An experienced administrator has officially taken control of Wagga's major Aboriginal health clinic after years of dysfunction.
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The Office of the Registrar for Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) has confirmed Peter McQuoid from PDM Consultancy will act as a special administrator for the Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation (RivMed) for the next six months.
Mr McQuoid will oversee the running of the corporation and work to restore financial and organisation health to the medical hub before handing control back to a locally-elected board of directors.
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The decision to place RivMed under special administration comes following an examination into the corporation in October which ORIC said uncovered a range of governance and operational concerns.
Gerrit Wanganeen, the Acting Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, said the administration comes following years of issues at the Wagga hub.
"Evidently RivMed has been dysfunctional for some time," Mr Wanganeen said in a statement released by ORIC.
"As well as industrial disputes, there has been a high turnover of senior and other staff, and difficulty securing GPs resulting in significant costs for using locums.
"There is no evidence that RivMed was operating in accordance with an agreed model of care during the examination period."
Mr Wanganeen said another assessment into RivMed was conducted in November which found the hub was providing "inadequate care" to children and young people.
On November 24, RivMed members passed a vote of no confidence in the board and elected a new team of directors.
When informed of the potential administration earlier this year, these directors reluctantly but unanimously agreed the move would be in the best interests of the members, the community and the corporation.
The board was informed of the decision to place RivMed under administration on Friday and as of Mr McQuoid's appointment on Tuesday they are no longer serving as the health hub's directors.
Speaking to the The Daily Advertiser on Monday, former chairman Hewitt Whyman described the administration as positive news and a chance for the service to "reset".
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