-articles/cape-york-welfare-reform-fact-sheets/income-management-for-cape-york-welfare-reform.
Intake and assessment
The FRC Act, passed by the Queensland Parliament on 13 March 2008, sets out the statutory obligations of relevant Queensland departments to notify the Commission when a community member is not meeting pre-determined obligations.
Agency notices are received for the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge in the following circumstances:
•	The Department of Education (DoE) must submit a School Attendance notice to the Commission if a child is absent for three full, or part days of a school term without reasonable excuse, or submit a School Enrolment notice where a child of compulsory school age is not enrolled to attend school.
•	The Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women (DCSYW) must submit a Child Safety and Welfare notice where the Chief Executive becomes aware of an allegation of harm or risk to a child.
•	The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) must submit a Court Offence notice if a person is convicted of an offence, or if a domestic violence protection order is made against a person.
•	The Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) or the provider of social housing must submit a Tenancy Breach notice if the tenant has breached their social housing tenancy agreement.
Once an agency notice is received, a determination is made as to whether the person notified is within the jurisdiction of the Commission in accordance with the FRC Act. The FRC Act defines a community member as being a person who is a welfare recipient and who also lives in one of the five welfare reform communities, or has lived there for a period of at least three months. On a determination that the matter meets the relevant criteria it is deemed to be within jurisdiction. The matter is then referred to the Local Commissioners for a decision as to whether the client should attend a conference and if other associated persons should be invited to attend the conference.
Service of notice to attend conference
Following a determination to proceed to conference, the client is served with a ‘Notice to Attend Conference’ at which time they are informed of the time, date and place of the conference, the purpose of the conference, what they can expect to occur and the ramifications if they fail to attend. The client is advised that they may bring a support person to the conference, such as a family member, friend or Elder. They are also advised that the FRC may ask other people to attend, for example family members and representatives from Government agencies responsible for education, child safety, housing and criminal justice to talk about the details of the notice received. In the event that a client fails to attend as per the notice, the Commission may reschedule the conference, and again a notice is served prior to the rescheduled conference.
Conference
At the conference Commissioners discuss with the client the subject matter of the agency notice and any related problems the client wishes to raise. The conference is held in an atmosphere which is informal and confidential. Where the client’s first language is not English, the conference can be conducted in the local language of the client with Local Commissioners translating as required. Conferences are convened either with a panel comprising of the Commissioner (or Deputy Commissioner) and two Local Commissioners, or with a panel of three Local Commissioners. All Commissioners have equal authority in the decision-making process. The Commissioners must attempt to reach a unanimous decision. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached a majority decision is acceptable, however, the reasons as to why it was not unanimous must be documented. Decisions made at conference are made fairly and with the best interests of the client and their family in mind. At the conclusion of the conference Commissioners may decide that no further action is necessary, reschedule the conference, issue the client with a warning, encourage the client to enter into a Family Responsibilities Agreement (FRA), direct the client to relevant community support services or place the client on a Conditional Income Management (CIM) order.

Referrals
During the conferencing process Commissioners may decide to refer the client to support services such as:
•	Wellbeing Centres (WBCs) to address alcohol and/or drug misuse, gambling, domestic violence or social health related issues
•	Parenting Programs to assist in implementing good parenting practices
•	MPower, a money management program, to assist with budgeting and meeting priority financial needs
•	Student Case Managers (SCMs) to assist parents to ensure children attend school or
•	other appropriate support services.
Conditional income management
At conference, a decision may be made to issue a client with a CIM order. Due consideration is given firstly to the individual circumstances of the client and whether it may be more appropriate to take alternative action. Primarily CIM orders are issued to stabilise a client’s circumstances, particularly where children or other vulnerable people are concerned. CIM orders may also be made where a client fails to attend three scheduled conferences, is not complying with their agreement or order, or the Commission is continuing to receive additional notices in relation to their behaviour. CIM orders are issued for a defined period (normally 12 months) with the Commissioners determining whether 60, 75 or 90 percent of fortnightly welfare payments are managed. Commissioners may revoke a CIM order prior to the defined period should the client have demonstrated sufficient progress in addressing the issue/s which have brought them before the Commission. The client may then be encouraged to continue to attend service providers, or may elect to continue on an income management arrangement should they wish.
Notice of the CIM order is provided to Centrelink. Centrelink enacts the notice and meets with the client to discuss their priority needs and financial obligations such as rent and bills or utilities and allocates the remainder of funds to a BasicsCard for the purchase of food and other consumables. The client receives the remaining funds (40, 25 or 10 percent) as cash into their bank account. CIM orders are reviewed at the six and ten month point of the order. Some clients request extensions of the CIM order or a decrease of the percentage managed to ensure stability of their finances is maintained. Clients may also enter into a Voluntary Income Management (VIM) agreement to assist them to manage their budget and meet the costs of everyday essentials. Once a client comes off a CIM or VIM, they return to their prior arrangements with Centrelink in regard to their welfare payments.
Case management monitoring
Clients who enter into an agreement, or who are ordered to attend community support services are monitored by the Commission. Service providers are required to submit a monthly progress report by the fifth day of each month advising if the client has attended and engaged with the provider and the progress they are making towards achieving their goals. The Commission collaborates with service providers to maintain consistent reporting criteria, encourages each service provider to engage in a quality assurance process in regard to the quality of information provided and conducts information sessions and updates in the communities when required. Service providers are encouraged to attend conference proceedings in each welfare reform community and discuss the decision-making processes with the Commissioners.
Each agreement or order is monitored by the Commission for the period of the agreement or order. As a result of the progress reports received from service providers, clients are assessed to determine if they are fulfilling their obligations under the agreement or order. Together with local knowledge, additional information is sought from agencies and service providers where appropriate to decide upon the best course of action for the client.
It should be noted that the number of clients monitored during the case management phase includes those who are incarcerated, out of community, in hospital or on probation orders. Their circumstances are monitored to ensure that where change occurs, such as release from prison, they are supported on their return to the community.
Show cause notices
Where a client is suspected of not complying with their agreement or order, a preliminary review is conducted in regard to their attendance and engagement with service providers. Subsequent to reviewing the client’s compliance with the case plan, the Commissioners may request an update on the client’s current income management status. If the client is already on an existing income management order with a substantial amount of time remaining, the Commissioners may either elect to continue with the current income management order and review it at the six and ten month review periods, or may increase the percentage of income management. The client may also then continue to be conferenced throughout this period should new notices be received.
Where the Commissioners recommend proceeding to a show cause conference the client is ordered to attend before the Commission to explain their non-compliance. After due consideration and where considered appropriate, a CIM order may be made.
The complexity of client obligations requires comprehensive information sharing and cooperation between the Commission, service providers and associated agencies to ensure clients can realistically meet the requirements of their agreements or orders. Each show cause is therefore assessed on a case by case basis to ensure that clients are treated in a fair and just manner.
Applications to amend or end agreements or orders
Clients may submit an application to amend or end their agreement or order. Commissioners view the hearing of the applications as an opportunity to engage with clients. For some clients this may be their first conference attendance as the CIM order may have been invoked due to their non-attendance at two previous conferences. The client must provide reasons for seeking to amend or end their agreement or order and each application is considered on its own merit. When CIM orders are revoked clients are encouraged to continue to address any remaining challenges and to exercise personal responsibility in their lives.

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES COMMISSIONER
Commissioner David Glasgow AM
David Glasgow is a Solicitor and a former Queensland Magistrate. He was appointed the Commissioner on 25 May 2008 by then Premier Anna Bligh AC and has held this role continuously since then.
Deputy Commissioner Rodney (Rod) Curtin
Deputy Commissioner Rod Curtin was born and raised in Cairns and completed his secondary education at St Augustine’s College. He attained a Bachelor of Law degree through the Queensland University of Technology and was appointed a Barrister-at-Law to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia in 1987. Deputy Commissioner Curtin’s practice has been predominately in the jurisdictions of Family Law and Criminal Law. His experience has involved the conduct of circuits in the Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait regions for more than 25 years. Over the years he has been called on to conduct many seminars and training sessions for students at James Cook University, the Department of Education and Family Court counsellors on family law and domestic violence issues. Deputy Commissioner Curtin has also mentored young solicitors and field officers attached to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service.
Deputy Commissioner Curtin is passionate in the pursuit of access to justice services for Indigenous people. He advocates for the advancement of programs to provide better resources and achieve better outcomes for	Indigenous people who appear before the courts. Deputy Commissioner Curtin has been involved with the Cape York Peninsula Youth Justice Program and has been a strong advocate for Juvenile Justice issues. His service to the Indigenous communities has been acknowledged as dedicated and compassionate, having an in-depth knowledge of the cultural and social issues of people within those communities. Rod Curtin was appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner in July 2010 and advises that he thoroughly enjoys his role, the most rewarding aspect of which has been his association with the Local Commissioners. Their dedication and tireless persistence in striving toward creating a better community and setting a wonderful example for the next generation has been inspirational.
LOCAL COMMISSIONERS
Aurukun
Commissioner Edgar KERINDUN OAM (Sara Clan) was born and raised in Aurukun and is a traditional owner of the area. Aurukun Commissioner Kerindun was re-elected to the position of Aurukun Shire Councillor in the Local Government elections conducted on 19 March 2016 and has been appointed Deputy Mayor. Commissioner Kerindun previously held the position of Engagement Officer at Queensland Health until his election as a Councillor for the Aurukun Shire Council in 2012. On 26 January 2015 Aurukun Commissioner Kerindun was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his services to the community. He was one of the original Community Police Officers in Aurukun and continues to promote justice and rehabilitation for ex-offenders. Together with his partner, Aurukun Commissioner Doris Poonkamelya, they have in their care three children from their extended family. Aurukun Commissioner Kerindun has a strong belief that if you show respect to everyone, everyone will have more respect for you.

Commissioner Doris POONKAMELYA OAM (Putch Clan) was born at the Kendall River Outstation and her family moved to Aurukun when she was a child. Aurukun Commissioner Poonkamelya retired as a senior health worker from Queensland Health in 2009 where she worked for 29 years. On 26 January 2015 Aurukun Commissioner Poonkamelya was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community. On 19 March 2016 Commissioner Poonkamelya was elected as a Councillor for the Aurukun Shire Council. She is a founding member of the Aurukun Community Justice Group and is also deeply committed to education as the pathway to employment and a promising future for young people. As a carer for Child Safety Services, Aurukun Commissioner Poonkamelya believes in ensuring a safe environment for children to grow and mature.
Commissioner Ada Panawya WOOLLA OAM (Winchanum Clan) was born and raised in Aurukun, leaving the community to attend boarding school and later Cairns Business College. Commissioner Woolla was re-elected to the position of Councillor in the Aurukun Shire Council on 19 March 2016. Upon election to the position of Councillor for the Aurukun Shire Council in April 2012 she retired from her position as a Recognised Entity, where she worked to assist families and children in Aurukun.
In September 2014 Aurukun Commissioner Woolla was appointed to the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland. The Taskforce was established by the then Premier Campbell Newman and was chaired by the Honourable Quentin Bryce AD CVO, former Governor-General of Australia. On 26 January 2015 Aurukun Commissioner Woolla was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in

As the representative of her clan group she is involved in several committees and holds positions on a number of boards. Aurukun Commissioner Koomeeta’s experience assists in her ability to make independent and informed decisions as a Local Commissioner. When not working, she can be found spending time with her granddaughter, camping and fishing.
Commissioner Keri TAMWOY (Putch Clan) although born in Cairns has lived her entire life in Aurukun where she has raised her family. Commissioner Tamwoy is a qualified mediator and is currently running the mediation program in Aurukun. This program has been a huge success in bringing families together to resolve issues without resorting to violence.
Commissioner Tamwoy met her husband, Gerald Tamwoy, when they were 17 years old. They have now been married for 12 years and have six children.
Keri has previously worked as the Office Manager for the Aak Puul Ngantam ranger program and also as an Administration Officer in her husband’s business. Her current role as mediator is where her passion lies and she is extremely committed to supporting the Wik people of Aurukun and empowering them to grow and improve their community into the future. Keri enjoys fishing and camping when she can find the spare time, or just a quiet day at home watching movies with her two grandchildren.

Commissioner Garry Lloyd PORT OAM (Lama Lama / Kuku Yalanji / Ayapathu Clans) is from a well-respected Coen family and son of Barry Port, the famous Aboriginal police tracker. Coen Commissioner Port is a Justice of the Peace (Qualified). In February 2018 Local Commissioner Port commenced full-time employment as a Council Maintenance Worker for the Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council. He is heavily involved with supporting young people and also volunteers his time to junior sports development, providing guidance for young boys. On 26 January 2015 Coen Commissioner Port was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his services to the community.
Commissioner Elaine Louise LIDDY OAM (Lama Lama Clan) was born in Cairns. She is a fluent Umpithamu language speaker and has contributed to the dictionary of the Umpithamu language. Coen Commissioner Elaine Liddy has been pivotal in establishing the Lama Lama Rangers who live and work on the Lama Lama homelands of Port Stewart and is now a full-time Cultural Heritage Adviser Team Leader. She is a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) and is a highly respected leader of the Lama Lama Clan. On 26 January 2015 Coen Commissioner Liddy was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community. Coen Commissioner Elaine Liddy devotes her spare time to the care of her homelands, and to passing on tradition and culture to future generations.
	recognition of her services to the community. She is also a foster and kinship carer, an office bearer in the church, a founding Member of the Aurukun Community Justice Group, a respected mediator and community Elder. Aurukun Commissioner Woolla supports the education and training of young people and together with her husband, Aurukun Mayor Dereck Walpo, strives to improve opportunities for her community.
Commissioner Dorothy POOTCHEMUNKA (Winchanum / Aplach Clans) was born, raised and educated in Aurukun, and now has 10 children, 16 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Aurukun Commissioner Pootchemunka’s interests span the full spectrum of traditional activities including fishing, camping and the customary female craft of basket weaving using Pandanus and Cabbage Palm leaf. Her baskets are on display in national galleries in Australia and overseas. Aurukun Commissioner Pootchemunka is also a registered Wik interpreter and her expertise is utilised within the court system and also by the Department of Human Services. She views education as the key to employment and encourages all students to make the most of their education and training to enhance future job opportunities.
Commissioner Vera KOOMEETA OAM (Aplach Clan) was born in Aurukun and attended primary school in Aurukun. She continued her studies at PGC and Scots College in Warwick completing year 10, and then obtained a qualification in community teaching from Technical and Further Education in Cairns. On 19 March 2016 Aurukun Commissioner Koomeeta was re-elected to the position of Aurukun Shire Councillor in the Local Government elections. On 26 January 2015 Aurukun Commissioner Koomeeta was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community. She is a Justice of the Peace (Magistrates Court) and a registered interpreter as well as a member of the Aurukun Community Justice Group.

Coen
Commissioner Peter Pedro PETER OAM (Lama Lama Clan) is an Elder of great significance within the Lama Lama Clan and the wider community. Coen Commissioner Peter is a valued member of the Coen Men’s Group who pass on their skills and knowledge in leatherwork and woodwork to the younger men and produce goods for sale. He teaches the traditional art of carving spears and woomeras, as taught by his Elders, and passes on traditional wisdom. Coen Commissioner Peter is also a member of the Coen Justice Group whilst providing respect and leadership as a Local Commissioner. On 26 January 2015 Coen Commissioner Peter was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his services to the community.
Commissioner May Mary KEPPLE OAM (Wik-Munkan Clan) is a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) and the Recognised Entity for Child Safety in Coen. Coen Commissioner Kepple has had a variety of positions in retail and sales. She enjoys painting on canvas and previously managed the Wunthulpu Visitor Centre in Coen. As an accredited foster carer since 2007 she remains committed to the welfare of children, ensuring they receive opportunities for self-development and a bright future. From February 2014 Commissioner Kepple worked part-time with RAATSICC (Cape York/Gulf Remote Area Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Child Care) as a Community Recognised Entity, and is now working on an on-call basis with RAATSICC leading up to her retirement.
On 26 January 2015 Coen Commissioner Kepple was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community. Coen Commissioner Kepple spends her weekends on country with her daughter and grandchildren passing on culture and the ways of the Elders.

Commissioner Alison LIDDY (Lama Lama Clan) commenced with the Commission on 14 May 2015. Coen Commissioner Alison Liddy was born in Cairns and completed most of her schooling in North Queensland. Furthering her educational qualifications, Coen Commissioner Liddy attained a Certificate III in Indigenous Community Service and Primary Health Care. She has held many positions over the years, working in administrative roles as an Indigenous Health Worker with the Coen Primary Health Care Centre, Community Engagement Officer with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and Apunipima Cape York Health Council at the Coen Wellbeing Centre. Local Commissioner Alison Liddy is currently employed at the Yintjinnga Aboriginal Corporation and the Lama Lama Ranger Service. She is also a General Foster Carer. Working locally in Coen for many years and being involved in the community has enabled her to gain a broad understanding of the issues that affect those living in Coen. Her interest in becoming a Local Commissioner was inspired through her sister, Elaine Liddy, who has been a Coen Commissioner since the commencement of the Commission in 2008.
Commissioner Maureen LIDDY (Lama Lama Clan) also commenced with the Commission on 14 May 2015. Coen Commissioner Maureen Liddy has worked extensively with families and children across Cape York. Local Commissioner Liddy taught at a number of schools in the far north, including Bloomfield River State School where she became the Acting Principal. She was the Coen State School Principal for some five years and then was the Hope Vale State School Principal. For four years in Hope Vale she was seconded to DATSIP’s	

Cape York Strategy Unit as part of the Government Champions program where she coordinated the Negotiation Tables throughout Cape York between the communities and their Government Champions. She resigned as the Principal of Hope Vale State School and took on the role of Transition Officer for the Department of Education, assisting in moving children from primary schools to secondary schooling, and even further education.
In 2010 Coen Commissioner Liddy resigned again from active teaching and took up an appointment with Cape York Partnership as a manager involved with the academy schools and teachers, helping them to become familiar with and proficient in direct instruction teaching. In 2013 she began working for the RFDS in Coen as a Community Development Officer and in 2015 moved to the position of Services Coordinator. On 1 April 2017 Coen Commissioner Liddy’s position transitioned from the RFDS to the Apunipima Cape York Health Council as Team Leader.
She holds a Graduate Diploma in Education and is a member of: the Coen Justice Group; the local Sports and Recreation Association; and the Advisory Committee to the Cook Shire Council, advising on Aboriginal needs and concerns. Coen Commissioner Maureen Liddy’s personal interests include spending time with her family, camping, fishing, reading, four wheel driving and meeting people.
Doomadgee
Commissioner Christopher LOGAN (Garrawa Ghuthaarn Clan) was born in Normanton and educated at Normanton State School to year 10 after which he moved to Doomadgee. Doomadgee Commissioner Logan is married to Eleanor Logan, herself a Local Commissioner, and together they have had three children of their own, raised another two from a young age, and provided foster care for many more. Christopher’s	working life has included employment as a stockman, carpenter, Community Police Officer, a storeman at the Doomadgee Aboriginal Community Council and work at the Doomadgee retail store. He was a Councillor from 1992 to 1994 with the Doomadgee Aboriginal Community Council and the Deputy Mayor from 2008 to 2012. He has also driven trucks and has run the night patrol for the Doomadgee community. For many years Doomadgee Commissioner Logan was involved with the State Emergency Service and was second in charge. His strong belief in education and the importance of children attending school every day led in 2013 to his commencement in the initial role of School Attendance Supervisor at the Doomadgee State School, working directly alongside the Doomadgee State School Principal. Local Commissioner Logan currently holds the position of Indigenous Education Leader at the Doomadgee State School. Doomadgee Commissioner Logan played Rugby League for the Doomadgee Dragons from 1989 to 2007, captaining the side from 1989 to 1994, and was the club chairperson from 2008 to 2014. He loves to spend his weekends taking his grandchildren out bush, camping, hunting and fishing.
Commissioner Elaine CAIRNS (Waanyi Lardil Clan) moved to Doomadgee from Mornington Island in 1969. She completed her junior education at Doomadgee State School before moving to Malanda to complete years 9 and 10. A mother of six, grandmother to 17 and great grandmother to six, Elaine has firm ties to several clans within the community and derives great joy from her extended family. A strong Indigenous woman, Local Commissioner Cairns worked as a cleaner and receptionist at the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council, served as Deputy Mayor from 2004 to 2007, acted as Mayor for six months in 2007 and was a Councillor from 2012 to 2016. Previously Doomadgee Commissioner Cairns spent one and a-half years as a chef at the	

Doomadgee Hospital and nine and a-half years as a Centrelink agent before becoming a Councillor. She has also been involved with the Indigenous Women’s Forum since 2004. In her capacity with the Forum she has travelled across Australia taking a stand against domestic violence towards Aboriginal women. Her view that strong Indigenous women can make a difference to the communities in which they live drives her ambition to contribute to building a better future for Doomadgee’s children. Currently Local Commissioner Elaine Cairns is employed at Save the Children with the Connected Beginnings Program where she works with community members to build resilience, develop culturally based activities and works with parents and carers to assist with early childhood development. Doomadgee Commissioner Cairns loves reading, gardening and spending time out bush, fishing and camping. As a hobby she also enjoys composing and writing poems and songs.
Commissioner Karen JUPITER (Gangalidda Clan) was born on Abingdon Downs Cattle Station and moved to Doomadgee where, apart from a stint in boarding school, she has lived her whole life. After completing a course in Business Administration, Karen worked at Department of Communities and the Doomadgee Hospital. She has also worked as a receptionist, a teacher aide at the local school and a Centrelink agent. During the 1990s she spent seven years as a Family Support Worker at the Women’s Shelter. From July 2009 to March 2013 Karen worked at the day care centre also as a Family Support Worker. Doomadgee Commissioner Jupiter has four children of her own and has been a foster carer for five others. She commenced as a School Attendance Officer in 2014, and believes that the best way forward for the future of Doomadgee’s children is through a quality education.
	Commissioner Kaylene O’KEEFE grew up in Mount Isa before moving to her parents’ home town of Doomadgee in 1990. Married to Dwayne O’Keefe since 2001, Doomadgee Commissioner O’Keefe is a mother to three daughters. Her past employment has included time working at the local store, in accounts at the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council and as a Family Support Worker with RAATSICC. Kaylene hopes that her role as a Local Commissioner with the Family Responsibilities Commission will enable her to play a significant part in improving outcomes for Doomadgee families. Doomadgee Commissioner O’Keefe enjoys camping, fishing and spending time with her family, in particular her young grandson.
Commissioner Eleanor LOGAN (Waanyi / Gangalidda Clans) grew up in Doomadgee, before moving to Banyo College in Brisbane to complete year 11. Eleanor continued to further her education, gaining a Certificate III and a Diploma of Children’s Services, and trained in the area of Aged Care Management. Recognising the need for a support network for young mothers in Doomadgee, Local Commissioner Logan was instrumental in forming a playgroup for young mums. She was a Councillor with the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council from 2008 to 2012. Married to fellow Local Commissioner Christopher Logan, she says family is her priority. She has fostered many children and is presently fostering two young boys. Eleanor is currently the Director of the Doomadgee Child Care Centre. When not working she enjoys camping, fishing and spending time with her 15 grandchildren.

