Letter of Transmittal

23 September 2014

Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion

Minister for Indigenous Affairs

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Minister,

It is with pleasure that I present you with the twentieth Annual Report of the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) for 2013 - 2014.

This Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with Section 144ZB of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (Cth), Section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (Cth) and the Commonwealth Authorities (Annual Reporting) Orders 2011.

This Annual Report contains the Report of Operations, Financial Statements and Auditors-General Report on those Financial Statements, in accordance with Section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (Cth), and the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies (Report of Operations) Orders 2005 and the Finance Minister's Orders. The TSRA has fully complied with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines under Regulation 16A of the Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997.

The Directors of the TSRA take responsibility for the preparation and contents of the Report of Operations in accordance with the resolution passed at Board Meeting Number 91 held on 10 September 2014.

During the reporting period the TSRA Board has prepared the Torres Strait Development Plan 2014 - 2018. I am pleased to report that we continue to meet the objectives of the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Plan 2009 - 2029 which, together with our Development Plan, shape the TSRA's programs to contribute towards closing the gap in disadvantage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians living in the region. The TSRA has completed mapping its programme outcomes to the Australian Government Indigenous Advancement Strategy and is pleased to report a high level of alignment. The TSRA will continue to review its programmes and activities to ensure we remain fully aligned to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy.

The coming year will bring challenges and we look forward to building on our many successes over the past 20 years.

Yours sincerely,

Joseph Elu, AO

Chairperson

Torres Strait Regional Authority