The Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (JYAC) board has today appointed Rewi Lyall as interim CEO, signing a 12-month contract with the current chief operating officer and in-house counsel.
Mr Lyall will oversee JYAC’s activities while the board prepares a timeline for the recruitment of a permanent CEO in the coming months.
Outgoing CEO, Tony McRae, offered Mr Lyall his congratulations.
“I’m getting ready to leave with a happy heart, knowing that JYAC is in safe hands and will continue its great progress on behalf of Martu,” he said.
Under Mr McRae’s leadership the organisation has grown from a $1.3million budget in 2019, to a forecast budget exceeding $20million in 2025.
Chairperson Bruce Booth said that he was pleased that Mr Lyall had accepted the position.
“Rewi is already across all the details and is ready to start work right away.
“Together we will continue to pursue Martu’s key principles, which are:
- protecting ngurra
- advancing Martu, and when 1 and 2 are in hand
- generating wealth and opportunity.”
Mr Lyall said that his most urgent priority will be to finalise a settlement with the WA state government to recognise Martu native title rights over Karlamilyi National Park, and provide compensation for its theft from Martu in 1977.
“It has been four and a half years since the government proposed resolving these issues.
“The government knows this injustice needs to be made right.
“Fairness demands it be delayed no further,” said Mr Lyall.
