Albany’s Baldjamaar Foundation loses funding after review finds improper use of funds, poor service delivery

Albany’s Baldjamaar Foundation has lost its Federal funding after a compliance review substantiated allegations of improper use of grant funds and poor service delivery. The National Indigenous Australians Agency is the Federal body responsible for overseeing the delivery of services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. Earlier this month, the NIAA confirmed it was “reviewing a number of matters” in relation to Albany youth not-for-profit Baldjamaar Foundation. Also known as the Great Southern Indigenous Corporation, Baldjamaar Foundation was registered in 2017, with recent chief executive Damien Yarran listed as a founding director. Its aim was to “support children, youth and families through their journey through education”, according to its website, which along with its Facebook page was taken down in January. The foundation’s Aberdeen Street offices remain empty. An NIAA spokesman on Monday said the agency had completed its compliance review into the Great Southern Indigenous Corporation and terminated its funding agreement on May 23. “The review was prompted by allegations of poor service delivery and the improper use of grant funds, which were substantiated by the NIAA compliance review findings,” he said. “NIAA will work with the community to identify another suitable provider for the school readiness and attendance project.” In 2019, Baldjamaar Foundation received Federal funding for 18 months through the $54 million Indigenous Advancement Strategy funding initiative to run youth education programs in Katanning, Tambellup, Gnowangerup and Albany schools. The findings of the compliance review comes after Mr Yarran was convicted on May 3 of two charges of indecent assault against an employee of the foundation. Mr Yarran denied the charges, but was found guilty by Magistrate Kevin Tavener at trial and is due to be sentenced on June 8. Outside court after the guilty verdicts were delivered, Mr Yarran did not respond to a question about the future of Baldjamaar.