Yued Aboriginal Corporation members voted on Saturday in favour of amendments to their Rule Book, marking an important shift in the future governance of the corporation.
Since its registration in 2021, decisions regarding who is eligible to be included in elections for member director positions at Yued Aboriginal Corporation have been made by an external body, called the Nominations Committee.
The committee is convened under the terms of the Noongar Boodja Trust Deed by the trustee, Perpetual Limited, and is chaired by a trustee employee. YAC noted in a statement that this arrangement has been "heavily criticised" by Yued members, because it means that members are denied an opportunity to judge for themselves candidates' eligibility through decisions of the corporation's board.
A key aspect of the interest of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations in Noongar Regional Corporation Rule Books since late 2025, this external decision-making process also "arguably fell foul" of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, the Corporation noted.
Having confirmed that making the amendments would not violate the terms of the Noongar Boodja Trust Deed, the changes passed on Saturday will "continue to see nominations assessed by the Nominations Committee, but that committee will now make recommendations to the Yued board rather than determine the outcome," YAC said.
In a major shift, Yued has also embedded an Emerging Leaders program into the Rule Book, allowing younger members with limited or no experience of corporate governance to attend and participate in corporation board meetings.
With strict experience requirements an essential criterion for eligibility for candidacy as a member director, members of the corporation have been critical of the lack of opportunities for younger people to gain the necessary opportunities, the Corporation said.
Up to two people per year will be able to participate in the leadership program, gaining direct experience to help satisfy the eligibility requirements for directorship of corporate entities across the South West Native Title Settlement.
While the board will still be entitled to exclude participants from deliberations of "extremely sensitive issues", the training and mentorship the program will deliver will help to "grow the pool of potential future directors in a sustainable and meaningful way", YAC said.
Ensuring stability and continuity Members have also resoundingly endorsed the introduction of staggered terms for director elections, the Corporation announced.
Starting from the 2027 Annual General Meeting, two member director positions will become vacant each year rather than, as is currently the case, all four positions every two years. This will "help ensure that the strategic leadership of the corporation is more consistent, sustaining its momentum over the decades to come", YAC said.
Yued Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Sharna Meinertz noted that the structure of the South West Native Title Settlement created a "complex web" of compliance obligations.
"We must adhere to the terms of the Yued Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the State government," she said.
"Our primary source of funding from the Noongar Boodja Trust means we have to abide by the terms of that trust deed administered by Perpetual Limited. And we are an Indigenous corporation, subject to the CATSI Act, overseen by the Registrar."
Ms Meinertz said the amendments are the result of "close engagement by Yued Aboriginal Corporation with all three of these important stakeholders and our members".
"This is an important milestone, a series of amendments that respond to the issues the Registrar raised with us earlier this year while navigating a path that ensures continuing compliance with the trust deed and the ILUA," she said.
"Most importantly, it sets us up to further build our capacity and self-determination."
