3 July

TSRA News Column
03 – 10 July 2007

I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of Kaiwalagal, on whose land I am writing from and all other traditional owners and elders throughout our region.

New 2007-2008 Budget for TSRA

The Torres Strait Regional Authority’s (TSRA) Board recently announced a budget of $51,778,000, which has been dedicated toward funding key initiatives that will help to deliver positive outcomes for the region’s people in 2007-2008.

This year, the Board has focused on strengthening social, cultural and economic development opportunities for the Torres Strait. Funding has been allocated in a number of areas, including Community Development Employment Projects, Native Title, Fisheries, Horn Island Airport Extension, Dengue Eradication, Sport Infrastructure, and Heritage, Culture and Environment Projects.

TSRA has one planned outcome – to achieve a better quality of life and to develop an economic base for the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people of this region.

We aim to achieve this by taking a whole of government approach and working in partnership with the Australian and Queensland Government, as well as our communities to address regional issues and to enhance program and service delivery.

With the participation and support of government, stakeholders and our communities, together we can improve the standard of living and quality of life experienced by our people.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the TSRA Board for their continued support when developing this budget and I look forward to working with the Board, partners and our communities to build a strong future for the Torres Strait.

More Funding for Major Infrastructure Program

I wish to advise you that the TSRA has secured $12 million from the Australian Government to assist the Major Infrastructure Program (MIP) to continue its life-changing work for a further two years.

MIP is delivered by the TSRA and the Queensland Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation (DLGPS&R) and represents the Australian and Queensland Governments commitment to improve the region’s environmental health infrastructure.

MIP is the region’s largest capital works initiative and since its commencement in 1998, it has delivered to our communities clean water supplies, reticulated sewerage and drainage systems, subdivisional works, all-weather sealed roads and waste management facilities.

These projects have begun to improve our living conditions and in turn had a positive impact on health outcomes, contributing to a reduction in environmental health risks.

TSRA recognises that there is still much more to be done until the living standards of the region are brought to a level that is comparable with our non-Indigenous counterparts and we will continue to lobby the Australian Government for continued support of MIP.

Even though this new funding will allow MIP to continue its life-changing work for another two years, additional support is required to match the Queensland Government’s current commitment to the Program.

I would like to thank the Australian Government for its commitment to MIP and for sharing the TSRA’s aim of achieving a better quality of life for our people. I look forward to working in partnership with them to ensure that this vital program continues to produce lasting and positive outcomes for our communities.

Ancestral Remains Returned to Australia

On Sunday, 24 June, the Chairman of Mer Island Council Mr Ron Day, returned to Australia after leading a delegation to Scotland and England to retrieve the remains of six Torres Strait Islanders who were taken by archaeologists in the 19^th century.

Of these six remains, TSRA has been notified that five originate from Mer Island and were placed in the Glasgow Museum in 1898. The other one, which was housed at the University College of London, was also identified as from the Torres Strait, but its community of origin has not been confirmed. 

The remains were officially welcomed back to the country at a ceremony in Canberra on Tuesday 26 June, in which TSRA’s Alternate Deputy Chairperson and Portfolio Member for Arts, Culture and Language, Mr Jesse Sagaukaz attended.

As our region does not have the facilities to appropriately store the remains, they will now be temporarily kept at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, until the people of Mer finalise their plans on when they would like to bring them home.

To date, TSRA has been informed that there are at least a further 206 Torres Strait remains that are still in various institutions throughout the United Kingdom. We will continue to work with these establishments and relevant government agencies and communities to try and organise their return.

This event was the first time that Torres Strait remains had been repatriated back to Australia and I would like to thank Mr Sagaukaz for representing the TSRA and I commend the Chairperson of Mer Island Council, Mr Day, who undertook this important journey to bring our Torres Strait ancestors home.

Any feedback for on this column can be sent to: 

Mr. John T. Kris

TSRA Chairperson

PO Box 261

Thursday Island QLD 4875

Alternatively, feedback can also be sent through the TSRA website via the media contact in the ‘contact us’ segment of the site.  Until the next column, may God bless you all and keep you safe.

John T. Kris
TSRA Chairperson