Commissioner Guy DOUGLAS (Waanyi / Gangalidda Clans) has always lived in Doomadgee, apart from a year spent completing his education at Atherton High School. He has worked as an Aboriginal Health Worker, Senior Community Worker and Police Liaison Officer and is currently employed at Save the Children as a project worker for the Doomadgee Deadly Homes Program. In this role Local Commissioner Douglas provides education, support and referral to community members who are elderly and in need of assistance tidying up their homes and managing hygiene. Doomadgee Commissioner Douglas is married to Cecilia, is father to six children and they have one grandchild. Guy, along with his wife, has spent many years volunteering with young people in the community and as a leader of the local Brethren Church. When he is not busy coaching the local women’s softball team, ‘The Bushfires’, he likes nothing better than to go back out on country to hunt, fish and camp. Doomadgee Commissioner Douglas is a firm believer that education must begin at home from a young age to form a strong foundation for the future.
Hope Vale
Commissioner Victor Patrick GIBSON OAM (Binhthi / Bulcan Clans) worked as a Student Case Manager for Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy (CYAAA) in Hope Vale for three years until his retirement. He is the organiser of the Young Leadership Forum, encouraging young people to become the leaders of tomorrow. He is an active member of the Hope Vale Men’s Group again supporting the young and encouraging the role and merits of traditional or back-to-roots cultural and community activities. Local Commissioner Gibson has devoted much of his working career to Hope Vale, assisting to build up his community. In doing so he has served as Deputy Mayor and a Councillor.
	On 26 January 2015 Hope Vale Commissioner Gibson was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his services to his community. He remains a keen supporter of good governance with his particular concern of making sure there is a place for young people in leadership and governance roles.
Commissioner Doreen HART OAM (Binhthi / Bulcan Clans) currently holds the position of Team Leader/Service Provider with Apunipima Cape York Health Council. In 2015 she was selected as a Cape York representative for the 2015 Emerging Leaders Program hosted by Jawun, however health issues prevented her from completing the program. Her former roles include Engagement Officer for Cape York Empowered Communities Backbone Organisation, Community Development Officer with Living Change in the Wunan Foundation, Chief Executive Officer for the Apunipima Cape York Health Council and Housing Officer for the Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council. She is a Justice of the Peace (Qualified), and a member of both the Thurrbill Community Justice Group and the Local Advisory Group. On 26 January 2015 Hope Vale Commissioner Hart was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community.
Commissioner Cheryl Florence CANNON is a strong, determined and motivated Indigenous woman from Hope Vale. Hope Vale Commissioner Cannon loves the precious time she spends with her family and pottering around home tending to her garden. She has had a career in education across Cape York, teaching and in leadership roles within a number of schools. After a brief retirement, Hope Vale Commissioner Cannon’s commitment to education has her currently in the role of Indigenous Teacher Coordinator with Good to Great Schools Australia, working with Teacher Aides, upskilling them and assisting them towards a teaching career. Her role also involves

engaging community people to be more active within the school community, in addition to providing support for school attendance and incorporating cultural aspects within the school. She joined the Commission as a Local Commissioner in Hope Vale in August 2014, and thoroughly enjoys the experience. As a Local Commissioner, Cheryl’s vision and values run parallel to that of the wider community and she is willing to set in motion responsibilities that bring about change for the positive future of Hope Vale.
Commissioner Erica DEERAL (Gamaay / Waymbuurr Clans) holds the position of Administrative/Accounts Officer with the Hope Vale campus of CYAAA. She enjoys working at the school and seeing school attendance improve so that young children can obtain an education to better their futures. Prior to this Hope Vale Commissioner Deeral held administrative positions with the North Queensland Land Council and Cook Shire and Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Councils. She attended Hope Vale State School, Cairns West State School, Trinity Bay High School and the Cairns Business College. She is a traditional owner and a Director on the Hope Vale Congress Aboriginal Corporation. Hope Vale Commissioner Deeral is a mother to two sons and grandmother to four granddaughters and one grandson.
Commissioner Selina BOWEN is married to Ronald Bowen from the Thuupi / Dharrba Warra Clans of Hope Vale. Hope Vale Commissioner Bowen has two children and one adopted son from the many children that she and her husband cared for over the years while being kinship carers. Both of her sons graduated from Peace Lutheran College in 2013. Her daughter attended at the Coen Campus of CYAAA in 2015 and is currently at the Hope Vale Campus of CYAAA. Local Commissioner Bowen has lived in Hope Vale for the majority of her life, only leaving to

people and the women of her community to promote strong, healthy and supportive families. On weekends she likes to spend time with her nieces and nephews fishing, enjoying the natural beauty of the Daintree area, reading and particularly gardening at home.
Commissioner Karen GIBSON OAM (Kuku Nyungul / Kuku Yalanji Clans) was born and raised in the Mossman area. She is an artist whose work has gained increasing recognition and exposure. As an artist Mossman Gorge Commissioner Gibson also enjoys inspiring other artists to follow their dreams. Karen currently works with Cape York Partnership Empowered Communities as a Community Engagement Officer. She previously held the position of Cape York Empowered Communities Regional Coordinator where she was the Empowered Community Champion for the Mossman Gorge community. Mossman Gorge Commissioner Gibson is on the Board of Directors for the Cape York Girl Academy and previously held the positions of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of BBNAC. Other positions held include Board Member for the Cape York Land Council, Director of Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime Tours, Attendance Case Manager with Cape York Partnerships and Local Coordinator for the Family Responsibilities Commission, Mossman Gorge. On 26 January 2015 Mossman Gorge Commissioner Gibson was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community.	complete her secondary schooling in Brisbane where she graduated from Hendra High in Nunda. After leaving school her jobs have included being an Assistant Manager for the local food store and an agent for the Commonwealth Bank in Hope Vale. She has been working for Cape York Partnership since 2012 as a Parenting Consultant delivering the Triple P program. Hope Vale Commissioner Bowen feels good parenting is vitally important and she would like other parents to also enjoy the close relationship and respect from their teenagers that she has with her children. Hope Vale Commissioner Bowen commenced with the Commission on 14 May 2015 and on 19 March 2016 was elected to the position of Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Councillor in the Local Government elections.
Mossman Gorge
Commissioner Loretta SPRATT OAM (Olkola / Lama Lama Clans) was born on Thursday Island but spent her infant years in Coen and Hope Vale. She remained in Hope Vale throughout her childhood until her late teens when she met Nathan McLean, a young man visiting from Mossman Gorge. Commissioner Spratt later moved to the Gorge where she resided for many years with Nathan before buying a house and moving to Mossman in February 2018. Mossman Gorge Commissioner Spratt has previously worked in the areas of sport and recreation. She has completed a Certificate III in Horticulture, discovering her true passion in life, and is currently employed by Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation (BBNAC) propagating and using native plants and trees in landscaping.
On 26 January 2015 Mossman Gorge Commissioner Spratt was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the community. She has a keen interest in art and a love of reading, and continues to learn new skills to complement her Local Commissioner role in the community. Mossman Gorge Commissioner Spratt continues to work closely with young

Commissioner Karen SHUAN (Kuku Yalanji Clan) was born on 15 August 1972. As a Kuku Yalanji woman, she is a traditional owner of the Mossman area and has resided in Mossman all of her life. After completing year 11 at Mossman State High School, she gained a Certificate III in Tourism and a Certificate III in Business. Mossman Gorge Commissioner Shuan became increasingly involved in Aboriginal culture and concerns and joined BBNAC. Positions she has held at BBNAC include Secretary, Director, Vice Chairperson and tourism guide. Local Commissioner Shuan is presently the concierge/tour guide at the Mossman Gorge Centre, where she welcomes visitors to Country and provides cultural information to the many tourists who visit the area, as well as providing support to other Indigenous staff at the centre. She is also receiving training in management in her concierge role. As a custodian of the Kuku Yalanji culture she is recognised as a cultural leader and a skilled and passionate teacher of traditional dance. 
Today she leads the dance group for Mossman Gorge, Wabal Wabal Dance, in local performances which celebrate the culture of Cape York people through song and dance. The group has also performed in Cairns at professional engagements and at the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee week.	

Registrar Maxine McLeod
Maxine McLeod was appointed as the Registrar of the Family Responsibilities Commission on 22 January 2016, having acted as the Registrar/General Manager from 1 January 2015. Prior to this appointment Maxine was seconded to the Commission in November 2009 as the Registrar Support Officer. Upon the Commission migrating its human resource management and financial services in-house in 2012, Maxine was appointed as the HR and Policy Manager. In this role Maxine led the development and application of human resource and strategic/operational policies and procedures. In the role of Registrar Maxine is responsible for managing the registry and the administrative affairs of the Commission. A significant focus of the role includes the development and implementation of appropriate strategies to support the strategic capability of the Commission, introducing and implementing reforms and overseeing the operations of the registry.
Prior to joining the Commission Maxine was employed by DJAG for a 17 year period, the last four years of which she spent as the Regional Operations Manager for the State Reporting Bureau.
Having been born and raised in Asia, Maxine has a keen interest in travel, enjoys cooking and is an avid reader and fisherwoman.	SUPPORT STAFF
Local Coordinators
A Local Coordinator has been appointed for each of the welfare reform communities. The function of the Local Coordinators is to support, at the local level, the operations of the Commission in the welfare reform community areas.
The Local Coordinators are:

Aurukun:	Mr Bryce Coxall
Coen:	Ms Sandi Rye
	(Cairns based)
Doomadgee: 	Mr Robbie Hazeldine Hope Vale:	Mr Matt Thompson
Mossman Gorge:	Ms Sandi Rye
	(Cairns based)

The Cairns central registry
A central registry office has been established in Cairns to provide administrative and logistical support to the Commissioners and Local Coordinators in community by ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the Commission. The Cairns central registry is comprised of 13 employees:
•	Commissioner
•	Registrar
•	Finance Manager
•	Client Manager
•	Senior Advisor (Statistics and Research)
•	ICT Administrator
•	Finance Officer
•	Information Officers
•	Senior Case Management – Administration Officer
•	Administration Officers.	

Welfare Reform Community Consultations
The strategic partners in Welfare Reform, the Queensland Government, Australian Government and the Institute, are gathering information to inform a decision as to whether to continue with Welfare Reform and the FRC in their current state, whether to discontinue both, or whether an evolution of the concept should be carried forward to work on gains achieved to date in the welfare reform communities. Consultations were conducted by the partners in each of the communities commencing from 21 March 2018 to determine what benefits were attributable to Welfare Reform and the operations of the Commission, what disadvantages (if any) had occurred, what had not been achieved, an assessment or investigation as to why, and what the needs of each community were going forward. DATSIP has been tasked with producing a final report on the findings of the partners. It is anticipated that this report will inform the future of the Commission, and its Local Commissioners.
The community consultations, initially planned for the 2017 calendar year, were delayed by the timing of the Queensland State election. The consultations with the Local Commissioners occurred in each community over a period of one to two hours, and in the absence of the Commissioner. Local Commissioners in each community asked for the discussions to be recorded. Transcripts have been prepared at their request by the Commission and copies have been provided to each of the strategic partners on the express authority of the Local Commissioners. 
As it is unlikely that the report and recommendations will be finalised prior to the end of this 2017-18 financial year, at the request of the Local Commissioners the Commission would like to publish some comments from them expressed during their direct consultations. These comments are a brief snapshot of their discussions, and will provide the reader with an insight into their views, the importance they place on their roles, how they perform their functions, how they assess the wellbeing of their communities, and their hopes for the future.
“It’s a bit like someone comes in with a little cut on their finger. Well, automatically we give them a bandage, but if it’s a cut that’s looking very serious you would say to them, ‘you better go see the doctor’. Then the doctor may have a look at that cut and say, ‘Oh, he might need surgery’, so you go to the surgeon.”
“They have the needle but no thread to sew.”
“We need good leaders so they can develop good followers. Then those good followers can become good leaders. I’ve always said to people, ‘If you want to be a good leader, a positive leader, talk to people. Talk to them, and when you walk in the lead and you look back and see plenty of people walking with you, you don’t say that you’re the leader of all those people. You just say you’re a good educator because all of the mob behind you are leaders themselves”.
Doomadgee Commissioner Chris Logan

“From the time that the FRC landed in community – just before that we had a lot of ups and downs, you know, like out in the street. Just out here they might be drinking and so forth, you know, but for now, seeing – that’s how I can describe it. It is working, and the proof is in the – I suppose the – what we see around us, you know.”
“So it’s a unique body. And it’s a unique design in how – how fire - you fight fire with fire, so to speak, you know”.
“I think that we need to be reminded that Welfare Reform has made a difference, and Welfare Reform is a vision of leaders in community. It wasn’t created from the top down; it was created from the bottom up.”
Mossman Gorge Commissioner Karen Gibson, OAM

“Well we’re only here for one thing; to make our community strong; to make sure they understand what’s right or wrong; and to support each other as Local Commissioners. We’re already a leader. We’re somebody to them.”
Mossman Gorge Commissioner Karen Shuan

“Before Welfare Reform came in people would struggle to buy food and that, because at that time we had - the tavern down the road was open, you know, because most parents were in there spending their money on grog and not buying food. Welfare Reform came in to Aurukun in 2008. It changed a lot of peoples’ lives.”
Aurukun Commissioner Ada Woolla, OAM

“Even though you might take this away from us … we’re going to still be here. This is our community, and like I said, I am so tired of my community being a big laboratory … we’re people with heartbeats, blood in our veins, and I’ve seen the bloodshed of my people. And now, I believe that Aurukun is in a good place at the moment. Yes, this community has its ups and downs, its problems, but I believe it’s in a good place – and that’s all I’d like to say.”
Aurukun Commissioner Keri Tamwoy

“I just say it does give our community people the understanding that a conversation with the Commissioners, as Elders, can be of great benefit to them. And together we have brought understanding that problems can be mediated and resolved without always using force, threats or any violence.”
“Two major things that we want to achieve within our community are: our children - give our children a good start in life; and work with government. And most of all, work to keep our community as clean as possible…we want tourists to pull up and say, you know, ‘What a beautiful community’. We’ve got to take pride in our community, and we want to continue doing this.”
But anyway, we thank you guys for being here. But one thing we need you to take away: the continuation of this program, it’s not about us. It’s about us, what we want to do for our community and for our children.”
Hope Vale Commissioner Victor Gibson, OAM
“In the community we definitely need a group of Elders, for people to refer to, to come to, yeah. Without that I don’t know; they’ll probably still come to us but we won’t be in our roles, you know, we’ll have other things to do. When we’re here, we’re committed to be Commissioners.”
Hope Vale Commissioner Cheryl Cannon
“What I would like to change – if we could bring in those clients who are not on welfare - that would give us an opportunity to talk to parents mainly in relation to education and schooling. I would like to see the FRC continue as I think there is a lot more we can do.”
Coen Commissioner Garry Port, OAM

The Commissioner absented himself for all these discussions. Commission staff recorded the events at the request of Local Commissioners and with the consent of all participating parties, and provided introductions, advice on community protocols and necessary housekeeping.

They never gave up on me
For many years now I have been coming before the Commissioners because my children have not been attending school regularly. I felt shame, frustration and anger walking into the office in front of my family and others. They knew that I was seeing the Commissioners because my children’s school attendance was not good. I also knew that I needed to get my children to school, but just didn’t know how I was going to get them there. I wondered what these Commissioners were going to do that I couldn’t do for myself, and how they could possibly help me.
Over the years I have missed a lot of conferences, and only now I can see that I was missing out on a lot of help that could have been provided to me and my children. Just over a year ago I had a conference with the Commissioners and for some reason my idea of why they were here changed. I could now see that they were not only here to ensure that the children were going to school, but they genuinely wanted to help me. This change in my thoughts helped me to engage with them and use their ability to help me.
My children had already missed a lot of school, and I was always protecting them and making excuses for them. With the help of the Commissioners I started to understand that I needed to take control of my children and be the parent. The Commissioners asked me to complete a parenting program to help me get some new ways of tackling this school attendance problem with my children. I successfully completed the parenting program which definitely helped me to take action. I stopped listening to my children’s excuses. The Commissioners then supported me to talk with the school in regard to the children’s school attendance. I now have both children back in school attending regularly and couldn’t be happier.
I now look at the Commissioners in a different light, and find that I can come to conference without the feeling of shame, frustration and anger. I am glad that they persisted with me and kept asking me to come to conference because if they had lost faith in me, my children may still be sitting at home and not getting an education.

Aurukun Commissioners’ report
Commissioner Keri Tamwoy joined our team in January this year and has fitted in very well, offering a new voice and providing fresh ideas on how we might engage with our clients to empower them to seek a better future.
To begin our new year we conferenced 69 clients in the first conference of 2018, all on School Attendance notices. This cohort of parents represented over 60 percent of the student population at the Aurukun State School. It was important to us to do this as we wanted to support the school to achieve the strongest possible start for the year. It was rewarding for us as Local Commissioners for this to be acknowledged by the school staff who expressed in an interagency meeting that the FRC was instrumental in the strong start to the school year.
The school’s Student Attendance Officer (SAO) team, which is made up of five community members, has been a huge success in 2018 and they have recently undertaken training to further strengthen their skills. Regular meetings are held between Commissioners and the SAO team to learn from each other and to work together for a stronger community. We as Aurukun Commissioners have shown our 100 percent support to the SAO’s, and we have asked them to identify families who are not engaging with them or who are being abusive, so that we can see if they can be conferenced under a more formal process. Aurukun State School has a very positive feel in 2018 and the large number of parents in the school grounds is a direct indicator of the success the school is currently having. Consistent bus runs and community engagement beginning at 7:30 every morning have been very productive and instrumental in the strong start to the school year. The school has made it compulsory for each of their Leadership Team to assist on the bus runs one morning per week. This is a great initiative as it’s all about building relationships in our community, and the bus runs provide a very positive way for the school staff and community to interact.
We are happy to see that school attendance as a whole is being addressed by all services across Aurukun, and we attribute this success to the regular interagency meetings we are attending. The interagency meetings have strengthened relationships between service providers, making it clear that school attendance is a community wide issue, not just a concern for the school or the FRC. It is hoped that all of these efforts will lift school attendance as we feel there is still a long way to go.
The school has put a huge effort into assisting children to return to boarding school. This builds upon the work by the O-Hub who provided a vital support in assisting families to link in with ABSTUDY and the Transition Support Service while other services were closed over the January period. In the first week of the 2018 school year over 50 Aurukun students left community for boarding school, with more children leaving every week as this work continues. These children are the future of our community and it is exciting for us to see the highest ever number of Aurukun students enrolled at boarding school.

