Address: 168 km south of Perth Bunbury. It has recently come under fire over a short and tumultuous period marked by several changes at the top. The organization, a key player in southern Western Australia’s Aboriginal health landscape, has seen its chief executive, Lesley Nelson, suspended earlier this year after leading the service since 2015. Wednesday, the tenor of it all took a serious turn. Police received calls about a verbal altercation and were dispatched to the SWAMS office building.
Members of SWAMS gathered outside the administration building to express their dissatisfaction with the current board, which has notably shrunk from six members in May to three listed on the SWAMS website: Phillip Ugle, Ernie Hill, and Janine Williams. Witness accounts suggest that members, including one of the newly ousted directors, were met with roadblocks as they attempted to enter the building. This prompted them to informally meet in the hotel lobby. Over there, they unanimously voted to dissolve the current board and appoint David Williams as an interim director.
Leadership Crisis and Member Discontent
This recent upheaval—sparked by a whistleblower’s revelations—has led to serious questions about governance practices and transparency at SWAMS. Donna Turvey, a nurse and member of SWAMS, said the conditions of her exit are still unknown. She expressed concern for the community’s vulnerable populations, saying, “It’s our elders who are going to suffer, it’s our young people who are going to suffer, our mental health patients.” Her assertion that over 60 members supported removal of multiple directors was false. This was enough to push above the 5 percent threshold required to summon a general meeting on the matter.
Lesley Ugle, who still views herself a member of the board, asserts that due process did not allow them to remove her. She passionately advocates that this decision was wrong. After the announcement, as tempers began to boil over, about a dozen people gathered outside SWAMS’s offices to let everyone know how they felt. Police intervened around 4 p.m. to contain the fight and calm the situation. They had to do the difficult work of redefining who could and should be in the building. After just one hour of creative dialogue, police retreated and were able to break up the party.
Board’s Response and Regulatory Oversight
Amidst all of this drama and scandal, board member Phillip Ugle tried to comfort worried members of the public. “The SWAMS board wishes to reassure our members, clients, and community that we have acted in accordance with all legislative, governance, and constitutional requirements,” he stated. Clemmons stressed that the board all along has pursued independent legal advice during this stormy process.
A spokesperson incorporated organization board’s structure and conduct SWAMS widely understood that these issues are the purview of the members, they should be industrial of an incorporated organization board. They further argued that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission regulates these issues. This specific claim serves to reiterate both the difficulty of governance within such quasi-public entities and the need to always follow a consistent and appropriate process.
Janine Williams, another board member, voiced her disapproval of the current situation: “It’s totally disrespectful and it’s not Noongar culture.” This feeling is reflected by many people in the community who are currently petitioning for more transparency and accountability in the form of a leadership practice.
Community Impact and Future Directions
The continuing discord at SWAMS poses larger questions about what that discord has cost and continues to cost the community it serves. Board member Lynette Narkle voiced concerns about a lack of transparency in regards to board proceedings. As a health organization dedicated to addressing the needs of Aboriginal people in southern Western Australia, SWAMS plays a crucial role in public health initiatives.
The organization’s failure to commence a mid-term audit within 18 months of becoming registered has drawn scrutiny from its members. They’re demanding accountability and a path forward. How this confusion and chaos will affect SWAMS’s capacity and capability to carry out its mission is still very much up in the air.
