Some members of Wagga's Aboriginal community are hopeful the possibility of their medical centre being placed under administration will drive significant change in how the hub is operated.
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Earlier this month, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) advised the Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation (RivMed) it was considering placing the service under administration following the findings of an examination launched in September.
The warning comes in the wake of a major staff exodus at the centre and a sudden overhaul of the board of directors in November.
Community member Lorraine Lyons said there had been a major reduction in the number of services provided at RivMed over the past few years, leaving many Wagga residents without access to vital care.
"The number of services has dropped dramatically due to low numbers of staffing," Mrs Lyons said.
"The Aboriginal medical service is vital to the community here in Wagga because there are people who find it hard or struggle to use mainstream services and they are really frightened."
Mrs Lyons said the prospect of the corporation being placed under administration was upsetting and concerning but perhaps necessary for serious changes to be made.
"My initial thought was that administration is scary because RivMed is community-controlled and I want it to stay that way - but maybe if it did occur things might change for the better," she said.
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This sentiment was shared by another member of the Aboriginal community who said the potential action could help RivMed become a more effective service.
"The administration coming in would be able to set clear guidelines and boundaries and be able to make it work where the community and workers feel safe and passionate about going there," the community member, who asked for her name not to be used, said.
"RivMed is something we need and it's something so many of us rely on, but a lot of the staff that have left have left a big hole in that service and our community."
ORIC has given RivMed until February 11 to show cause as to why it shouldn't be placed under special administration.
The organisation's current board of directors has claimed the service has been threatened with administration due to events and decisions prior to its appointment.
In a statement earlier this month, RivMed chairperson Hewitt Whyman said the board of directors welcomed the potential action and had been petitioning for ORIC intervention for months.
"The current board of directors were elected by the members on November 24, 2021 and welcome the findings of the ORIC examination," Mr Whyman said.
"Although we have only been in the role for a short period of time we have been working with funding bodies and ORIC and community to rebuild the organisation."
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