The work performed by the Wik Mungkan Information Knowledge Centre (IKC) has been another success for Aurukun. The State Government provided a $28,000 subsidy towards the $120,000 refurbishment by the Aurukun Shire Council. The government, through the State Library of Queensland, funds and facilitates the centre with the Aurukun Shire Council providing management and staff. The centre provides a flexible learning program for children who have been disengaged from school for a long time. Students are attending the IKC and using it as a platform to transition back into school.
We Local Commissioners would also like to recognise the excellent work of the mediation team here in Aurukun. Over the last few months they have resolved many community conflicts that would normally turn to violence. The mediation process is now recognised as a way to resolve family issues and it is exciting for us to see families approaching the mediators for support well before violence and fighting has begun, which in the past was the way families dealt with these issues.
Staff at the Aurukun Wellbeing Centre which is now operated by Apunipima Cape York Health Council have worked tirelessly, however, a shortage of staff has restricted them from operating at their full capacity and this has affected our clients. They continue to be in regular contact with us though, and are doing better every day. They are offering some great support programs and we are keen to see our community members increase engagement with them.
Overcrowding in houses continues to place a lot of pressure on families, but it is exciting to see all the construction currently taking place. Over 30 new homes were completed in Aurukun in the last financial year, and there are plenty more in the building process. These new houses will really lift the spirits of families and take the pressure off overcrowded households, which will result in better living conditions, less domestic violence and a safer place for our children to grow.
The O-Hub (Opportunity Hub) continues to be one of the busiest services in the community. The Aurukun people are taking full advantage of the support offered including the Parenting Program which works one-on-one with families to support them. We are seeing all referred clients engaging well.
In 2017 there was little to no Centrelink support for Aurukun, which made it extremely difficult for community members to manage their finances and take advantage of payments they were entitled to. This workload was pushed onto other services and not completed to a satisfactory level. Recently Cape York Employment (CYE) has taken on the contract for the Centrelink office in Aurukun and in a short period of time this has proven to be a huge success. We look forward to the continuation of this service by CYE providing support to our community members.

The large police contingent in Aurukun continues to strengthen our community on a daily basis. We believe it has created a safer Aurukun. The police have been instrumental in almost stopping the sly grog market, with very little sign of alcohol entering our community. They have also seized some large quantities of illicit drugs which would have found their way into the hands of community members. We would like to thank the Queensland Police Service for their continued support.
The 2018 year has seen us taking more responsibility and authority in the running of our own FRC conferences without the presence of Commissioner Glasgow. Commissioner Glasgow has empowered us over the years to take this responsibility and we enjoy taking on this role. This is our community, and our clients seem to respond very well to us holding conferences on our own. They are now showing us the respect that we have worked so hard to earn from our community.

“I believe that unless Indigenous people remember and explain our past, our ways and our history, you will not understand how we think today. That knowledge is a must if we are to move forward into a real future together.”
Aurukun Commissioner Ada Woolla, OAM

Aurukun Commissioners Edgar Kerindun, Doris Poonkamelya, Ada Woolla, Dorothy Pootchemunka, Vera Koomeeta and Keri Tamwoy.

Doomadgee Commissioners’ report
As stated in previous annual reports, we firmly believe that children are the future of our Doomadgee community, and we are passionate about ensuring that every child is given the opportunity to receive a quality education. We feel strongly that income management is a tool that supports the continued drive to improve school attendance in Doomadgee. At the end of this financial year there were 49 clients on Conditional Income Management and we have seen first-hand the improved school attendance and living standards that community members on the BasicsCard enjoy. Some of the improvements we have observed include children bringing snacks and lunches to school, children sporting new clothes, clients reporting a reduction in alcohol consumption and a decrease in gambling.
Many clients attend our office during conferencing and throughout the week to request support for a range of matters. We feel this reflects the growing trust and mutual respect between ourselves as Local Commissioners and community members, and we continue to build upon that foundation. Conference attendance rates have increased from 66.4 percent during the last quarter of the 2016-17 financial year to 79.1 percent during the last quarter of this financial year and clients have told us that they feel safe and supported in the conferencing environment. This year has seen us start to conduct conferences without Deputy Commissioner Curtin’s presence. Based on attendance and feedback received, it is clear that empowering us to conduct our conferences alone is a positive move.
The FRC has now been operating in Doomadgee for four years. Many of the clients who were the first to attend the FRC have continued to maintain positive change in their lives and within their families. A number of children have moved on to boarding school, and many of our clients have received assistance through our referrals to support services and appear to be taking a far more proactive role in the welfare of their children.
We have identified many issues which must be tackled in order to further improve school attendance. Some of these issues include conflict between families, fighting, sorry business, poverty, isolation, domestic violence and a lack of community leadership. Thanks to the efforts of Deputy Commissioner Curtin and Local Coordinator Robbie Hazeldine, My Pathway participants are now able to conduct their required weekly 20 hours of activity at the school. The time spent in the classroom is invaluable in assisting with a range of problems such as behavioural issues and preventing children from leaving the classroom. The presence of parents provides additional support to the teachers and teacher-aides, and importantly strengthens the relationship between the school and the community.
During the year we have continued to refer clients to support services including the North and West Remote Health (NWRH) Wellbeing Centre for counselling, Save the Children for parenting assistance, and Deadly Doomadgee Homes for support in the wellbeing of the family in the home environment. Clients may also be referred to the Aboriginal Health Clinic as part of the Doomadgee Community Health Service where they have access to a mental health nurse and alcohol and other drug services. It should be mentioned that despite the availability of these services, we still feel disheartened by many clients who report they have received little or no contact from the services. We see this as a work in progress and feel the overall goal of empowering our community members for a stronger, smarter Doomadgee is being compromised by the perceived lack of effort to support people in need of help.

Doomadgee State School overall attendance increased from 58.9 percent in term 1 2017 to 62.6 percent in term 1 2018. Unfortunately secondary school attendance remains a challenge. There is little to no support for this age group in Doomadgee. The Youth Hub only caters for young people aged 16 to 25, and the Police-Citizens Youth Club has had to cease operations due to the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council Board not extending its lease. There is no Transition Support Service (TSS) to assist students and their families to navigate the difficult application process required for a child to attend boarding school. We believe that at least one full-time TSS officer is required in the community, particularly given that Doomadgee State School provides an education up to Year 10 only. With our support the FRC Local Coordinator has been spending around 10 hours per week to assist Doomadgee families to complete applications and collect the documentation required to enrol at and attend college/boarding schools. We believe that it is largely through our work with the Doomadgee community over the past year that the number of children now attending colleges and boarding schools has increased from less than 20, to more than 40. This highlights that parents and carers now have an acceptance and understanding of the importance of education continuing beyond year 10.
School attendance for some families who are not within the jurisdiction of the FRC has been extremely low and has had a significant impact on the overall attendance percentages. We believe this is due to our inability to conference those parents and/or carers who are not receiving a welfare payment. This year we have worked closely with the School Attendance Officers (SAOs) to target particular cases of chronic truancy and work on individual case plans to encourage these young people back to school. Some of the initiatives that have been implemented through these meetings include regular open days to invite community members into the school, and a career day to educate parents, carers and students on the pathways to various employment opportunities. The SAOs acknowledge the valuable role the FRC plays in encouraging the involvement of parents and carers in their child’s learning journey.
The new look Indigenous Education Worker (IEW) team is working closely with the teachers and Indigenous Education Leader (Local Commissioner Chris Logan) to build on existing communication skills and refine their delivery methods in the classroom. Their strategies are having a positive impact and have resulted in a decline in reported behavioural offences. Commissioner Logan has achieved a great level of success in his role as the Indigenous Education Leader, demonstrating high expectations of his own grandchildren’s behaviour and attendance, and mentoring other IEWs to lead by example. 
Sorry business has again had a significant impact on school attendance. Sorry business also affects the attendance of FRC clients at conference, and the success of the visiting services such as medical specialists and dentists. Although we support community members taking time to mourn the passing of loved ones, we believe that clear guidelines for the management of sorry business need to be implemented for the community. This would assist families to identify when it is acceptable or not for children to miss school, assist services to avoid confusion around opening hours and enable medical specialists to provide valuable eye and ear treatment for school children.
During the year there have been fewer visits by Centrelink and the Income Management Team. This has affected the efficiency of clients transitioning to the BasicsCard, and has resulted in some confusion among clients requiring support in familiarising themselves with the use of the card.

There have been positive developments in the community with the completion of the airport project, the construction of nine new community houses and new buildings to accommodate services. There has also been a great deal of work done as part of the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council’s beautification project.
In May we were given a wonderful opportunity to network, share stories and build on existing relationships when we all attended the Local Commissioner Development Week held in Cairns. We took part in leadership training and consultations with DATSIP who then visited our community in June to conduct consultations with the Doomadgee service providers and community members on the future of Welfare Reform and the FRC.
We are excited at the prospect of continuing our work in supporting the community to achieve successful educational outcomes. We believe that it is important for us to continue to have the BasicsCard as a tool that can be used to shape our community’s views on education, and improve the overall living standards of community members. There are several stories of success as a result of the BasicsCard. Some clients have significantly improved the attendance of their children at school and have turned their lives around. In other cases clients have opted to remain on the card to assist them to manage budgets and plan for future household purchases. It is these positive stories that strengthen our resolve to persist with our hard work and we believe that with the support of the FRC, the community of Doomadgee will continue to achieve positive results, now and in the future.

Doomadgee Commissioners Christopher Logan, Elaine Cairns, Karen Jupiter, Kaylene O’Keefe, Eleanor Logan and Guy Douglas.

Coen Commissioners’ report
As another year passes, we take this opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been achieved in our community. We can advise that Coen children attend school regularly; service providers report positive outcomes in their work with community members; the upgrade of the local football facilities has commenced; and the construction of two new teacher residences has been completed. In addition, on 6 March 2018 the new Coen Women’s Support Centre, Kiincha Ukulngumka, was officially opened by Government Champion Katarina Carroll. The Centre, run by the Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation, is an emergency shelter for women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence.
In this past year we have received notification of 24 domestic violence orders and 12 domestic violence breaches in Coen. We believe that overcrowding caused by a shortage of housing in the community is the root cause of a significant number of those domestic violence (DV) incidents. We are committed to helping to address this situation by referring clients to the Wellbeing Centre (WBC) for DV programs, following up on client applications for housing, and volunteering at the Women’s Support Centre.
Each year in our annual report we have highlighted the importance of working collaboratively with all stakeholders (those within the community and visiting services) to ensure open and effective communication. Working on partnerships and breaking down barriers to ensure the community’s needs are met, and our people receive quality service, continues to be a significant part of our role. We consistently work closely with the Coen Campus of CYAAA to address absence and behaviour matters, and with the WBC and Cape York Partnership to support mutual clients. We would especially like to extend our thanks to the Coen Police who assist in delivering notices to FRC clients who have been scheduled to attend conference with us.
Apunipima Cape York Health Council has now been servicing the WBC in Coen since April 2017. The team’s unwavering commitment is recognised and appreciated by all service users. The WBC delivers programs in response to specific community requirements, making it easy for us as Local Commissioners to refer clients to appropriate programs. Attendance is good, with the Men’s Group currently recording thirty community members. On occasion we have found that our clients have already engaged with the WBC staff prior to attending conference, whilst for others a firm word at conference can assist them to make that connection.
We continue to take great pride in the school attendance rate in Coen with term 1 2018 recording an outstanding attendance of 93 percent. Our community consistently records high attendance at school with absences generally being as a result of families taking their children out of school to accompany parents on family medical support visits to Cairns, training for parental work purposes, or travelling out of community for funerals. CYAAA Principal Monica Hurrell reported:

“Families in Coen communicate well in relation to school absences by following up with medical certificates or requesting work for students. This is a direct result of the commitment of the Local Commissioners.”

One area of concern that we feel needs further attention is the lack of resources to assist our students in completing applications and preparing for boarding school. We note that TSS do assist students and families in Coen with boarding applications, however, we feel that it would be helpful if TSS had earlier and more consistent communication with the community in regard to their expected visits and the timelines required to remit applications. A whole community effort is needed to coordinate successful school transitions. We are expecting an increase in the number of students transitioning to boarding in 2019, and assisting parents and carers to complete the lengthy and complex applications is placing pressure on local services. Of further concern is the lack of services to address drug and alcohol issues. This is problematic for us as DV incidents in the community are often fueled by alcohol, and whilst short term support is available there are no resources for long term clinical rehabilitation. We would like to see services to specifically address the issue of chronic substance misuse made available in Coen.
In a further success for the Aboriginal people of Coen, a consistent push over many years by Commissioner May Kepple and her sister Marilyn has finally borne fruit. In 2016 funding was granted to the Moompa-Awu Aboriginal Corporation (Moompa-Awu AC) to commence the ‘Healthy Country Plan’ on Merepah Station. Moompa-Awu AC is supported by the Indigenous Land Corporation to ensure the ‘Healthy Country Plan’ is actioned. The corporation now has a fully functioning Board of Directors of which Marilyn Kepple is Chair and Commissioner May Kepple is one of eight Directors. Their vision is simple - caring for family to create a better future through employment and healthy outcomes on country. The foundations have been laid and their journey has just begun.
We have seen our community come a long way over the past ten years through Welfare Reform. There have been many successes and quite a few challenges along the way. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our focus on the education and employment of future generations.

Coen Commissioners Peter Peter, May Kepple, Garry Port, Elaine Liddy, Alison Liddy and Maureen Liddy.

Hope Vale Commissioners’ report
We started this year hoping to change the perception of coming to the FRC from a negative experience to a more positive experience, and hoping to play a greater part in making Hope Vale a better place to live. Hope Vale is a community that is maturing and making good progress in managing its own affairs. We are continuing to see steady school attendance (though not as high as we would like) and a better emphasis on service delivery in the community. For us Local Commissioners it has been a challenging but rewarding year.
In the past 12 months we have managed to conduct over 90 percent of Hope Vale’s FRC conferences ourselves without Commissioner Glasgow being present. This independence has given us great confidence going forward. We have also managed to increase the client attendance rate for conference this year; something that makes us proud of our hard work.
One of the major challenges this year has been a spate of break-ins by disengaged youth in Hope Vale. As Local Commissioners we are keen to help tackle this problem, but we were unable to get details from the Queensland Police Service as all of the children were under the age of 18. Instead we have attended a number of community meetings and held workshops to see how we can work with other services to tackle this problem. We have also met with Cooktown State School and Holy Spirit College in Cooktown as a number of children had become disengaged from education. We wanted to work with the schools to see how we could help get children re-engaged, or better still, help them before they became totally disengaged. So far break-in numbers have declined and a number of services have begun targeting the youth as a community initiative to keep them busy and off the streets. Apunipima Cape York Health Council (Apunipima) is in the process of setting up workshops and youth camps. They have also taken on the responsibility of engaging with children who have been suspended from school. Apunipima is endeavouring to keep the children occupied whilst they are suspended instead of roaming the streets.
We began the 2018 year with a focus on helping the Hope Vale campus of CYAAA improve school attendance. In doing so we have conferenced a number of clients whose children had poor attendance in 2017. This initiative was aimed at setting a good standard of school attendance right from the start of the school year. A number of meetings were held in the first three weeks of term and information was shared between the school and the FRC about school attendance and which of our clients required assistance in getting their children to school. We have also joined the school’s Adopt-a-Class Program and are helping our class by supporting achievements such as 100 percent attendance and good behaviour.
In mid-2017 the school underwent a management restructure with a new CYAAA Executive Principal, Principal and curriculum staff. This has been a relatively smooth transition and the behaviour and attendance at the school have remained steady. The school has two local Case Managers, one of whom is Local Commissioner Cheryl Cannon. Having a Hope Vale Commissioner working as a Case Manager has really assisted us in tackling the issue of school attendance. One of the downfalls for the Case Managers over the past 12 months has been the lack of access to a vehicle to use to visit families of truant children, however the Case Managers are hopeful this will soon change.
This year Apunipima has the contract for mental health services in Hope Vale, and has so far made a positive start in this area. A new youth worker who is from Hope Vale is also making some proactive changes and has more activities planned for the community’s youth. Apunipima has also attended community meetings and employed more local Indigenous staff in an effort to better identify community issues and work out on-the-ground practical solutions. The referral pathway for FRC clients affected by domestic violence has worked well, and the cohesive working relationship between Apunipima and the FRC has been a real achievement during 2018.

This year we have been unsure if the FRC will continue in Hope Vale, after having been advised of a review of Welfare Reform including the Commission. We have been made aware that there is a possibility that our Hope Vale office could even close this year as a result of the review. This has caused great angst not only for us Local Commissioners, but also for community members who understand that the FRC is here to help keep the onus of responsibility on the community. Although the uncertainty has been very stressful it was heartening to hear at the community consultation held in Hope Vale a number of our clients speaking up about how much the FRC has helped them, and how they felt they wouldn’t be where they are today if not for the help of the Commissioners.
2018 has not been the easiest year for us in our roles as Local Commissioners with the knowledge that it could be our last, but a quote from Hope Vale Commissioner Victor Gibson when speaking to representatives from the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships at both the Hope Vale consultations and the recent Local Commissioner Development Week in Cairns best sums up what we, as Hope Vale Commissioners, are about:

“One thing we need you to take away - the continuation of this program - it’s not about us. It’s about us - what we want to do for our community and for our children.”

Hope Vale Commissioners Victor Gibson, Doreen Hart, Erica Deeral, Cheryl Cannon and Selina Bowen.

Mossman Gorge Commissioners’ report
This year – our tenth as Local Commissioners in Mossman Gorge – has been spent guiding and supporting our mob toward self-determination and better health. We have sought to ensure that education is a priority for our children in order to provide better employment opportunities for a sustainable future.
At present there is a dark cloud that hangs over our heads. This cloud has been caused by the uncertainty around our future as Local Commissioners. It seems the leaders of our nation have made some decisions for our people despite never having set foot on our country. This has made us very unhappy. We consider our role is vital to encouraging our mob to continue on the road to wellbeing and responsibility. In spite of the cloud hanging over us, we intend to continue to encourage our community members on that road until we are no longer able to do so.
Mossman Gorge community has seen many improvements over the past 12 months with home renovations and the start of a major civil works upgrade project. The ‘Kickstart Community Infrastructure Upgrade’ includes roads, water, sewerage reticulation, stormwater drainage and service relocations. The project has been funded mainly by the Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet with further contributions from the Queensland Government Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and the Department of Housing and Public Works. The program has provided training and employment opportunities for community members and aims to improve municipal infrastructure and create individual lots at Mossman Gorge to enable home ownership.
In April 2017 Apunipima Cape York Health Council (Apunipima) took over the operation of the Wellbeing Centre (WBC) from the Royal Flying Doctor Service and began servicing the community. It has been a long, hard road for Apunipima staff working to gain the acceptance and trust of community members. A lack of qualified counsellors to support local staff members has made this task even harder. Good news came in June 2018 with the appointment of a new female counsellor. We are hopeful that a male counsellor specialising in substance misuse will also be employed in the near future to fill this gap in service.
The Queensland Health Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATODS) group therapy and individual counselling services have not been operating in the community during 2018, leaving a further gap in service where there is a high demand. Unfortunately, it is a lack of support services available for clients that has led to a reduction in the number of case plan referrals to the WBC over the past year with only six referrals for this financial year compared to 20 for the prior financial year. In addition to the WBC, the Apunipima medical clinic has provided crucial support for parents, offering information and awareness in relation to common health problems including scabies which is associated with school absences. As Local Commissioners we encourage community members to attend the clinic for help when required.
Cape York Partnership (CYP) MPower referrals (five this year) have remained largely consistent with last year. We have found that most clients who have been referred in the past are still engaging in some manner with the service. Unfortunately we are seeing an end to the CYP Strong Families Parenting Program in Mossman Gorge, but we look forward to the replacement Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services to be provided through the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women.
Primary school attendance for Mossman State School has increased from 72.4 percent in term 2 2017 to 82.5 percent in term 2 2018 for Mossman Gorge identified students. Unfortunately high school attendance remains problematical with enrolments of FRC Mossman Gorge identified students reducing at the school over the 2018 school year. At the beginning of term 1 2018 the Commission was advised that there were six pupils whom the Commission identified as Mossman Gorge students enrolled at the Mossman State High School. By term 2 the number of students had reduced to four, with students disengaging and some students reaching the non-compulsory school age of 16 years. We can report that the school’s Community Education Counsellor has been engaging well with families to improve school attendance.
Mossman State High School was funded for an Indigenous Pathway Support Program in 2018. The program targets mostly disengaged students in years 10 to 12 to support a pathway towards achieving a Queensland Certificate of Education. Although the program is offered to Mossman Gorge students, and those in the wider area of Mossman who are in years 10 to 12, the program coordinator is flexible in engaging students from lower grades. We have been collaborating with the program coordinator and parents of students to assist with engagement and attendance in the program as we see great value in it.
A matter of continuing concern to us, and one which we have repeatedly raised in our Local Commissioner year in review articles, is that of visitors to Mossman Gorge who are disrespectful of our community values, engage in loud parties and drink alcohol on premises that are dry houses. Their actions compromise the tenants occupying the houses which they visit who say they have little if any control over their actions. We have asked time and again for assistance in gaining some authority over these temporary guests in order to support our own mob.
Notices related to domestic violence orders and domestic violence breaches have increased over the past two years from 21 in 2016-17 to 33 in 2017-18. These matters range from low to high levels of violence and are addressed in conference. Unfortunately there are limited domestic violence support services available and we have therefore requested that these clients engage with the Men’s Groups in Mossman Gorge and Mossman. In September 2017 Mossman police advised that domestic violence incidents in the region, when looking at the number of incidents per head of population, were significantly high and on par with Aurukun. They reported a number of contributing factors including increased reporting due to improved relations between the police and community, and being in a tourist area which can contribute to domestic violence incidents. Each year we continue to support the White Ribbon event in Mossman, and this year we sponsored bottled water for the attendees of the event.
The long awaited approval for reduced hours on the sale of cask wine was granted through the Liquor Accord in early October 2017. This approval was welcomed after the concerted effort of the wider community of Mossman and Mossman Gorge over many months to reduce anti-social behaviour and public space intoxication. To our disappointment, however, in April 2018 the approval ceased as some hotel publicans in the area did not support the approach.
On 14 November 2017 Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation held their Annual General Meeting in Mossman Gorge to elect a new Chairperson following the resignation of Karen Gibson. Karen stepped down to focus on her new role with CYP as an Empowered Communities Engagement Officer. Unfortunately Local Commissioner Gibson’s new CYP role has meant that we have been unable on many occasions to conference independently of Commissioner Glasgow. Our FRC Act states that if we do not have three Local Commissioners presiding at a conference, the conference must be constituted by the FRC Commissioner and two Local Commissioners. We have been very grateful, however, for the support we have received from Commissioner Glasgow who continues to mentor our efforts as Local Commissioners.
Heading into the next financial year, we are determined to continue meeting the challenges facing our community including the challenge of improving high school attendance and accessing programs for substance misuse and domestic violence for our community members. Our job is not finished and we will continue our journey for our mob.

Mossman Gorge Commissioners Loretta Spratt, Karen Gibson and Karen Shuan.

From the desk of the Registrar
Operations
As at July 2018, the Commission will have been operating in the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge for 10 years, and in Doomadgee for four years. Although every fiscal year for the Commission has proven eventful in one aspect or another, as demonstrated in our previous Annual Reports, during this last year the Commission has felt the impact of a review on the future of Welfare Reform and the Commission by both the Australian and State Governments. Despite that uncertainty, the Commission has continued its operations in each community in a positive way, encouraging Local Commissioners and community members alike to work toward a better future. We have sought to identify our key strengths and weaknesses in order to seek a potential future path. We have conducted internal analyses of our statistics and provided them to the Australian and State Governments in order to inform the reviews of Welfare Reform and income management which are currently underway. As promised in last year’s Registrar’s report, we have strived this year to engender trust and confidence in the potential of Welfare Reform to transform Indigenous communities, and we have done so whilst providing fair, empathetic and efficient services.
Aside from the uncertain future which the Local Commissioners and staff now face, we are also looking to a change of leadership at the end of the 2018 calendar year with the retirement of Commissioner David Glasgow. Bearing all these changes in mind, our responsibility is to ensure that the next phase entered into, whatever form that may take, continues to promote and nurture the advancements achieved in the restoration of Indigenous authority and communal responsibility in the decade since the commencement of the Commission in 2008.
Policy
As an adjunct to the completion of the Commission’s Code of Conduct training in July 2017, and in order to support high standards of professional conduct and honest and ethical business practices within the Commission all employees completed fraud and corruption training through the then Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors iLearn program in November 2017.
Further significant policy work was carried out this year with the review of the External and Internal Complaints Management policies, Discipline in the Workplace Policy, Privacy Policy, Information Sharing Protocol, Travel Policy, Service Charter, Induction Manual and Local Commissioner Handbook and Conference Guidelines. In addition, to comply with the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010, a new Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure was drafted and distributed to staff.
Significant events
On 21 December 2017 the Governor in Council under the Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 approved various appointments as follows:
•	David Glasgow as the FRC Commissioner for the period 2 January 2018 to 31 July 2018 and
•	Rodney Curtin as the Deputy Commissioner for the period 2 January 2018 to 31 December 2018.

In addition, the following Local Commissioners were re-appointed for the period 2 January 2018 to 31 December 2018:

•	Edgar Kerindun, Vera Koomeeta, Doris Poonkamelya, Dorothy Pootchemunka and Ada Woolla as Aurukun Commissioners
•	Elaine Liddy, Maureen Liddy, Alison Liddy, May Kepple, Peter Peter and Garry Port as Coen Commissioners
•	Elaine Cairns, Guy Douglas, Karen Jupiter, Christopher Logan, Eleanor Logan and Kaylene O’Keefe as Doomadgee Commissioners
•	Erica Deeral, Victor Gibson, Doreen Hart, Cheryl Cannon and Selina Bowen as Hope Vale Commissioners and
•	Karen Gibson, Karen Shuan and Loretta Spratt as Mossman Gorge Commissioners.
Subsequent to the above appointments, Commissioner Glasgow’s appointment was extended in July 2018 to 31 December 2018, and Keri Tamwoy commenced her appointment as an Aurukun Commissioner on 2 January 2018 for the period to 31 December 2018. Commissioner Tamwoy is a qualified mediator and is currently running the mediation program in Aurukun. This program has been a huge success in bringing families together to resolve issues without resorting to violence. Her current role as mediator is where her passion lies as she is extremely committed to supporting the Wik people of Aurukun and empowering them to grow and improve their community into the future. We look forward to the additional contribution Keri Tamwoy will make as a Local Commissioner in Aurukun.
The Commission’s annual School Awards ceremonies were conducted in December in each of the five communities. Prizes were awarded for attendance achievements and included certificates, medals and in some cases gift vouchers. Each year the Local Commissioners present the awards to provide positive recognition and support for those students (and their families) who regularly attend school, and also to provide an incentive for those students who wish to improve their school attendance.
The Commission is committed to providing the public with data from across all sections of its operations for the benefit of all Queenslanders and particularly the State and Australian Governments. In fulfilling this purpose, the Commission’s intention is to support and encourage innovation in the use of information. As part of this commitment the Commission has added the following information to its Quarterly and Annual Reports for the benefit of its readers:
•	Domestic violence statistics including:
•	the location of courts issuing within jurisdiction domestic violence breach (DVB) and domestic violence order (DVO) notices and the numbers from each location for the quarter
•	numbers of conferences held for domestic violence (DV) related matters per community by quarter
•	referrals made to service providers for DV related matters for the quarter and
•	the number of CIM Orders issued for DV related matters for the quarter
•	Statistics informing on the number of times a client has been placed on CIM inclusive of original orders and alterations by community from 1 July 2008.

January commenced with our annual Local Coordinator Conference conducted in the week commencing 15 January. The Local Coordinators were asked to present to the conference reports on: their communities together with school attendance statistics; a report from their local school principal detailing issues affecting their school along with school priorities for the 2018 school year; and how the FRC could work with the schools to improve attendance. Strategies were set for the 2018 school year to assist in improving school attendance and assist in the transition of students to boarding schools which included, amongst other strategies, assisting with inductions in community, educating service providers and the community on the role of the FRC, maintaining visibility at schools and nurturing relationships with teachers, principals and the community.
The extension in June 2017 of income management for Cape York to 30 June 2019 included an agreement between the Honourable Alan Tudge MP and the opposition to undertake a review of income management in Cape York. DSS was tasked with this undertaking and the Commission has been liaising with DSS in the second half of this year to provide FRC statistics to inform the review, and to capture Local Commissioner views on the use of income management. DSS consulted with the Local Commissioners at their Local Commissioner Development week conducted in May 2018. In light of this review, our Senior Advisor (Statistics and Research) has undertaken some quantitative and qualitative data research which we hope will provide analytical value on the use of income management in the Cape York communities from 2008 and in Doomadgee from 2016.
Work commenced in March to initiate the community consultations which will inform State and Australian Government decisions on the future of Welfare Reform and the Commission. On 21 March the community of Mossman Gorge was the first of the welfare reform communities to be visited by the consultation team comprising of DPMC, DATSIP and the Institute. Further consultations were held with Hope Vale, Aurukun, Doomadgee and concluded with Coen on 29 and 30 May. The Commission looks forward to the DATSIP report and findings of the consultations in the near future. A brief outline of the Local Commissioner consultations can be found on page 32.
In May the annual Local Commissioner Development week was held with 23 Local Commissioners, Local Coordinators and registry staff attending. From Local Commissioner feedback, the week was a great success and provided opportunities for collaborative learning, consolidation of relationships and opportunities for discussion and interactive dialogue on the future of the Commission. A full report on the 2018 Local Commissioner Development Week can be found on page 54.
The Commission’s operational focus this year has been in two particular areas: increasing client attendance at conference; and supporting Local Commissioners to conduct conferences without the assistance of Commissioner Glasgow and Deputy Commissioner Curtin. Local Commissioners have been sitting independently in conference for the majority of this year. Statistics for the period 1 July 2017 to the end of June 2018 are provided under the Challenges and Outlook section on page 74.

The Commission has been advised that, in a letter received in March by DATSIP from DPMC, Australian Government funding for Commission operations has been approved for the period 1 July to 31 December 2018. It is anticipated that a formal variation to the existing memorandum of understanding will be prepared and executed in the near future.
Staffing
We have a dedicated group who I would like to acknowledge. First and foremost is Commissioner David Glasgow. Commissioner Glasgow has been not only the catalyst for me taking on the role of Registrar, but he has been a steadying influence on me; continually encouraging me and trusting in my ability to support his efforts. Deputy Commissioner Curtin has likewise provided myself and the Registry with his unconditional support, and his enthusiasm and dedication to improving Doomadgee school attendance has seen positive and solid results. I would like to thank all the staff who have continued to provide their expertise to the Commission in these uncertain times. They have a faith in, and commitment to what the Commission represents and what it seeks to achieve; to support the restoration of socially responsible standards of behaviour and local authority, and to assist community members to resume primary responsibility for the wellbeing of their communities and the individuals and families of their communities.

Maxine McLeod
Registrar

First Time Home Buyer – Local Commissioner Loretta Spratt, OAM
Loretta Mary Spratt is a dedicated Mossman Gorge Commissioner with the FRC and has been with the Commission for almost ten years. Loretta has connections to the Lama Lama Clans on her father’s side and Olkola Clans from her mother’s side in the Coen region. Loretta spent most of her years growing up at the Hope Vale Lutheran Mission with her two older sisters Pam and Dawn.
Loretta was approached in 2008 by the then Mossman Gorge Local Coordinator, Karen Gibson (now a Local Commissioner herself), to consider joining the FRC as a Local Commissioner. She was subsequently recommended by the appropriate community support organisations and was appointed to the position of Local Commissioner on 3 July 2008. Loretta remembers the day she was asked to take on the role of Local Commissioner and says she did not take lightly the responsibilities that would come with the role. The day Loretta made the decision to commit to a future with the FRC she also made a promise to herself; she would need to set a good example for community members in Mossman Gorge where she had lived with her partner Nathan McLean for more than 15 years. The promise was to quit drinking alcohol which Loretta followed through with the very same day she accepted the offer as Local Commissioner. She is proud to say that her choice on that day became a very significant moment in changing her life. Loretta said, “I do not regret my decision to quit drinking, and looking back, it was the best decision I could have ever made for myself and my family”. That was the beginning of many good decisions made since July 2008 that have seen Loretta’s dreams flourish.
Loretta started saving money very early on, and it was quite some time before she decided how she was going to spend her savings. It was in 2011 that Loretta joined Cape York Partnership’s budgeting program, MPower, followed by her partner Nathan joining MPower in 2012. Loretta was habitually visiting the bank and depositing her savings on a weekly basis, but one visit in particular stands out for Loretta. It was like any normal visit, having a friendly chat with the bank manager, when on this occasion he asked her if she had any plans for her growing savings. That moment got Loretta thinking about her future plans. She went home that day and talked with Nathan about buying a house. Well, that was it; the decision was made to start the conversation with MPower.
Loretta and Nathan approached MPower staff who scheduled a meeting with Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) to apply for their very first housing loan. It was a long and drawn out process for Loretta and Nathan who became frustrated many times, not seeing the sense in all of the paperwork that was said to be necessary. IBA pre-approved a loan which gave Loretta and Nathan some hope about owning their own home. After many hours of looking at properties, they were faced with further frustrations when their vision of a property did not match what was on the market for the approval amount. Not satisfied with this result, Loretta returned to MPower and raised the problem - this option was not going to work for them. MPower staff worked closely with Loretta and Nathan and recommended they try a mortgage broker. Once again, after completing a copious amount of paperwork, it finally worked in their favour. Loretta and Nathan’s commitment to savings over the years afforded them the opportunity they had long dreamed of – a home.

With these new options house-hunting started in earnest, only this time there were several properties available with their desired inclusions such as a big yard for their beloved dogs, available space for gardens and an outdoor space for those lazy Sunday afternoons with family. It wasn’t long before Loretta and Nathan found the property with everything they had imagined their property would include. After only looking at four properties, they found their ‘home’.
Loretta talked about moving into the house and explained she had two primary and conflicting feelings, one of freedom with owning a new home, and the other was fear of the debt incurred. “It’s funny you know, I’ve tried to start a garden but these fears keep popping up and I think this can’t be true. I started thinking that the house will be gone or taken”. Loretta said it was exhausting and hard work moving the contents of their house and remembers their first night in their new home. It was a hot summer evening in the middle of February, the 19th of February 2018 to be exact, and it seemed strange sleeping in the house for the first time. She remembers thanking the Lord for ceiling fans because she does not like air-conditioning. It has taken some time to adjust from not living in Mossman Gorge, although she is there for work daily.
“It still seems odd driving out each afternoon. One of the hardest parts of moving was leaving Buster behind. My Buster is our male dog and he just refused to move. Our three female dogs Sally, Sheena and Patch jumped in the car and were happy to explore their new surroundings. Buster did eventually decide to jump in the car after about a week or so, and he now enjoys the new home with the rest of us.”
“I am glad I took that leap of home ownership and hope it will encourage others to do the same.”

The Commission has over the years demonstrated a firm commitment to the professional development of the Local Commissioners. Each May since 2009, the Commissioners have travelled from their home communities to Cairns for a week of workshops, seminars and presentations aimed at increasing capabilities, building morale and sharing learnings with their colleagues.
The uncertainty of the future surrounding the FRC lent a particular significance to the 2018 Local Commissioner Development Week. The Commissioners gathered at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Cairns commencing 8 May, with a sense of apprehension and the hope that the week would provide some answers.
Assistant Minister for Treasury Glenn Butcher, representing Minister Jackie Trad, officially opened the event, acknowledging and thanking the Commissioners for the work they do in their communities, and congratulating Commissioner David Glasgow for his ten years with the FRC. Traditional Owner Seith Fourmile gave a Welcome to Country.
Tuesday afternoon saw the Commissioners separate with the majority visiting Djarragun College where they were shown ‘D Health’, the school’s onsite health and wellbeing centre. The multidisciplinary medical facility, with doctors, psychologists, case managers, speech therapists and nurses is available to support the health needs of both students and their families. A tour of the college took the Commissioners to the school’s Vocational Education and Training workshops and the girls’ boarding facilities. The Commissioners then took part in a Pathways Culture lesson, where they introduced themselves and spoke to the students about their roles in community and the importance of education to the young, and encouraged them to remain flexible as they learned to walk in two worlds. The college provided a delicious afternoon tea where the Commissioners met with boarding students from their home communities.
Hope Vale Commissioners, at the invitation of the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, travelled to Yarrabah to meet with the Mayor, Councilors and members of the Yarrabah Leadership Group to provide an information session on the FRC and how it works. This was not the FRC’s first visit to Yarrabah as community leaders explore options used in other regional areas to resolve issues around school attendance, youth and domestic violence.
With Welfare Reform, including the FRC, under review by both the Australian and Queensland Governments, leadership was a key focus of the 2018 Local Commissioner Development Week. Veronica Williams, a trainer from the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre in Canberra, delivered a dynamic day-long program aimed at building leadership and understanding of community, government and other external stakeholders. The program centred on the skills required to lead, communicate, engage and negotiate with a range of stakeholders from community members to politicians, service providers, government departments and large corporations. The program served to build upon the Local Commissioners’ existing highly developed leadership skills and equip them with increased confidence in dealing with people in positions of influence.

An invitation to present at the Local Commissioner Development Week was issued to two speakers who had previously made an impact with their addresses at the National Indigenous Economic Development Forum in 2017. Jacob Cassady, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mungalla Aboriginal Tours, attended and spoke to the Commissioners on the use of Aboriginal land for economic development. Jacob showcased Mungalla Station, an Indigenous owned and operated 2000 acre working cattle property near Ingham which uses cattle agistment, tourism, training and education and land management to generate income.
Jeremy Kee, CEO of Miwatj Employment and Participation (MEP) addressed the group on using Work for the Dole activities to generate income. The MEP model teaches how Work for the Dole activities can think and behave like businesses.
At the time of planning the Local Commissioner Development Week, DATSIP was in the process of conducting consultations as part of a review into the future direction of Welfare Reform and the FRC. DATSIP representatives requested the opportunity to attend and meet with the Commissioners. During a collegial and at times emotional consultation, Local Commissioners were unequivocal in their message - that if the government were to close down the FRC the situation in their communities would revert back to the way it was before the Commission started, and that ten years of hard work and gains made would be lost.
DSS also took advantage of the FRC Commissioners being gathered together in the one location and interviewed them as part of a review into income management with which DSS was tasked following the extension of Cape York income management from June 2017 to June 2019. Again, the Local Commissioners were clear in their claims that income management had been beneficial to their communities.
Noel Pearson assured the Commissioners in his address on Thursday afternoon that he would be doing everything in his power to secure a future for the FRC.
Local Commissioner Development Week is always a highlight in the FRC calendar. It is an opportunity for the Commissioners to come together, to consolidate relationships, share concerns and reach solutions, most often leaving with a renewed sense of solidarity. It would be fair to say that in 2018 the Local Commissioners left with more questions than answers.

Coen Commissioner Maureen Liddy commenced in her new role as Team Leader for the Apunipima Wellbeing Centre in Coen on 1 April 2017, transitioning across from a similar role with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Maureen explains, “After a bumpy start ironing out the new policies and procedures, my focus was on building relationships for a sustainable future of health and wellbeing”.
From Maureen’s perspective, living in community means working to support the community. The two do not exist separately, but meld to form the definition of what a community member is or should be. Maureen has always provided support to family, friends, community members and visitors alike, in good times and in tough times. She carries these values into her new position as Apunipima Team Leader where she strives to strengthen her own knowledge for the benefit of the community and enhance her connections with the community. Maureen is consistently looking for better ways to improve connections within and outside her work environment, living the mission, vision and values of Apunipima which includes seeing measurable wellness outcomes, creating a skilled workforce, building community ownership and capacity, and being a leader in remote heath care. She believes that living these values creates harmony, and that building and nurturing these values must be done whilst also building and nurturing cultural knowledge – “strong culture, strong spirit”.
Along with providing crucial mental health and wellbeing services to FRC clients in Coen, the Apunipima team visits outstations on a regular basis with the intention of working collaboratively with other partners and stakeholders who visit these outstations. Maureen believes that bringing people together for community events and raising awareness for important national and local issues such as White Ribbon, National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week, Domestic Violence Month, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Mental Health Week, Children’s Week, Elder’s Week and Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea for the fight against cancer is vital to community spirit. Maureen states, “It is important to connect community to much bigger national issues facing many Australians to give a sense of connection to the rest of the country when living remotely. The Apunipima team co-ordinate and promote these events along with support from other local service providers, to educate Coen residents on the importance of such occasions”.
Maureen has been developing and sharing her own intricate methods and strategies to assist when working with visitors to the community, encouraging them to share the knowledge they bring with all the residents and local service providers. One of the visual strategies Maureen uses to share with others is a detailed map of community connections. This map enables her team to focus on a much wider, connected support system, and is one that is shared with visitors, stakeholders and community members alike. Maureen believes this map encourages and enhances engagement, and provides a more enriched vision and bigger picture of a healthy connected community. The map shows the Wellbeing Centre (community hub) at the centre of community services with connections to the many options and opportunities Apunipima offer FRC clients, the wider Coen community, service providers and visitors.

Operational highlights
The following report details our performance for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. The 2017-18 year has seen FRC Commissioners and staff continue to strive to improve performance and provide the best possible service to our clients. Despite the past year presenting an uncertain time for the Commission, Commissioners and staff have, as always, worked hard to implement a number of measures to improve our efficiency and effectiveness.
A notable achievement is the proportion of conferences now being held by Local Commissioners sitting alone. One of the main objects of the FRC Act, and a principle that underpins all the FRC’s work, is to restore local authority in welfare reform communities. A vital way the Commission achieves this objective is through Local Commissioners conducting conferences autonomously, without Commissioner Glasgow or Deputy Commissioner Curtin. In the 2017-18 year, Local Commissioners conducted 72.15 percent of conferences independently, which is almost double the result of the previous year. Local Commissioners have risen admirably to the challenge of conferencing by themselves, and many of them are celebrating their tenth year as FRC Local Commissioners.
The FRC’s Local Coordinators continue to ably assist and encourage Commissioners, community members, government and non-government organisation (NGO) service providers as they work in the welfare reform communities of Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. It is the Local Coordinators’ role to provide support to Local Commissioners and manage the Commission’s day to day operations on the ground. Those Local Coordinators who live in community participate in the life of community and go above and beyond their official duties to assist and support the Local Commissioners, FRC clients and stakeholders alike. They are commended for their commitment and significant contribution to the continued success of the FRC.
The 2016-17 Annual Report stated that a web-based reporting portal for the FRC’s service providers was under development. The portal went live in October 2017 and the FRC’s larger service providers, Apunipima and CYP, transitioned to providing their monthly client reports via the portal. Despite an initial significant backlog of reporting in one community which resulted in a number of reports remaining incomplete, current reporting is now consistent and up-to-date. The portal makes reporting an easier and more streamlined process for service providers. From the FRC’s perspective, the portal has provided easier access to richer data in relation to clients’ progress. For example, the reports submitted via the portal provide greater detail about the number and nature of engagements or attempts to engage with clients, allowing service providers and Local Commissioners to more quickly consider alternative engagement strategies. An option for service providers to provide recommendations back to Local Commissioners allows an avenue of feedback where service providers can recommend whether a client should return to conference or be given a new referral. Overall, the online reporting portal enables better assessment of whether the FRC and service providers are supporting clients to effect change in their own and their children’s lives.
Previously reported problems in obtaining school attendance data from the former Department of Education and Training escalated in term 3 of 2017 when the provision of School Attendance notices ceased. Despite communications and meetings between Commission staff and the former Department of Education and Training representatives no School Attendance notices were received from 4 August to 3 October 2017 (eight school weeks). The lack of information had a significant impact on workload as registry staff struggled to fill conference schedules, particularly in Doomadgee which operates only on the triggers of school attendance and enrolment and child safety and welfare. The situation was resolved in time for the commencement of term 4 2017. Provision of school attendance data in 2018 has been consistent and timely and the FRC and DoE continue to work together on a more efficient method of data exchange through GovNet.
In June 2018, the FRC received notice from the Queensland State Archivist that a freeze on the disposal of records that are relevant to, or may become relevant to, an allegation of child sexual abuse had been issued. As the FRC receives and creates a small number of records covered by the disposal freeze, steps have been taken to ensure that no documents covered by the disposal freeze are destroyed.
School attendance rate for 2014-2018 term 2
School Attendance Data	Term 2 2014	Term 2 2015	Revised Term 2 2016	Term 2 2017	Term 2 2018	
Aurukun – Overall3	60.9%	57.5%	43.5%	52.5%	53.6%	
   Aurukun community – Primary2	64.7%	57.5%	43.5%	58.1%	60.0%	
   Aurukun community – Secondary1	23.2%	-	-	32.7%	35.1%	
Coen4	92.6%	88.7%	89.2%	86.8%	89.8%	
Doomadgee - Overall	59.8%	55.9%	49.6%	56.1%	58.6%	
   Doomadgee Primary	63.7%	58.9%	54.9%	59.5%	61.4%	
   Doomadgee Secondary	41.8%	46.2%	35.6%	46.0%	47.7%	
Hope Vale Campus of CYAAA	77.6%	83.3%	76.7%	75.3%	81.0%	
Mossman Gorge community4,5	64.0%	67.2%	72.4%	63.8%	77.8%	
   Mossman Gorge Primary	74.9%	90.2%	83.2%	72.4%	82.5%	
   Mossman Gorge Secondary	42.9%	52.1%	36.2%	56.6%	59.7%	
1. DET closed the Alternative Secondary Pathway (ASP) program at the Aurukun secondary campus (facilitated by Western Cape College) on 1 January 2015. The Aurukun campus of CYAAA commenced a secondary year level program from August 2016.
2. In term 2 2016, Aurukun Campus of CYAAA was closed from 11-18 May (inclusive) and again from 26-30 May (inclusive). An alternative education program was offered for the remainder of the term covering 31 May to 24 June. Attendance at this alternative program was lower than the normal rates for this term. 
3. From 21 November 2016 Aurukun State School was re-established as a stand-alone school.
4. Caution should be used when examining the percentage changes in attendance for both Coen and the Mossman Gorge community. Both these have relatively small numbers of students and a small numerical change can result in a large percentage difference in the overall attendance figures.
5. Mossman Gorge community attendance includes attendance for school-identified students from Mossman State School and Mossman State High School.

Performance statement
Following are the performance measures used by the Commission to identify workload and operating results.
Performance measures	2016-2017
actual result	2017-2018
actual result	
Percentage of conferences conducted independently by Local Commissioners	36.31%	72.15%	
Percentage of CIM clients who have had CIM orders revoked or reduced	34.29%	34.50%	
Percentage of conferences attended	65.56%	66.01%	
It should be noted that the 72.15 percent of conferences conducted independently by Local Commissioners is inclusive of conferences held in Doomadgee where the Local Commissioners only began to sit in conference alone from the beginning of 2018. One of the Mossman Gorge Commissioners also obtained additional employment and was therefore unable to sit as a Local Commissioner on many occasions, reducing Mossman Gorge’s ability to sit independently. This situation is reflected in the Mossman Gorge statistics. A breakdown by community of the percentage of conferences conducted independently by Local Commissioners can be found under the Challenges and Outlook section on page 74.

Notices within jurisdiction
From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, the Commission received a total of 8,515 agency notices of which 5,588 were in jurisdiction, comprising:
Table 3: In jurisdiction notices by type and community 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Type of Notice	AU	CO	DM	HV	MG	Total	
District Court	44	0	0	39	12	95	
Magistrates Court	854	64	0	360	66	1,344	
Domestic Violence Breach	50	12	0	23	15	100	
Domestic Violence Order	134	24	0	58	18	234	
School Attendance	1,207	126	1,502	653	71	3,559	
School Enrolment	3	4	4	4	7	22	
Child Safety and Welfare	88	24	47	43	8	210	
Housing Tenancy	5	0	0	13	6	24	
Total	2,385	254	1,553	1,193	203	5,588	
Aurukun accounted for 42.68 percent of the total notices that were in jurisdiction, Doomadgee accounted for 27.79 percent, Hope Vale accounted for 21.35 percent, Coen accounted for 4.55 percent and Mossman Gorge accounted for 3.63 percent.

Table 4: In jurisdiction notices by type and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Type of Notice	Qtr 37	Qtr 38	Qtr 39	Qtr 40	Total	
District Court	21	23	27	24	95	
Magistrates Court	364	345	312	323	1,344	
Domestic Violence Breach	30	19	14	37	100	
Domestic Violence Order	56	76	54	48	234	
School Attendance	593	1,241	800	925	3,559	
School Enrolment	3	0	10	9	22	
Child Safety and Welfare	39	51	34	86	210	
Housing Tenancy	3	6	5	10	24	
Total	1,109	1,761	1,256	1,462	5,588	
Table 5: In jurisdiction notices by community and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	Qtr 37	Qtr 38	Qtr 39	Qtr 40	Total	
Aurukun	512	605	600	668	2,385	
Coen	31	96	49	78	254	
Doomadgee	259	537	374	383	1,553	
Hope Vale	249	479	195	270	1,193	
Mossman Gorge	58	44	38	63	203	
Total	1,109	1,761	1,256	1,462	5,588	

Notices not within jurisdiction
The Commission also received 2,927 notices which were not within jurisdiction, comprising:
Table 6: Not within jurisdiction notices by type and community 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Type of Notice	AU	CO	DM	HV	MG	Total	
Supreme Court	1	0	0	0	0	1	
District Court	46	0	0	2	0	48	
Magistrates Court	733	53	0	401	508	1,695	
Domestic Violence Breach	46	2	0	24	12	84	
Domestic Violence Order	23	3	0	74	71	171	
School Attendance	114	16	703	54	5	892	
School Enrolment	0	0	0	0	0	0	
Child Safety and Welfare	17	4	8	1	4	34	
Housing Tenancy	0	0	0	2	0	2	
Total	980	78	711	558	600	2,927	

Notices overview
The overall number of within jurisdiction notices decreased from 7,781 in the previous reporting period to 5,588 in this financial year. This decrease is attributable to the normalisation of the inflated number of school attendance notices received in the previous financial year.
The total number of within jurisdiction Magistrates Court notices has increased by 26.3 percent, and most notably in Aurukun where the number of notices increased by 236 (38.2 percent) from the previous year. This is not an unusual fluctuation when compared with previous years, and may be attributable to an increased police presence in Aurukun since the unrest in that community in recent years. The number of within jurisdiction Magistrates Court notices in Hope Vale also increased by 15.4 percent. During quarter 37 the Commission sought clarification from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in Hope Vale regarding the increased number of Magistrate Court notices received for the quarter. The Commission was advised by QPS they had an extra police officer in addition to their normal complement in community during this time. This allowed for additional rostered shifts and resulted in a third more arrests than the previous quarter.
The number of Child Safety and Welfare notices within jurisdiction has decreased in all communities, most notably in Coen, where the number of notices decreased by 22.6 percent, and in Aurukun where the number of notices decreased by 20.7 percent from the previous year. The 2016-17 Annual Report noted that both the QPS and DCSYW had implemented reforms and strategies aimed at increasing and strengthening community awareness. Programs such as the successful ‘Speak Up, Be Strong, Be Heard’ initiative by the QPS, aimed at increasing awareness of youth sexual violence and abuse and encouraging reporting, continue to be delivered in welfare reform communities. Accordingly, it is hoped that the decrease in notices is a genuine reduction in the number of child safety concerns, rather than under-reporting. The previous annual report noted that the number of domestic violence matters within jurisdiction had increased by over 100 percent from the 2015-16 year. The number of domestic violence matters received by the Commission has increased again by 49.8 percent from the 2016-17 year. As concluded in the previous report, it may be assumed that more reports of domestic violence are being made as a result of the continued public awareness campaign.

From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, 29.2 percent of the Commission’s clients who received a notice in the financial year received more than five notices.
Table 7: FRC clients by number of notices 
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
Number of Notices Received	
Number of Clients	

1	
296	

2	
213	

3	
149	

4	
163	

5	
81	

>5	
372	

TOTAL	
1274	

Note: Agency notices are counted on the basis of the number of persons named on the notice. For example a Child Safety and Welfare notice relating to two parents is counted as two notices and if three children from one family have an unexplained absence on one day, it is counted as three individual notices.
Table 8: Court locations for in jurisdiction DVB and DVO notices 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Court Location	
Number of DVB notices	
Number of DVO notices	
Total	

Atherton	
0	
2	
2	

Aurukun	
42	
116	
158	

Cairns	
20	
16	
36	

Coen	
11	
18	
29	

Cooktown	
15	
54	
69	

Mareeba	
0	
3	
3	

Mossman	
9	
17	
26	

Weipa	
3	
8	
11	

Total	
100	
234	
334	

	Conferences
From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 a total of 2,539 conferences were held with 66.01 percent of conferences attended by clients. Of those conferences not attended 27 percent were for explained (acceptable) reasons. Conferences during the financial year resulted in 14 FRAs being entered into, 107 orders made to attend community support services and 233 CIM orders issued.
Table 9: FRC conferences by community and quarter
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
225	
248	
302	
294	

Coen	
34	
21	
12	
28	

Doomadgee	
204	
223	
199	
230	

Hope Vale	
101	
92	
105	
92	

Mossman Gorge	
36	
39	
27	
27	

TOTAL	
600	
623	
645	
671	

Conferences for domestic violence related matters
As a subset of the total number of conferences conducted for the financial year from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 a total of 278 conferences were held in relation to domestic violence related matters.
Table 10: Domestic violence conferences by type and quarter
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Relating to both a DVB and a DVO notice	
5	
3	
9	
6	

Relating to a DVB notice	
13	
11	
10	
7	

Relating to a DVO notice	
42	
57	
57	
58	

TOTAL	
60	
71	
76	
71	

	

Table 11: Domestic violence conferences by community and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
34	
45	
49	
48	

Coen	
6	
8	
3	
10	

Hope Vale	
16	
10	
19	
9	

Mossman Gorge	
4	
8	
5	
4	

TOTAL	
60	
71	
76	
71	

Table 12: Number of conferences held in relation to domestic violence notices (breaches and orders) per community
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Number of DV conferences	
AU	
CO	
HV	
MG	
Total	

Relating to both a DVB and a DVO notice	
14	
4	
1	
4	
23	

Relating to a DVB notice	
20	
5	
11	
5	
41	

Relation to a DVO notice	
142	
18	
42	
12	
214	

Total	
176	
27	
54	
21	
278	

Referrals
Referrals to service providers are an integral part of achieving the Commission’s strategic outcomes of improved community wellbeing and improved community responsibility. From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, 122 referrals inclusive of orders to attend support services and family responsibility agreements for 107 clients were made to service providers.
This number of referrals to service providers represents a 48 percent decrease from the previous reporting period. As noted in the 2016-17 Annual Report, consistent levels of service for FRC clients have been difficult for service providers to achieve for a range of reasons.	Where it is perceived that adequate levels of service are not being provided, Local Commissioners tend to employ alternative strategies to provide clients with the support they need. These strategies include seeking ‘outside’ referrals to other agencies that are not specifically funded to service FRC clients, or obliged to report back to the FRC, and regularly rescheduling clients for conference as an informal way to check progress and case manage clients.
Local Commissioners may also use strategies such as setting school attendance goals rather than putting clients on a case plan. It is considered likely that perceived inadequate levels of service have contributed to the significant decrease in the number of FRC clients referred to service providers in this financial year.
A salient example can be seen in the Mossman Gorge community. From late 2017, the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs program provided by Queensland Health has been discontinued as a result of loss of staff. From 30 June 2018, funding for parenting services was transferred from CYP to be administered by DCSYW and no equivalent replacement services are yet active. The Wellbeing Centre has only recently been able to secure a full-time qualified counsellor, and is still without a male counsellor. As would be evident, this situation leaves a distinct lack of service available to Mossman Gorge clients and Local Commissioners have, as a result, sought alternative support for clients from the Elders’ Justice Group and Act for Kids.
From 30 June 2018 provision of parenting services will be transferred from the Stronger Families Parenting Program provided by Cape York Partnership to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services administered by DCSYW. DCSYW have contracted RAATSICC in Aurukun, Gungarde in Coen and Hope Vale and Mulungu in Mossman Gorge to provide parenting services to FRC clients. The FRC is working with these NGOs along with DATSIP, DCSYW and CYP to ensure that FRC clients are not disadvantaged in the transition.

	

Table 13: FRC referral pathways by referral type and quarter 
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Referral Type	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

MPower	
3	
2	
0	
3	

WBC	
32	
21	
6	
10	

WBC - NWRH	
0	
3	
1	
2	

SCM	
0	
3	
4	
3	

Strong Families - Parenting Program	
5	
2	
4	
2	

QLD Health	
0	
1	
0	
0	

Save the Children	
1	
1	
2	
11	

Total	
41	
33	
17	
31	

Referrals for domestic violence related matters
As a subset of the total number of referrals in the financial year 43 referrals were made in relation to domestic violence matters from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Table 14: Number of referrals made in relation to domestic violence notices (breaches and orders) per community
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Notice Type	
Community	
Referral	
Provider Total	

BOTH	
Aurukun	
WBC	
1	

Hope Vale	
WBC	
1	

BOTH Total	
2	

DVB	
Aurukun	
WBC	
5	

Hope Vale	
WBC	
2	

DVB Total	
7	

DVO	
Aurukun	
MPower	
1	

Aurukun	
WBC	
16	

Coen	
WBC	
6	

Hope Vale	
Strong Families - Parenting Program	
1	

Hope Vale	
WBC	
8	

Mossman Gorge	
QLD Health	
1	

Mossman Gorge	
WBC	
1	

DVO Total	
34	

Grand Total	
43	

	Table 15: Domestic violence referral pathways by referral type and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Referral Type	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

MPower	
0	
1	
0	
0	

WBC	
17	
15	
5	
3	

Strong Families - 
Parenting Program	
0	
1	
0	
0	

QLD Health	
0	
1	
0	
0	

Total	
17	
18	
5	
3	

Conditional income management
In this reporting period 233 CIM orders were issued to 179 clients which equates to 7.7 percent of clients who were placed on a CIM order throughout the financial year. CIM remains a flexible tool used by Commissioners to improve the welfare of children by encouraging families to ensure basic household needs are met and to encourage consistency in school attendance.
As at 30 June 2018, 36.9 percent of the Commission’s clients have been subject to CIM over the past ten years. As at 30 June 2018 there were 141 clients subject to a current CIM order which equates to 6.1 percent of clients on a CIM order at that point in time. It should be noted in the table below that Doomadgee Commissioners only had the ability to issue CIM orders from April 2016.
Table 16: Number of times a client has been placed on CIM per community. 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2018.
No of CIMs	
CIM’d 
only once	
CIM’d 
2-5 times	
CIM’d 
6-10 times	
CIM’d 
11+ times	
Total	

AU	
147	
209	
58	
8	
422	

CO	
32	
27	
0	
0	
59	

DM	
32	
53	
0	
0	
85	

HV	
84	
106	
14	
0	
204	

MG	
30	
32	
19	
2	
83	

Total	
325	
427	
91	
10	
853	

Table 17: Conditional income management orders by community and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
28	
48	
33	
23	

Coen	
0	
1	
1	
2	

Doomadgee	
19	
11	
14	
22	

Hope Vale	
5	
2	
6	
4	

Mossman Gorge	
5	
5	
2	
2	

TOTAL	
57	
67	
56	
53	

Conditional income management for domestic violence related matters
As a subset of the total number of CIM orders in the financial year 28 CIM orders were made in relation to domestic violence matters from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Table 18: Domestic violence conditional income management orders by community and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
3	
10	
4	
1	

Coen	
0	
0	
0	
1	

Hope Vale	
4	
0	
1	
0	

Mossman Gorge	
2	
1	
1	
0	

TOTAL	
9	
11	
6	
2	

Voluntary income management 
The Commission processed 14 VIM agreements during this reporting period. VIM provides a practical option for all welfare reform community members to help manage their finances.

Show cause notices were originally intended as a conferencing tool to address non-compliance with a requirement under a case plan to attend a community support service. The proposed action for a show cause notice given to a person included imposing an income management order, increasing the proportion of the person’s welfare payments to be income managed or increasing the period for which the person is subject to income management. Although the show cause process remains available as a tool for Local Commissioners, the increase of the maximum rate for income management in 2014 to 90 percent has effectively superseded the show cause process.
Amend or end applications
Table 20: Applications to amend or end agreements or orders by community and quarter 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
3	
10	
10	
8	

Coen	
0	
0	
5	
0	

Doomadgee	
1	
5	
9	
3	

Hope Vale	
1	
0	
1	
0	

Mossman Gorge	
1	
2	
0	
3	

TOTAL	
6	
17	
25	
14	

The FRC Act invites clients to apply to amend or end a Commission order or agreement. The Commissioners continue to consider a number of options when determining the outcome of applications, including varying a case plan, amending the income management percentage or ending the order or agreement. The Commission views applications to amend or end agreements or orders as an indicator of client confidence in the Commission’s ability to provide a fair, just and equitable process. Whether the outcome was successful depends on what the client requested. Fifty-five percent of the applications received this year were granted. Thirty-four applications resulted in the revocation of income management orders.
Applications to amend or end voluntary income management are also heard in the conference setting, unless the client indicates to the Commission the	Case management monitoring
As at 30 June 2018, 101 clients were being case-managed through active case plans pertaining to referrals.
The Commission continues to monitor case management statistics, primarily through progress reports provided by community support services. As noted in the previous year’s annual report, the new reporting framework and the online portal were designed to enhance the FRC’s ability to analyse program effectiveness, provide greater service provider accountability and improve the usefulness of the reports as a tool for conferencing.
The FRC’s reporting framework is now based around a clinical intervention plan. It involves service providers outlining clients’ progress through engagement and assessment, planning and treatment and recommendations for future or ongoing service. This allows the FRC to better understand how clients are progressing and supports service providers to consciously move through these stages of intervention.
Although it has taken time for service providers to become familiar with the framework, the FRC considers its implementation to be successful and will hopefully better serve the needs of the FRC and its clients into the future.
Show cause notices
From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, two show cause hearings were held. These matters resulted in:
	1	client given a warning
	1	client rescheduled until next financial year.

Table 19: Show cause notices by community and quarter
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 37	
Qtr 38	
Qtr 39	
Qtr 40	

Aurukun	
0	
0	
0	
0	

Coen	
0	
0	
0	
0	

Doomadgee	
0	
0	
0	
0	

Hope Vale	
0	
0	
1	
1	

Mossman Gorge	
0	
0	
0	
0	

TOTAL	
0	
0	
1	
1	

request requires urgent attention. If so, the application may be heard and a decision made outside of a scheduled conference date.
Commissioners continue to use applications to amend or end income management as a way of encouraging attendance and to incentivise overall behaviour change.
From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 a total of 62 applications to amend or end an agreement or order were received. The applications resulted in 34 applications being granted, 8 applications resulting in a revised order or agreement and 20 applications being refused.
Granted applications:
	30	income management agreements and orders revoked
	1	CIM order and case plan revoked
	1	CIM order at 90 percent revoked and client placed on a new CIM order at 60 percent for a period of 12 months
	1	VIM agreement at 75 percent revoked and client placed on a new VIM agreement at 60 percent for a period of 12 months
	1	CIM order revoked with client placed on a new case plan.
Applications with a revised order or agreement:
	2	CIM orders revoked and clients ordered to comply with their case plan
	1	CIM order at 90 percent revoked and client placed on a new CIM order at 60 percent for a period of 12 months
	1	CIM order at 90 percent revoked and client placed on a new CIM order at 75 percent for a period of 12 months
	3	CIM orders at 75 percent revoked and clients placed on a new CIM order at 60 percent for a period of 12 months
	1	CIM order percentage reduced from 75 to 60 percent for the remainder of the original income management order.
Refused applications:
	16	applications refused
	4	applications refused and clients given a warning.

Financial summary
This financial overview is a summary of the financial performance and position of the Commission.
The Commission’s financial reporting framework
A comprehensive set of 2017-18 financial statements covering all aspects of the Commission’s activities commences on page 90. These statements include explanatory notes and comparative figures for 2016-17.
Internal audits are performed by the Finance Manager to ensure efficiency and economy of systems and to identify financial, operational and business continuity risks. Audit results are duly reported to the Commissioner and Registrar to determine whether any remedial actions are required and to establish compliance with statutory requirements and best practice.
Operating result
The operating result for 2017-18 was a surplus of $180,294.
Summarised statement of comprehensive income
Summary statement	
30 Jun 2018	
30 Jun 2017	

$000	
$000	

Income	
3,991	
4,119	

Less: expenses	
3,811	
3,840	

Operating result for financial year – surplus	
180	
279	

	Income
Income by type	
30 Jun 2018	
30 Jun 2017 	

$000	
$000	

State Government funding	
1,522	
1,630	

Australian Government funding	
1,800	
1,800	

Doomadgee funding - (QLD State)	
626	
626	

Other revenue 	
43	
63	

Total	
3,991	
4,119	

The reduction in the State Government funding is the return of surplus funds of $165,000 offset by the CPI increase applied to the 2017-18 funding. The reduction in other revenue is primarily due to the recoupment by the Commission of prior year long service leave expenditure for Local Commissioners of $24,000 in 2016-17 only.
Expenses
Expenses by type	
30 Jun 2018	
30 Jun 2017 	

$000	
$000	

Employee expenses	
2,716	
2,795	

Supplies and services	
959	
954	

Depreciation and amortisation	
96	
49	

Other expenses	
40	
42	

Total	
3,811	
3,840	

The Commission’s employee expenses decreased slightly in 2017-18. Increases due to wage rises and increments and additional training costs were compensated by reduced costs due to cancellations in scheduled conferencing in some communities, changes in operational processes, vacancies and staff absence on sick leave without pay.
Depreciation and amortisation expenditure increased in 2017-18 due to the effect of the completion of the service provider portal add-on to the Commission’s Customer Relationship Management software amortised over the remaining life of the software.

Table 21: Expenses by category and percentage of total expenditure 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Category	
Percentage	

Employee salaries – FRC staff	
47.5%	

Employee salaries – Local Commissioners	
10.7%	

Employee on costs – FRC staff	
9.3%	

Employee on costs – Local Commissioners	
1.8%	

Other employment costs	
1.9%	

Communications	
0.5%	

Internet & IT	
4.6%	

Motor vehicle	
1.5%	

Property	
5.8%	

Travel	
5.8%	

General operating	
7.0%	

Other expenses	
3.6%	

Total	
100.0%	

Remote location and Cairns registry expenditure
Table 22: Operating costs by remote location
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 1	
Qtr 2	
Qtr 3	
Qtr 4	

Aurukun	
167K	
144K	
116K	
152K	

Coen	
33K	
34K	
32K	
60K	

Doomadgee	
137K	
149K	
124K	
154K	

Hope Vale	
74K	
72K	
69K	
91K	

Mossman Gorge	
30K	
37K	
35K	
40K	

TOTAL	
441K	
436K	
376K	
497K	

Table 23: Quarterly operating costs, Cairns registry
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	
Qtr 1	
Qtr 2	
Qtr 3	
Qtr 4	

Corporate Services	
253K	
248K	
219K	
228K	

Operations	
234K	
213K	
235K	
243K	

Gov/Board Reporting	
56K	
49K	
36K	
46K	

TOTAL	
543K	
510K	
490K	
517K	

	Statement of financial position
Total assets at 30 June 2018 consisted of current assets of cash, prepayments and receivables in addition to non-current plant and equipment and intangible assets.
Total liabilities as at 30 June 2018 consisted of payables and accrued employee benefits.
Statement of financial position	
30 Jun 2018	
30 Jun 2017 	

$000	
$000	

Current assets	
1,900	
1,697	

Non-current assets	
8	
60	

Total assets	
1,908	
1,757	

Current liabilities	
296	
325	

Total liabilities	
296	
325	

Net assets	
1,612	
1,432	

Total equity	
1,612	
1,432	

Cash flow statement
The cash flow statement shows the nature and amount of the Commission’s cash inflows and outflows from all activities.
Cash flow statement	
30 Jun 2018	
30 Jun 2017 	

$000	
$000	

Operating activities	
270	
394	

Investing activities	
(44)	
(34)	

Net increase/(decrease) in cash held	
226	
360	

Cash at beginning of financial year	
1,635	
1,275	

Cash at end of financial year	
1,861	
1,635	

Profile – Hope Vale Commissioner Cheryl Cannon
I am the eldest of six children born to Amy and Herbert Mclean of Hope Vale. I myself have five children and 11 grandchildren, and I love each one of them with all my heart.
My fond memories in the early years are with my parents, siblings and cousins walking to favourite fishing spots and camping by the riverbank at Bulls Crossing. Later when we had a vehicle all of us would pile into it and go to the beach. They were fun days that I will never forget.
At the age of nine I was billeted out to a Lutheran family in the Riverina district of NSW. I attended Alma Park Primary School for two years and then attended St Pauls Lutheran College in Walla Walla NSW for four years. I went back for a reunion in 2015. It was great to see old friends again.
I got very sick at the end of my last year at college which had me hospitalised for a number of months in Cairns Base Hospital. My parents would make the long trip from Hope Vale to visit me in hospital. I lived for those visits. That’s why I was very grateful to them, and I made it my life’s ambition to make them very proud of me in all that I did.
My first employment was as a domestic help, then as a sales assistant in the local store, followed by an assistant’s position at the George Bowen Memorial Kindergarten. I went on to study Kinder-craft at Brisbane City Hall. That’s when I found my passion for teaching. I also found my future husband in Brisbane, and a taste for city life.
We married in 1975 at St John’s Lutheran Church, Hope Vale, and then moved to Brisbane where we lived for six years. I decided to return to Hope Vale so my three boys could have the cultural experiences at home they couldn’t get in the city. They enjoyed the camping and fishing trips their grandparents took them on.
After being a stay-at-home mother for a few years I enrolled as a mature aged student to study through the Remote Area Teaching Education Program. Since gaining my teaching degree I have taught at Hope Vale, Cooktown, Laura, Coen, Yarrabah, Yam Island and Aurukun. Some of these roles were as Principal and Deputy Principal.
In my role as Principal Coach with Good to Great Schools Australia I worked with principals and teachers in Western Australia and Northern Territory schools. I would never have visited these schools or gone interstate if I wasn’t in this role. I’m grateful for the experience and the opportunity to expand my networks.
My other passions are travelling, sewing and gardening. I enjoyed a seven day cruise to Vanuatu with my daughter, niece and a special friend. I travelled to the United States three times, twice for work and once for pleasure. Loved Disneyland!
I took the opportunity to buy my home through Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) in 2013, the first person to do so in Hope Vale. I chose to build on McLean Drive because McLean is my family name; it seemed appropriate to live there. It was a proud moment for my family when I was handed my certificate from IBA for being the first person in Queensland to own their own home on traditional community land through an IBA home loan.
I am president of the Church Council which works as a team with the pastor and other members to support the people of Hope Vale in any way we can. No one is excluded.
I saw an opportunity for me to broaden my experience in working with people through the Family Responsibilities Commission. I approached the Hope Vale Local Coordinator and signed up to be a Local Commissioner. Every day as a Local Commissioner has been different. It has allowed me to have an insight into people’s lives, their trials and triumphs. Being a Local Commissioner has allowed me to demonstrate empathy, support and discipline when the situations arose.
I believe my role and responsibility as a Local Commissioner has gained me respect within a community which I hold in high regard.

Memorandum of Understanding
A Memorandum of Understanding was entered into on 29 June 2017 between the Australian Government, the State Government and the Commission to set out an agreed basis for funding, administration and reporting arrangements for the operations of the Commission in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. The Commission has since been advised that, in a letter received in March 2018 by DATSIP from DPMC, Australian Government funding for Commission operations has been approved for the period 1 July to 31 December 2018. A formal variation to the existing memorandum of understanding is awaiting finalisation.
CIM survey
A survey was completed during the first quarter of this fiscal year which sought voluntary feedback from Doomadgee FRC clients who were subject to CIM orders to record their views on the impact income management and the BasicsCard had had on their lives. Feedback was received via a survey questionnaire conducted over the period 21 June 2017 to 16 August 2017. Results of the survey revealed:
•	Of the 55 clients subject to a CIM Order, 48 (87 percent) completed the survey, three (5 percent) were not contacted as they were out of community, three (5 percent) were not approached as they were observing Sorry Business, and one (2 percent) client declined to take part.
•	77 percent of clients surveyed reported that having the BasicsCard made their life better (46 percent said “a lot better” and 31 percent said “a bit better”).
•	88 percent of respondents believed that the BasicsCard would be beneficial to people who were using their money for things other than food and rent, and who then could not afford to pay for food and rent.
•	69 percent of respondents believed that having the BasicsCard made it easier to manage money.
•	The least liked aspect of the BasicsCard was the restriction on what money could be spent on with respondents commenting on the inability to spend money on events such as the rodeo or at particular services and stores.
•	71 percent (30 of 42) of clients who commented mentioned having more food in the house as an outcome of the effect of the BasicsCard on their lives.
•	Overall - 75 percent of clients surveyed reported that their experience of the BasicsCard was ‘Good’.
The Commission acknowledges the overwhelmingly positive response to the qualitative research survey and attributes this to a number of factors. The FRC commenced conferencing in Doomadgee in November 2014 without the ability to impose income management. Authorisation to commence income management came in March 2016, giving the Local Commissioners more than a year during which time they were able to engage with clients to sell the idea of income management, and to promote the possible benefits of the BasicsCard. Initial consultations held with the community prior to the introduction of the Commission in 2014 resolved that the Commission would conference on the triggers of Child Safety and Welfare notices and School Attendance and Enrolment notices only. Given that in the great majority of cases, the mother is listed as the primary carer, and is the person most often recorded as responsible for children on the school roll, it is the case that more females than males are conferenced in Doomadgee, and as a result, more women than men become subject to income management orders. In many cases it is also the women who are responsible for the management of the household, and survey result comments point to increased control over money, the availability of food and the ability to save as some of the positive outcomes of income management.
The Commission acknowledges the potential for bias arising from the use of FRC personnel in the collection of data, and the risk of positive response bias associated with the possibility that participants could feel unable to express their true opinion to FRC representatives without fear of potential consequences. The Commission does not claim that the small number of income managed clients surveyed and their responses is representative of the much larger number of income managed clients across the welfare reform communities, and their views. The survey and this resultant report are intended for internal use, as an informal and unofficial means to obtain the opinions of a small number of clients in one community in an attempt to gain some insight into how the BasicsCard was received.
Parliamentary Committee reports
On 14 February 2017 the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee gained jurisdiction under Schedule 6 of the Standing Orders to oversee the Family Responsibilities Commission. The committee’s oversight functions include:
a) 	to monitor and review the performance by the entity of the entity’s functions; 
b) 	to report to the Legislative Assembly on any matter concerning the entity, the entity's functions or the performance of the entity’s functions that the committee considers should be drawn to the Legislative Assembly’s attention; 
c) 	to examine the annual report of the entity tabled in the Legislative Assembly and, if appropriate, to comment on any aspect of the report; and 
d) 	to report to the Legislative Assembly any changes to the functions, structures and procedures of the entity that the committee considers desirable for the more effective operation of the entity or the Act which establishes the entity.
In August 2017 the committee presented Report number 52 on the oversight of the Commission, which highlighted issues for consideration by the Legislative Assembly. During this period the committee met with Commissioner Glasgow on three occasions to gain an appreciation of the Commission’s work, assess the gains it has achieved to date and the challenges it continues to face. Only one recommendation was made in Report number 52. This recommendation stated that, “…Queensland Government service delivery departments which have a statutory relationship with the Family Responsibilities Commission consult with the Family Responsibilities Commission in regard to any proposed changes to operations and reporting that may impact the Commission”. The recommendation was made in light of past operational and legislative changes that have affected the Commission’s operations. The Commission acknowledges that DATSIP has since written to relevant departments reporting to the FRC in regard to this recommendation.
Of particular comment in the committee’s report is their concern that sufficient consideration be given to succession planning for the FRC Commissioner and Local Commissioners in 2018. The committee acknowledged, “…the challenging work undertaken by the FRC, and is greatly 

impressed with the significant results which the FRC has achieved and is achieving in the welfare reform communities in which it operates. The FRC over its period of operation has built strong relationships within the welfare reform communities and has become a valuable conduit for the work of many Queensland Government service agencies”.
Following a Queensland general election held on 25 November 2017, and the swearing in of the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP as the Premier of Queensland on 12 December 2017, the Honourable Jackie Trad MP was appointed the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. Due to this ministerial change, the Commission’s oversight Parliamentary committee transitioned from the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee to the Economics and Governance Committee on 15 February 2018.
School attendance
Official term statistics are not received by the Commission until at least seven or eight weeks after the finish of the term. 2018 term 1 statistics were made available on 30 May 2018, 8.5 weeks after the close of the term. Further, no official attendance statistics are provided to the Commission during term (which lasts 10 to 11 weeks). The Commission is therefore forced to rely on information provided to its Local Coordinators in community who liaise with the local schools directly. The Commission often relies on unverified and unpublished school attendance figures to provide to its FR Board meetings during the year, a matter which is of some concern to the Commissioner.
Aurukun
Term 1 2018 overall attendance (54.2 percent) decreased from term 1 2017 (58.7 percent) by 4.5 percent. Despite this, the school is reported to have a very positive feel to it in 2018, and the large number of parents in the school grounds is a direct indicator of the improved relationship between the school and the community. School attendance is being addressed by all services across Aurukun. The Local Coordinator attributes the success that is being achieved to the regular interagency meetings the FRC is attending which have strengthened relationships between service providers, making it clear that school attendance is a community wide issue. The most successful initiatives in school attendance are community led, and the Aurukun Commissioners have stated that the local School Attendance Officer (SAO) team are the main voices leading the push to increase school attendance. The Commission can report that it has worked hard to strengthen its relationship with the Aurukun State School in 2018, and this has resulted in an enhanced sharing of information on the ground in community. The school has recognised and thanked the FRC for focusing 100 percent on school notices for the beginning of the term, and they report that this was instrumental in assisting them with their increased attendance from term 4 2017 (44.9 percent). The Commissioners are keen to continue prioritising education notices for future conferences.
Coen
Term 1 2018 attendance results for Coen were 93.0 percent, just 0.1 percent higher than for term 1 2017. This was a great result given the fact that weather conditions (including road closures) affected attendance for several weeks. The Department of Education reports that behavioural matters have reduced from 17 in term 1 2017 to four in term 1 2018. In response to a peak in behavioural matters last year:
•	a Child Youth Mental Health Social Worker now visits the school on a fortnightly basis
•	the Department of Education funded program ‘Be Well Learn Well’ allied health team regularly visits Coen (also visiting the communities of Aurukun, Doomadgee and Hope Vale)
•	QPS engage with the school and students on difficult behavioural matters
•	Apunipima Wellbeing Centre Men’s Group in collaboration with the CYP Parenting Program support parents of students engaging in behavioural concerns.
Doomadgee
Overall school attendance for term 1 2018 (62.6 percent) increased from term 1 2017 (58.9 percent) by 3.7 percent. Secondary school attendance for term 1 2018 (52.4 percent) increased from term 1 2017 (43.7 percent) by 8.7 percent. Doomadgee Commissioners have held a total of 189 conferences for school related matters which represents 95 percent of all conferences conducted in Doomadgee for term 1 2018. The SAOs at the school have acknowledged the valuable role the FRC plays in referring and encouraging parents and carers of school aged children to participate in classroom activities with their children. The Doomadgee State School staff appreciated the presence of the FRC on the school grounds and in the community in the first week of term 1 and feel this assisted in increasing the primary school attendance result for the first week of term. In an attempt to better engage with students the school has conducted a camp and has provided horsemanship and hospitality training.
The FRC has continued meeting with the SAOs every Monday morning to identify cohorts of students who are not regularly attending school, and discuss tailored strategies to engage these absent students. The school reports they have experienced an increase in parental participation rates. It is hoped these participation rates will continue to increase. Local Commissioner Eleanor Logan conducts regular staff and community discussion groups as the Centre Manager for the Doomadgee Child Care Centre, focusing on educating young parents and carers on the importance of continuing education beyond primary and secondary school.
Hope Vale
The Hope Vale campus of CYAAA recorded an attendance rate of 83.0 percent for term 1 2018, an increase of 7.3 percent from term 1 2017. The Commission dedicated the first week of sittings in Hope Vale to conference parents and carers of truant children from term 4 2017 in an effort to ensure term 1 2018 had a good beginning. Children with poor attendance and behaviour problems were placed on individual plans by a specialist teacher whose mandate is to reintegrate these children back into their classrooms. Reports are that this strategy has achieved some success to date. It is reported that behavioural incidents thus far are below average to those experienced in the past.
Mossman Gorge
Mossman Gorge community achieved an attendance rate of 78.1 percent in term 1 2018, an increase from term 1 2017 of 2.9 percent. There still remains a high number of disengaged youth in the Mossman Gorge area. Four out of the six high school students who started the year from Mossman Gorge remain in school, whilst the other two students are currently disengaged. The Mossman Gorge Commissioners have held a total of 17 conferences for school related matters during term 1 2018, which represents 63 percent of all conferences conducted. Mossman State Primary School has secured funding to employ a School Engagement Officer to follow up on students who do not present at school, encourage parent participation in student learning and identify any gaps in communication between the school and the home. The Mossman Gorge Wellbeing Centre Girls Group and the Mossman Youth Centre, in collaboration with the Girl Academy at Wangetti, are offering support for disengaged young females.
Local Commissioner conferences
The exercise of Indigenous authority satisfies one of the Commission’s ‘Main Objects’ (Div 2, s4, Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008), “…to help people in Welfare Reform community areas to resume primary responsibility for the wellbeing of their community and the individuals and families of the community”. Local Commissioners from Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale have been sitting alone in conferences on the majority of occasions since 1 July 2017. The Commission has continued this focus for 2018, encouraging the Local Commissioners to sit in conference independently of Commissioner Glasgow and Deputy Commissioner Curtin. In meeting this objective, the 2018 sittings calendar was amended at the direction of Commissioner Glasgow to reduce the occasions on which he and the Deputy Commissioner attend conferences in each community.
Unfortunately Mossman Gorge has seen a reduction in the number of conferences conducted independently. The Mossman Gorge community only has three Local Commissioners, one of whom has obtained a significant position in Cairns. Attendance of the Commissioner has been required from time to time to obtain a quorum at the Mossman Gorge conferences. It should be noted that the percentage of conferences conducted by the Mossman Gorge Commissioners in 2016-17 was 81.22 percent.
Although the Doomadgee Commissioners have only been exercising their independent authority in conference since 23 January 2018, they have embraced their independent role with confidence, common sense and firmness. Local Coordinators in each of the communities have likewise stepped up to the challenge of coordinating client attendance and further supporting the Local Commissioners’ independence. Below is a table detailing the percentage of conferences conducted independently by the Local Commissioners for the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Table 24: The percentage of conferences conducted with Local Commissioners sitting alone by community 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Community	Conferences with Local Commissioners Sitting Alone	Total Number of Conferences Held	Percentage of Conferences with Local Commissioners Sitting Alone	
Aurukun	1,049	1,069	98.13%	
Coen	84	95	88.42%	
Doomadgee	279	856	32.59%	
Hope Vale	386	390	98.97%	
Mossman Gorge	34	129	26.36%	
Total	1,832	2,539	72.15%	

Possible Welfare Reform transition planning
In light of the potential transition of several welfare reform communities from Welfare Reform (subject to community and stakeholder consultations), the Commission was advised that DATSIP would partner with it to transition affected permanent public service employees into other public service employment.
Bearing in mind the Department of the Premier and Cabinet’s Employment Security Policy (together with relevant State Government directives), and in order to ensure that the Commission undertakes every opportunity to offer career transition solutions by skilled career coaches should it be required, the Commission has enlisted the services of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH). LHH offer one-on-one and group orientation sessions focused on providing individuals with a clear pathway to developing and documenting their career plan. 
In May 2018 employees were given the option to access one-on-one career coaching to a maximum of two sessions. As the future becomes clearer, and subject to Australian and State Government policy, the Commission will ensure that all permanent public servants are supported through the program should organisational change be effected.
Community visit
On 10 January 2018, at the invitation of the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, Commissioner Glasgow, Local Commissioner Doreen Hart, and Acting Client Manager Anne Crampton travelled to Yarrabah to meet Council representatives. The Council were eager to obtain information on the FRC and its work in the welfare reform communities. The Commission delegation met with Deputy Mayor Michael Sands, Councillor Colin Cedric and CEO Janelle Menzies. An overview of the FRC and how it works was provided. The Council spoke about their local challenges and the need to seek alternative solutions to those presently being used. The meeting was a positive and frank exchange of views, and the Council sought to meet with the FRC again in the future along with community members. Commissioner Glasgow expressed the need for the Council to seek Government assistance should they wish to introduce an FRC or FRC type model in their community.
Mr Wayne Butcher, Mayor of the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, has also requested information and met with Commissioner Glasgow and Registrar McLeod seeking solutions to the challenge of improving school attendance in the Lockhart River community. An information pack was provided to the Mayor including how the Commission works, profiles of the Local Commissioners, the Commission’s strategic overview and its School Attendance Guidelines. Mayor Butcher was encouraged again to seek Government assistance should the Council and community wish to introduce an FRC or FRC type model in their community.

Mossman Gorge Commissioner Karen Gibson, OAM
Karen Gibson, aside from being a well-respected Local Commissioner for the Family Responsibilities Commission in Mossman Gorge, is also a committed community leader who has held many roles in the community of Mossman Gorge.
Karen was born and raised in the Mossman area as a member of the Kuku Nyungul and Kuku Yalanji Clans. She was appointed as a Local Commissioner in 2011, but prior to that time Karen worked with the Commission as its Local Coordinator, managing the local registry operations in Mossman Gorge.
A passionate and acknowledged artist in her own right, Karen remains humble but dedicated to her art. She is at her most creative when surrounded by canvas, bright colourful paints and peaceful surroundings. Karen states that she feels a continual conflict between her desire to devote time to her personal commitment to work for social improvements for Aboriginal people, and her desire to devote time to following her creative flow. Both are callings which beckon her strongly and she often finds herself combining them in her artistic expressions.
Karen’s artistic drive is so deeply embedded, that she recalls from her early school days frequently getting into trouble for drawing in her books. She is happy she can now laugh at those memories. After leaving school Karen became more serious about her art and her paintings became an outlet to share cultural knowledge and to relate in visual terms the stories she’d learnt from her people.
As Karen matured she began to take more interest in her cultural history and sought more knowledge from her Grandfather, George Kulka Senior, about traditional ways. Karen grew up in a very close relationship with her Grandfather who she says gave her the tribal name of ‘Dilbel’ at the age of 21, meaning ‘poison white flower’ in English. Karen’s fascination with her culture can be seen through the many expressions of her artwork which are expressions of the stories shared not only with her Grandfather, but also with her Mum, Isobella Ross-Kelly. Karen said, “My Mum, Isobella, contributed in a big way, and is a key influence in my artwork, but it was my Grandfather who was the inspiration for the artwork ‘Women’s Business’”. Karen’s Grandfather George shared stories of when he was a child watching the women collect and gather. ‘Women’s Business’ is one such painting that shows the traditional role of women, gathering berries and fruits, digging yams and collecting clams and mussels. ‘Women’s Business’ is Karen’s way of sharing her culture and ensuring it is kept alive for generations to come.

Karen has recently taken on a new role with Cape York Partnership as an Engagement Officer for Empowered Communities. Karen said, “I am contributing to the journey of Empowered Communities and have been guided by the people of Cape York”. In her role with Cape York Partnership, and as Local Commissioner with the Family Responsibilities Commission, Karen listens to the stories of men, women, children, families and the community. She has in the past worn, and continues to wear, many hats – mother, grandmother, cultural teacher, community leader and student of the arts.
Women’s Business
In traditional Australian Aboriginal culture women have their own roles, ceremonies, songs and sacred sites, it is called ‘Women’s Business’. This painting shows the women working together, gathering and hunting. They carry the eggs of freshwater turtles and brush turkeys in woven baskets. They have caught fish and a goanna. Others are holding leafy branches to keep mosquitoes away. They also carry long sticks for getting small animals out of inaccessible holes or honey out of long hollow branches. These are Rainforest women, wearing body paint which consists of dots that represent rain on the river, and white lines being the river itself. "These women go out to collect wild fruits and small game, providing and teaching for younger family members. Women from all around play a very important role in this world. They are the providers and carers, handing down what was passed down to them from other women".

Family Responsibilities Board
Part 12 of the FRC Act provides for the establishment of the Family Responsibilities Board (FR Board). Under section 117 of the FRC Act, the FR Board has a mandate to: give advice and make recommendations to the Minister about the operation of the Commission; give advice and make recommendations to the Commissioner about the performance of the Commission’s functions; and consider the reports submitted by the Commission. Section 118 of the FRC Act provides for the membership of the FR Board which is endorsed by the Queensland Governor in Council. The FR Board consists of one person nominated by the Minister (chairperson of the FR Board), one person nominated by the Australian Government and one person nominated by the Institute. Board members are appointed by the Governor in Council for the term stated in the member’s instrument of appointment.
Section 123 of the FRC Act states that the FR Board must meet every six months. The meeting may be held by using any technology available which will allow for efficient and effective communication, however, the Board members must meet in person at least once a year. A quorum for the Board is comprised of two members. A full description of the meetings of the FR Board can be found at page 115.
Composition of the Board
The FR Board members as at 30 June 2018 were:
Ms Tammy Williams	A/Director-General, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships as the Chair
Mr Troy Sloan 	First Assistant Secretary, Legal, Employment, Environment and Evaluation Division, Indigenous Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Mr Noel Pearson 	Founder, Cape York Partnership representing the Cape York Institute.
It is anticipated that Dr Chris Sarra will commence his appointment as Director-General of DATSIP on
7 August 2018.
Executive Management Team
The Commission’s Executive Management Team (EMT) is comprised of the Commissioner, the Registrar, the Client Manager and the Finance Manager. The EMT plays a critical role in the corporate governance and service delivery of the Commission by:
•	providing value-based leadership whilst being a role model for innovation, teamwork and problem solving
•	demonstrating and incorporating high standards of integrity and ethical behaviour
•	ensuring transparency and accountability through effective decision-making and communication with employees and service providers
•	providing a clear future direction for the Commission and
•	providing leadership and direction on:
•	issues relating to the ongoing financial and non-financial operations of the Commission and the performance of its governance structure and
•	the operation, performance and reporting of the Commission with regard to its obligations under the FRC Act and other relevant legislation.
Due to the small size of the Commission, the role of the EMT also encompasses the corporate stewardship functions associated with the Commission’s operational performance. In addition the EMT oversees the operations of finance, information management, human resources and planning, audit, risk management, systems review and workload and performance management. The EMT met on a regular basis throughout the 2017-18 year. Following Commissioner Glasgow’s advice to the State Government of his intention to retire on 31 July 2018, the Deputy Commissioner was invited to join the EMT and also attend all staff meetings.
Corporate structure
The Commission’s organisational structure includes a central registry office based in Cairns and a remote office in each of the welfare reform communities of Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge. Each of the Commission’s remote community based offices has a Local Coordinator appointed to provide strategic, operational and administrative support to the Local Commissioners.
The FRC Commissioner was appointed by the Governor in Council under the FRC Act until 31 July 2018, however, his appointment was subsequently extended in July 2018 to 31 December 2018. The Deputy Commissioner and Local Commissioners are appointed by the Governor in Council under the FRC Act until 31 December 2018.

Family Responsibilities Commission – Organisational Chart

Planning
The Commission has adopted a strategic plan which clearly defines the strategic outcomes sought by the Commission, the strategic objectives which are specifically tied to these outcomes and the strategies it will employ to achieve its objectives. The strategic outcomes of improved community wellbeing and improved community responsibility set out what the Commission wishes to achieve. The strategic objectives relate to specific targets and processes by which the Commission seeks to achieve its outcomes. The Commission’s direction is consistent with, and guided by, current whole-of-government priorities, including targets set by COAG under NIRA and other key financial, socio-economic and demographic challenges identified through research and consultation. The strategic plan is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure currency of performance measures and that objectives adequately reflect the Commission’s vision and purpose. A copy of the Strategic Plan can be found on page 17.
Participation in external governance groups
In addition to the internal governance arrangements of the Commission, the Commissioner and other delegated employees participate regularly in interagency meetings and governance groups. In particular regular individual meetings are conducted separately between the Commission, and its strategic partners DATSIP, CYP and DPMC. These meetings enhance interagency collaboration and focus on common goals.
In addition, regular meetings are held between the Commission and community service providers to focus on seamless service provision for Commission clients, to fill in gaps where they occur and to maintain up-to-date knowledge on agency services, ensuring responsiveness to both client and community needs.
Human resource management
At 30 June 2018 the Commission had an employee establishment of 15.4 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, including positions servicing the regional communities. The .4 FTE position is currently filled by a contract employee in order to meet current operational requirements. Thirteen positions are based in the Cairns registry office (including one part-time position and one Local Coordinator servicing Coen and Mossman Gorge). Regional positions include one Local Coordinator based in Aurukun, one Local Coordinator based in Hope Vale and one Local Coordinator based in Doomadgee. The Deputy Commissioner and Local Commissioners are employed on a fee for service basis.
Workforce Profile	
•	Of the 15.4 FTEs, 12 are permanent staff, 2.4 are temporary staff and 1 is on a set contract term (FRC Commissioner’s tenure is set by the Governor in Council)	
•	13.0 percent of our workforce is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander	
•	61.0 percent of our workforce are women	
•	19.5 percent of our workforce reside in remote communities	

Since the establishment of the Commission employee and job classification levels have altered from time to time as a result of operational reviews. During this financial year the Commission has experienced a permanent separation rate of eight percent.
The Commission promotes policies and activities to support a healthy work-life balance. Flexible work arrangements are actively accessed and employees are provided the opportunity to work from home where appropriate. Part-time or job share work opportunities exist, and hours of work arrangements including the opportunity for purchased leave are available. These flexible arrangements are also offered in order to assist in balancing work and carer roles where required. Employees are also encouraged to use their annual leave.
To prevent the onset of desk-related neck, back, shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries, and to manage symptoms which may already exist, the Commission offers employees access to ergonomic specialist services.
There were no formal complaints of bullying or harassment during the financial year. Quarterly reports on complaints and investigations are provided to the Public Service Commission as part of the whole-of-government reporting requirements.
Recruitment, selection and retention of employees
The Commission conducts all recruitment and selection processes in accordance with the requirements of the Public Service Act 2008 and relevant Public Service Commission policies and directives. New employees are welcomed through the Commission’s on-line induction process which provides information in regard to the Commission and links to all human resource policies. Each is mentored by a staff member to assist them to become familiar with the Commission and what is expected of them in their role.
In 2014 the Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 was amended to remove the sunset clause which provided that the FRC Act would cease on a specified date. Subsequent to the removal of the sunset clause, and to comply with the provisions of s149 of the Public Service Act 2008 and Queensland Public Service Commission Directives, employees occupying ongoing and funded positions have been transitioned to tenure after having cleared the employees requiring placement pool. During the reporting period, one employee was transitioned to tenure. 
During the period 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 no redundancy, early retirement or retrenchment packages were paid.
Professional development
The Commission is committed to providing professional development to the Local Commissioners on a continual basis to ensure it actively works to restore local authority. Part of this professional development involves enhancing and expanding upon relationships with other Indigenous organisations, service providers, government departments and agencies. The Local Commissioners attended their annual development week in Cairns commencing on 8 May 2018 during which they met with senior staff from several organisations including DATSIP, DSS, DPMC and CYP.
Following the official opening and Welcome to Country, the delegates were addressed by Dr Ernest Hunter. Dr Hunter trained in psychiatry and public health in the United States, before working in remote Indigenous Australia. He has spent many years engaged in research and clinical care in northern Australia, and has travelled extensively in the remote communities in Cape York. He is a well-respected and valued consultant in Indigenous mental health. Dr Hunter spoke of the historic events which escalated the general and mental health decline in Aboriginal communities. The Doctor identified the three basic ingredients common in young Indigenous who had committed suicide; the parents were not living with the children, the children were disengaged from schooling, and all had witnessed people acting out self-harm. Dr Hunter’s message was that it is vital to help families to reconnect and support these lost children, and that schooling was vital to their wellbeing.
Two field trips then followed, with a trip to Djarragun College to view the new health clinic and boarding facilities available to Cape and Doomadgee students, whilst the Hope Vale Commissioners travelled to Yarrabah to meet with community members and discuss the work of the FRC. The next day was dedicated to leadership training which included some Registry staff members. Two guest speakers were invited the next morning to speak of their stories in regard to Indigenous economic development. DATSIP then spoke with the Commissioners about the evaluation of Welfare Reform and the consultations being conducted in their communities, and DSS consulted with the Commissioners in regard to their review of income management.
Participation in the week-long conference allowed the Local Commissioners to tackle common issues, review strategies and source solutions. A comprehensive summary of the development week can be found in this annual report entitled ‘Local Commissioner Development Week’.
The broader focus of the Commission’s professional development program for employees is on skills development, career enhancement, and supporting a culture of ongoing learning through participation in internal workshops, on the job training and courses conducted by specialist external training providers. All Commission employees have been registered for the online iLearning courses provided by DCSYW. This online learning service provides training in Ethical Decision-Making, Harvard ManageMentor and executive development online courses including webinars for team leaders, supervisors and managers on a range of topics, a mentoring program for senior officers and managers, finance and procurement fundamentals and a Lead.Perform Hub. The Lead.Perform Hub provides leadership and performance development information, resources and learning opportunities for emerging leaders, operational leaders and senior leaders. The hub is designed to enable collaboration and learning where employees can access learning activities, videos and program information to develop leadership and supervision practice, knowledge and skills. A Psychological Health Safety and Wellbeing course is also available which offers training and awareness on psychological wellbeing in the workplace. Information on common psychological conditions that impact on work performance and appropriate employee support options are canvassed in this course. These are but a few of the training opportunities offered.
To facilitate employees’ development, each employee together with their manager signs a Performance and Development Agreement. The agreement sets out identified learning activities, supports the development of competencies, professional skills and personal attributes, and is designed to identify and record knowledge and skills gaps together with learning objectives. The plans link in with the Commission’s strategic objectives and are reviewed on a six monthly basis. During 2017-18 employee professional development, training, and workshops cost $50,768 excluding travel costs. This investment provides a platform for the Commission to foster the development of new skills and to improve business processes within the Commission.
During 2017-18 the Commission organised a number of training programs and workshops to monitor, evaluate and continuously improve operations, internal administration and service delivery of the Commission. Training programs covered the key areas of:
•	Introduction to Mediation Skills
•	Customised Leadership Program
•	Emerging Leaders Program
•	Employee Assistance Program worklifeAssist Seminar
•	National Indigenous Education Forum
•	National Indigenous Education Boarding Symposium
•	Prince2 Foundation Certificate in Project Management
•	Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
•	Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions
•	User Experience for the Web
•	Wordpress/Manage Your Site
•	Managing Office 365 with PowerShell
•	Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
•	financial reporting training
•	taxation and payroll training
•	fire warden and trial evacuation
•	first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation including defibrillation
•	fraud and corruption in the workplace training
•	Queensland Public Service Code of Conduct and Ethical Decision-Making.
The Commission is also committed to providing support to employees who undertake further education and to providing flexible work practices to enable employees to study whilst continuing to meet operational and client needs.
Under the Commission’s Study and Research Assistance Scheme policy financial assistance and leave arrangements are administered subject to Directive 9/13 Special Leave in an equitable manner, ensuring effective usage of learning and organisational development funds, and taking into consideration available resources. As at June 2018 there are four employees enrolled for the current 2018 calendar year to study the following:
•	Bachelor of Social Work
•	Certificate IV Leadership and Management
•	Diploma of Child, Youth and Family Intervention
•	Certificate IV in Accounting.
Through the provision of high quality and targeted professional development the Commission seeks to not only enhance the skills and competencies of its employees and Local Commissioners, but to also provide effective and efficient client service.
Information and communication technology
Coinciding with the establishment of the Commission in July 2008 a service level agreement was entered into with the Corporate Administration Agency (CAA) for information and communication technology services. This agreement ensures that the Commission complies with the Information Privacy Act 2009, whilst providing a high level of security and support.
The Commission’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) system plays a vital role in supporting employees both in the Cairns registry office and regional offices. The Commission, in conjunction with CAA, has policies and network protocols in place to ensure all employees have a clear understanding of their responsibilities regarding ethical information access, transference, usage and management. These systems capture and retain information, preserve the integrity of information and also provide a high level of security and confidentiality.
The Registry has had to work on a number of mandatory ICT projects this year which have consumed substantial resource and time allocations. The Commission is only a small organisation, and therefore projects as detailed below affect not only those directly involved, but also at some point in time every staff member in the Registry in one capacity or another.
•	The Commission’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Server is the centralised server used to deliver its operations. The Commission was advised by CAA in August 2017 that effective from 30 June 2018, after seven years of service, this server will reach the end of its life. Options and solutions to support the Commission’s continued operations were sought throughout the second and third quarters of the 2017-18 financial year. Solutions were sought in partnership with CAA, who hosted the VDI server and Telstra, the Commission’s telecommunication provider. After deliberating all possible solutions, and bearing in mind the Commission’s uncertain future, the option to extend the server’s life and move its home to a different location was the most viable and economical solution to implement. The VDI server’s life was extended by Dell for an additional year at a cost, and the VDI was relocated from the State Library of Queensland’s Datacentre to CITEC’s Datacentre. A further review of the Commission’s VDI will be required should the Commission be extended beyond July 2019.
•	During the second half of 2017 all businesses with 20 or more employees were instructed that by 1 July 2018 they would be required to use Single Touch Payroll enabled software for reporting to the Australia Taxation Office (ATO). It was identified that to comply with ATO reporting, the Commission’s accounting and payroll software would need to be upgraded. The project was completed in mid-June 2018.
Moving forward, the Commission will continually aim to implement innovative and technology driven solutions to work more efficiently whilst complying with best practice principles. A priority of the Commission is to increase its ability to work in a more sustainable ‘paper free’ environment.
The Commission can report that no breaches of information security have occurred to date, and no records have been lost due to disaster or other occurrences.
The Commission complies with recordkeeping practices in accordance with section 141 of the FRC Act, the Public Records Act 2002, Information Standard 40, Recordkeeping and Information Standard 31: Retention and Disposal of Public Records, through the service level agreement with CAA. Approximately 90 percent of Commission records are held in digital format.
Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 and Code of Conduct
All employees of the Commission, with the exception of the Family Responsibilities Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner and the Local Commissioners are employed under the Public Service Act 2008.
Commission employees have completed their annual Code of Conduct training via the DCSYW iLearning site. The training incorporates the four ethics principles together with their associated values of integrity and impartiality, promoting the public good, commitment to the system of government and accountability and transparency. The Local Coordinators for the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge have also facilitated training for each Local Commissioner. New employees are provided with Code of Conduct and ethics training upon induction, and refresher training is conducted annually for all Commission employees.
To further assist Commission employees with ethical decision-making and in understanding the Code of Conduct, the Commission has a supplementary policy document titled ‘Workplace Policy’. This policy presents a broad framework for ethical behaviour, supports the Code and is consistent with the requirements of the Public Service Act 2008, the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994, the FRC Act and relevant Public Service Commission policies and directives. The Code of Conduct and Workplace Policy are both available in hard copy at all Commission premises.
Alignment with the ethics principles is further achieved through the Commission’s Strategic Plan which incorporates objectives based on enhancing and strengthening socially responsible standards of behaviour both within the Commission and in the five welfare reform communities. These objectives then form the basis for employee Performance and Development Agreements to link ethics priorities with service delivery.

Public sector values
Customers first

•	Know your customers
•	Deliver what matters
•	Make decisions with empathy	Be courageous

•	Own your actions, successes and mistakes
•	Take calculated risks
•	Act with transparency	
Ideas into action

•	Challenge the norm and suggest solutions
•	Encourage and embrace new ideas
•	Work across boundaries	Empower people

•	Lead, empower and trust
•	Play to everyone's strengths
•	Develop yourself and those around you	
Unleash potential

•	Expect greatness
•	Lead and set clear expectations
•	Seek, provide and act on feedback		

The Commission continues to structure its operations in accordance with the objects and principles of the FRC Act and the Queensland Public Service Values of: customers first, ideas into action, unleash potential, be courageous and empower people. The Commission’s Service Charter pledges the best service we can provide and to deliver outputs for the Queensland and Australian Governments that achieve the outcomes sought for the welfare reform communities. In doing so the Commission nurtures a spirit of inquiry and innovation. Our Local Commissioners are well acquainted with their community and the ancestry and family history of their community members. Decisions are made with an understanding of where each client comes from and what has influenced their behaviour. The exercise of their authority under the FRC Act is governed by this understanding. They are challenging the negative social norms in their communities every day, encouraging clients to cross the boundaries of their inappropriate social behaviours. To do so requires courage from the Local Commissioners and from Commission clients. The Local Commissioners are leading by example, trusting where their intuition demands consideration of the challenges faced by each individual and at times demanding action by imposing restrictions. With each decision they take a calculated risk on the strength and capacity of their community members, whilst empowering them to be responsible to themselves, their families and their community.
Risk management
The Commission’s risk management framework establishes a mechanism to identify, assess and manage real or potential risks. The framework supports a positive risk minimisation and management culture within the Commission which focuses on strategic risks (risks which present as challenges to the Commission’s strategic direction and vision), and operational risks (risks which present as challenges to the daily activities of the Commission in delivering its services). In applying the risk management principles the Commission has a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). The framework of this plan incorporates five key elements – prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and review, and consists of a risk management and contingency plan, business impact analysis, incident response table and recovery plan. The plan states a shared legal responsibility and accountability between, and a commitment by, all employees to implement the BCP. Employees are individually responsible for contributing to the BCP and to the health and safety of others by reporting workplace injury, incidents, illness and hazards. Employees are also responsible for seeking to reduce the vulnerability of the Commission to internal and external events and influences that may impede achieving the goals of the Commission.
The Commission’s BCP progresses from an integrated approach to managing all risks that impact on the achievement of the Commission’s strategic and business objectives to reviewing and re-evaluating identified risks and reporting to the EMT regarding processes and recommendations.
External scrutiny
The Commission commenced the year under the oversight responsibility of the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee under the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001.
In August 2017 the committee presented Report number 52 on the oversight of the Commission, which highlighted issues for consideration by the Legislative Assembly. One recommendation was made in Report number 52. This recommendation stated that, “…Queensland Government service delivery departments which have a statutory relationship with the Family Responsibilities Commission consult with the Family Responsibilities Commission in regard to any proposed changes to operations and reporting that may impact the Commission”. The recommendation was made in light of past operational and legislative changes that have affected the Commission’s operations.
Of particular comment in the committee’s report is their concern that sufficient consideration be given to succession planning for the FRC Commissioner and Local Commissioners in 2018. The committee acknowledged, “…the challenging work undertaken by the FRC, and is greatly impressed with the significant results which the FRC has achieved and is achieving in the welfare reform communities in which it operates. The FRC over its period of operation has built strong relationships within the welfare reform communities and has become a valuable conduit for the work of many Queensland Government service agencies”.
Following a Queensland general election held on 25 November 2017, and the swearing in of the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP as the Premier of Queensland on 12 December 2017, the Honourable Jackie Trad MP was appointed the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. Due to this ministerial change, the Commission’s oversight Parliamentary committee transitioned from the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee to the Economics and Governance Committee on 15 February 2018.
The committee is responsible for examining Bills to consider policy, examining estimates, assessing the Commission’s accounts in regard to integrity, economy, efficiency and effectiveness of financial management and assessing whether the Commission is performing its legislative functions and meeting its obligations as a statutory body. The committee is set to conduct estimates hearings in July 2018.
Between March and June 2018 a consultation team comprised of personnel from DATSIP, DPMC and CYP representing the Institute travelled to Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge to conduct consultations in regard to the effectiveness of Welfare Reform and Commission operations. A similar consultation was conducted in Doomadgee by DATSIP only. The resultant report from these consultations will inform State and Australian Government decisions on the future of Welfare Reform and the Commission.
Professional conduct
All employees of the Commission are required to adhere to the values of the Commission and undertake their duties with professionalism, respect for diversity and courtesy whilst utilising ethics in all decision-making. Employees are made aware of their ongoing responsibilities, duty of care and requirements under the core legislation governing the Commission as published through Commission policies, protocols and guidelines which are readily available to employees on the intranet. During the year the Commission has continued refining its strategies and processes to ensure its operations are effective and the strategic direction is maintained. The following policies and guidelines were revised to ensure efficiencies of process:

Policy	Revision Date	
Rural and Remote Area Incentive Policy	September 2017	
Staff Induction Policy	October 2017	
Information Sharing Protocol	November 2017	
Discipline in the Workplace Policy	December 2017	
Employee Complaints Management Policy	December 2017	
Privacy Policy	December 2017	
External Complaints Management Policy	January 2018	
Local Commissioner Conference Guidelines	January 2018	
Local Commissioner Handbook	January 2018	
Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure	February 2018	

Commission policies are required to be read and understood as part of the Commission induction process and a register must be signed acknowledging an understanding of the policies. The Commission complies with the following legislative requirements in performing its functions:
•	Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008
•	Anti-Discrimination Act 1991
•	Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012
•	Financial Accountability Act 2009
•	Financial Arrangements Act 1982
•	Information Privacy Act 2009
•	Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010
•	Public Records Act 2002
•	Public Service Act 2008
•	Public Sector Ethics Act 1994
•	Right to Information Act 2009
•	Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009
•	Work Health and Safety Act 2011
•	Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.
Publication of information on-line
For information regarding consultancies, international travel, corporate social responsibility including waste management and recycling policies, carbon emissions, reconciliation, right to information and information privacy, complaints management, corporate services and work health and safety refer to the Additional Published Information under Right to Information on the Commission’s website at https://www.frcq.org.au and the Queensland Government Open Data website at https://data.qld.gov.au.
Publications by the Commission during 2017-18
1.	Annual Report 2016-2017
2.	Quarterly Report 36 (April to June 2017)
3.	Quarterly Report 37 (July to September 2017)
4.	Quarterly Report 38 (October to December 2017)
5.	Quarterly Report 39 (January to March 2018)
All publications are available on the Family Responsibilities Commission’s website: 
https://www.frcq.org.au.

Profile – Mossman Gorge Commissioner Karen Shuan
Karen Shuan is a community leader, mother, grandmother, dancer, artist and proud Kuku Yalanji woman. These are just a few of the roles she fulfils along with the role of Local Commissioner, and guardian and teacher of local traditional knowledge to the many people who visit the Mossman Gorge Centre. Karen works at the Mossman Gorge Centre greeting and sharing traditional knowledge with visitors from around the globe. The Mossman Gorge Centre is known to locals as the ‘Gateway’. Karen could be considered in her role as the ‘Gatekeeper’, protecting and sharing the knowledge passed down to her by family, and keeping the age old traditions of the Kuku Yalanji Clan from the rainforest alive.
In her spare time Karen likes to paint and has become an acclaimed artist. Earlier this year her artwork was exhibited in the Mossman Gorge Centre. Her paintings express culture through animals, and regularly depict two worlds coming together as one in harmony.
A woman of many talents, Karen is also the owner and dance coordinator of the Wabul Wabul Kuku Yalanji Dance Group and confesses her passion lies in educating the next generation of community children by sharing the dancing knowledge and skills that were handed down to her by her mother. Karen says, “All of my talent is from my mother”. Karen has passed this tradition and knowledge of dance and stories to her own daughters and would now like to focus on handing down the knowledge of language.
A fluent speaker of the local language Karen is aware the Kuku Yalanji language is quickly disappearing. She states that the younger community members do not speak the language as their Elders have done, and in many homes only English is spoken now. In 2017 Karen took on a role teaching language in Mossman Gorge and hopes the group will be reformed again this year. She is aware there has been an Indigenous cultural push to incorporate Indigenous language into local schools. Mossman State School has secured funding for a language teacher and plans to replace the Japanese class with local language. Karen continues to work toward keeping local language a focus in the community and is currently talking to kindergartens in the area about language and culture programs in the early years to create and nurture an awareness of the local Aboriginal culture.
Local Commissioner Karen Shuan speaks in language during conference as Elders in community frequently prefer to speak in language. Karen says you can see clearly from their body language the ease with which they understand. They find greater comfort in the familiarity of their own language. Karen explains, “This is why we need to keep our culture and language alive”.

Family Responsibilities Commission
Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 30 June 2018

	Family Responsibilities Commission
Cairns Commonwealth Centre
Level 3, 107 Lake Street, Cairns
PO Box 5438
Cairns Qld 4870

Ph: 07 4081 8400
Fax: 07 4041 0974
www.frcq.org.au

3 September 2018

The Honourable Jackie Trad MP
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
GPO Box 611
BRISBANE   QLD   4001

Dear Minister Trad

I am pleased to present the Financial Statements for the Annual Report 2017-2018 for the Family Responsibilities Commission.

I certify that this Annual Report complies with:
•	the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009, and
•	the detailed requirements set out in the Annual Report Requirements for Queensland Government Agencies.

The 2017-2018 Annual Report can be accessed at https://www.frcq.org.au after 30 October 2018.

Yours sincerely

David Glasgow, AM
Commissioner
Family Responsibilities Commission

APPENDIX A
Family Responsibilities Board – schedule of meetings
Date of FR Board meeting	Venue	Attendees	
3 November 2017	Room 38.03
1 William Street, Brisbane
	Ms Clare O’Connor (Chair), Director-General DATSIP; and Mr Troy Sloan, First Assistant Secretary, Policy, Analysis and Evaluation Division, DPMC.	
23 April 2018	Room 8.02
1 William Street, Brisbane	Ms Tammy Williams (Chair), Acting Director-General, DATSIP; Mr Troy Sloan, First Assistant Secretary, Policy, Analysis and Evaluation Division, DPMC; and Mr Noel Pearson, Founder, Cape York Institute.	
19 June 2018	Meeting Room 4
Level 17
53 Albert Street, Brisbane	Ms Tammy Williams (Chair), Acting Director-General, DATSIP; and Mr Troy Sloan, First Assistant Secretary, Policy, Analysis and Evaluation Division, DPMC.	

APPENDIX B – Sittings calendar
Family Responsibilities Commission 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2017
WEEK COMMENCING	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	OTHER	
3 July							
10 July		11	12	13			
		11					
17 July		18	19		Public Holiday	21 Cairns Show Day	
		18					
		18					
24 July		25	26	27		24 Mossman Show, 28 Cooktown Show and Coen Public Holiday	
31 July		1			Public Holiday	4 Aurukun Day	
		1					
7 August		8	9	10			
14 August		15	16				
		15					
		15					
21 August		22	23	24	Public Holiday	25 Doomadgee Day	
		22					
28 August		29	30				
		29					
		29					
4 September		5	6	7			
11 September		12	13				
		12					
		12					
18 September					Public Holiday	22 Doomadgee Day	
25 September							
2 October	Public Holiday	3	4	5		2 Queens Birthday	
9 October		10	11	12			
		10					
16 October		17	18				
		17					
		17					
23 October	23		25	26			
30 October		31	1				
		31					
		31					
6 November		7	8	9			
13 November		14	15	16			
		14					
20 November		21	22	23			
		21					
27 November		28	29				
		28					
4 December		5	6				
		5					
11 December							
18 December							
25 December	Public Holiday	Public Holiday				25 Christmas Day, 26 Boxing Day, 27, 28, 29 Office Closed for Xmas	

Family Responsibilities Commission 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2018
WEEK COMMENCING	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	OTHER	
1 January	Public Holiday					1 New Year’s Day	
8 January							
15 January							
22 January		23	24	25	Public Holiday	26 Australia Day	
		23					
29 January		30	31	1			
5 February *		6	7	8			
		6					
12 February *		13	14	15			
19 February		20	21	22			
		20					
26 February		27	28	1			
5 March *		6	7	8			
12 March *		13	14	15			
19 March		20	21	22			
		20					
26 March		27	28	29	Public Holiday	30 Good Friday	
2 April	Public Holiday					2 Easter Monday	
9 April							
16 April				19			
23 April *		24	Public Holiday	26		25 Anzac Day	
30 April		1	2	3			
		1		3			
7 May	Public Holiday					7 Labour Day
Commissioner Development Week	
14 May *		15 ½ day	16	17 
Public Holiday		17 Commemoration of Evacuation to Woorabinda - HV	
21 May *		22	23	24			
28 May		29	30	31	Public Holiday	1 Mabo Day - Doomadgee	
4 June		5	6	7			
		5					
11 June *		12	13	14			
		12					
18 June *		19	20	21			
		19					
25 June		26	27	28			

APPENDIX C – Compliance checklist
Family Responsibilities Commission 2017-2018 annual report

Summary of requirement	Basis for requirement	Annual report reference	
Letter of compliance	•	A letter of compliance from the accountable officer or statutory body to the relevant Minister/s	ARRs – section 7	Page 4	
Accessibility	•	Table of contents
•	Glossary	ARRs – section 9.1	Page 5
Page 121	
	•	Public availability	ARRs – section 9.2	Page 2	
	•	Interpreter service statement	Queensland Government Language Services Policy
ARRs – section 9.3	Page 2	
	•	Copyright notice	Copyright Act 1968
ARRs – section 9.4	Page 2	
	•	Information licensing	QGEA – Information Licensing
ARRs – section 9.5	N/A	
General information	•	Introductory Information	ARRs – section 10.1	Pages 7-10	
	•	Machinery of Government changes	ARRs – section 31 and 32	N/A	
	•	Agency role and main functions	ARRs – section 10.2	Pages 11-21	
	•	Operating environment	ARRs – section 10.3	Pages 57-66, 70-75, 115	
Non-financial performance	•	Government’s objectives for the community	ARRs – section 11.1	Pages 15-17	
	•	Other whole-of-government plans / specific initiatives	ARRs – section 11.2	Pages 15-16	
	•	Agency objectives and performance indicators	ARRs – section 11.3	Page 17	
	•	Agency service areas and service standards	ARRs – section 11.4	Pages 59	
Financial performance	•	Summary of financial performance	ARRs – section 12.1	Pages 67-68	

Summary of requirement	Basis for requirement	Annual report reference	
Governance – management and structure	•	Organisational structure	ARRs – section 13.1	Pages 78-79	
	•	Executive management	ARRs – section 13.2	Page 78	
	•	Government bodies (statutory bodies and other entities)	ARRs – section 13.3	N/A	
	•	Public Sector Ethics Act 1994	Public Sector Ethics Act 1994
ARRs – section 13.4	Page 84	
	•	Queensland public service values	ARRs – section 13.5	Page 85	
Governance – risk management and accountability	•	Risk management	ARRs – section 14.1	Page 86	
	•	Audit committee	ARRs – section 14.2	N/A	
	•	Internal audit	ARRs – section 14.3	Page 67	
	•	External scrutiny	ARRs – section 14.4	Pages 86-87	
	•	Information systems and record keeping	ARRs – section 14.5	Pages 83-84	
Governance – human resources	•	Strategic workforce planning and performance	ARRs – section 15.1	Pages 80-83	
	•	Early retirement, redundancy and retrenchment	Directive No.11/12 Early Retirement, Redundancy and Retrenchment
Directive No.16/16 Early Retirement, Redundancy and Retrenchment (from 20 May 2016)
ARRs – section 15.2	Page 81	
Open Data	•	Statement advising publication of information	ARRs – section 16	Page 88	
	•	Consultancies	ARRs – section 33.1	Page 88	
	•	Overseas travel	ARRs – section 33.2	Page 88	
	•	Queensland Language Services Policy	ARRs – section 33.3	N/A	
Financial statements	•	Certification of financial statements	FAA – section 62
FPMS – sections 42, 43 and 50
ARRs – section 17.1	Page 91	
	•	Independent Auditor’s Report	FAA – section 62
FPMS – section 50
ARRs – section 17.2	Pages 112-114	

APPENDIX D
Welfare Reform
Welfare Reform is a partnership between five welfare reform communities, the Queensland Government, Australian Government and the Institute. Welfare Reform aims to address the collapse of social norms and passive dependence on welfare which has displaced responsibility from many Indigenous people.
The partnership communities are:
Aurukun
Aurukun is on the western coast of Cape York and is approximately 900 kilometres northwest of Cairns, and about 200 kilometres south of Weipa. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 913 people as at 30 June 2017,.
Coen
The township of Coen is approximately halfway between Cairns and the tip of Cape York. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of Cook Shire. The township had an estimated resident adult population of 251 people as at 30 June 20171,.
Doomadgee
Doomadgee lies alongside the Nicholson River, one of the permanent freshwater rivers that flow from the ranges behind Lawn Hill National Park in North West Queensland. Doomadgee is the first (or last) township on the Queensland section of the Savannah Way. It is 630 kilometres by road to Mt Isa and 1035 kilometres west of Cairns. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 806 people as at 30 June 20171,2.
Hope Vale
Hope Vale is situated on the Cape York Peninsula and is 46 kilometres northwest of Cooktown. The estimated resident adult population of Hope Vale was 686 people as at 30 June 20171,2.
Mossman Gorge
Mossman Gorge is a small Aboriginal community 75 kilometres north of Cairns, 4 kilometres from Mossman (the nearest town), and approximately 25 kilometres by road from Port Douglas. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of the Douglas Shire Council area. The community had an estimated resident population of 88 people as at 30 June 20171,.

Abbreviations
ABS	Australian Bureau of Statistics	IBA	Indigenous Business Australia	
AM	Member of the Order of Australia	ICT	Information and Communications Technology	
ARRs	Annual report requirements for Queensland Government agencies	IEW	Indigenous Education Worker	
ASP	Alternative Secondary Pathway	IKC	Information Knowledge Centre	
ATO	Australian Taxation Office	MEP	Miwatj Employment and Participation	
BBNAC	Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation	NAIDOC	National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee	
BCP	Business Continuity Plan	NGO	Non-Government Organisation	
CAA	Corporate Administration Agency	NIRA	National Indigenous Reform Agreement	
CDEP	Community Development Employment Projects	NSW	New South Wales	
CEO	Chief Executive Officer	NWRH	North and West Remote Health	
CIM	Conditional Income Management	OAM	Medal of the Order of Australia	
COAG	Council of Australian Governments	QGEA	Queensland Government Enterprise Architecture	
CPI	Consumer Price Index	QGSO	Queensland Government Statistician’s Office	
CYAAA	Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy	QLD	Queensland	
CYE	Cape York Employment	QPS	Queensland Police Service	
CYP	Cape York Partnership	RAATSICC	Remote Area Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Care	
CYWR	Cape York Welfare Reform	RFDS	Royal Flying Doctor Service	
DATSIP	Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships	SAO	School Attendance Officer	
DCSYW	Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women	SCM	Student Case Manager	
DoE	Department of Education	TIS	Translating and Interpreting Service	
DHPW	Department of Housing and Public Works	TSS	Transition Support Service	
DJAG	Department of Justice and Attorney-General	VDI	Virtual Desktop Infrastructure	
DPMC	Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet	VIM	Voluntary Income Management	
DSS	Department of Social Services	WBC	Wellbeing Centre	
DV	Domestic Violence			
EMT	Executive Management Team		
ERP	Estimated Resident Population	Also:	
FAA	Financial Accountability Act 2009	Apunipima Cape York Health Council (Apunipima)	
FPMS	Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009	Cape York Institute (the Institute)	
FRA	Family Responsibilities Agreement	Family Responsibilities Board (FR Board)	
FRC	Family Responsibilities Commission	Family Responsibilities Commission (the Commission)	
FTE	Full-time Equivalent	Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 (the FRC Act)	
	Family Responsibilities Commission Registry (the Registry)	
	Mr David Glasgow, Family Responsibilities Commissioner (the Commissioner)	

Family Responsibilities Commission
Cairns Central Registry
PO Box 5438, Cairns Qld 4870
Level 3, 107 Lake Street, Cairns 4870
Ph	(07) 4081 8400
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
www.frcq.org.au
Aurukun
CJG Building, Wuungkah Street, Aurukun 4892
Ph	(07) 4060 6185
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
Coen
Coen Hub, 7 Taylor Street, Coen 4892
Ph	0417 798 392
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
Doomadgee
Doomadgee Community Justice Centre
Office 4/15 Sharpe Street, Doomadgee 4830
Ph	(07) 4745 8111
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
Hope Vale
Office 1, Hope Vale Business Service Centre, 3 Muni Street, Hope Vale 4895
Ph	(07) 4060 9153
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
Mossman Gorge
Lot 152 Mossman Gorge Road, Mossman Gorge 4873
Ph	0417 798 392
Fax	(07) 4041 0974
For more information on the communities and population compositions, view the Quarterly Reports at: https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/programs-initiatives/family-responsibilities-commission and http://statistics.oesr.qld.gov.au/qld-regional-profiles.