Margie Maccoll
A “self organised collective“ of about 20 people under the banner, Community Village, moved on to the decommissioned Noosa TAFE site last Friday, declaring they, as “the Sovereign Kabi Kabi Peoples“ to be “caretakers“ of the 27 acre site, operating under “Grandmothers Lore“, with plans to turn it into a safe setting for homeless.
According to their website, communityvillage.com.au their “authorisation“ to do so “comes from their bloodline of the First Nations Tribe named in the Official Grandmother’s Lore Notice 2023 in conjunction with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s“.
Friday’s entrance on to the state government-owned site followed a Facebook post by Community Village calling for volunteers to attend a working bee to help clean up the site for homeless.
Members of Community Village manned the entrance boom gate on the day and recorded names and contact details of anyone attending.
They issued them with Day Permits, authorised by Community Village with a stamp and signature, as well as flyers informing them the project was being steered by the Queensland Homelessness Working Group, a group it said was made up of local volunteers.
The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) has since “authorised additional security measures to secure the site and will continue to manage site security“, a spokesperson said.
“DESBT is aware that a group of people undertook an unauthorised entry to the Tewantin TAFE site on Friday 5 January, without permission or approval,“ they said.
“The site is not currently fit to be occupied, and only authorised people are permitted on site to ensure the safety of those people, and to ensure environmental and koala habitat value is not affected.“
Having been alerted to the intentions on Friday of Community Village, Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton contacted the state government to find out what was happening, before attending.
“(The department) advised they had no knowledge of, nor had authorised any group to enter the site, and reiterated again as they had to previous requests over the last five years that the site is totally unsuitable for accommodation due to its safety issues and high fire risk,“ Ms Bolton said.
Ms Bolton’s attempts to engage the group in discussion on site was met with indignation.
She said the state government had no knowledge of their plans, that a successful proponent of the site could do nothing but wait and watch it deteriorate, that the community had been desperate to use the site for the past nine years and there were currently three separate native title claims on the site, the first to be heard in the federal government realm in the first part of this year.
Ms Bolton said she had voiced her concerns and frustrations over the site and its delayed progress in Parliament.
She said she had worked with the traditional owners, the Kabi Kabi corporation, considered the legitimate claimants, for some years, and she had asked for everyone from Kabi Kabi to come together.
Kabi Kabi Elder Aunty Bucky told her: “we’ve got control of this as the Kabi sovereign.
“We’re not native title, we’re sovereign. This is my land. This is the land I stand on, this is where I am the custodian of,” she said.
“Native title through government agenda are trying to take control, we are here making sure our land is not being destroyed through a government agenda.“
“They’re putting one black fella against another black fella,“ Senior Elder Hulkai said. “I go to native title meetings. We reject all native title does at these meetings.
“It’s our community but what stands above that is Kabi Kabi people. It was given to us by birthright.“
“We are coming in here peacefully to do this job to help the community and the homeless who need our help at this stage,“ Aunty Bucky said. “We are the custodians. I’m an Elder.
“This is done in conjunction with Kabi Kabi Elders to do something for the community. We don’t want money out of this.
“We’re concerned about cleaning this area up. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s just the beginning, it’s community working together.“
Ms Bolton urged the group not to bring homeless on to the site because of the fire risk.
She said any resident who comes to her in hardship or without roof over head was given assistance, not only from her office, but from community organisations including the Salvos and Making Lives Matter charity.
Community Village member introduced only as Greg addressed a handful of volunteers, telling them they had been invited on to the land by sovereign Kabi Kabi people, as caretakers and traditional owners, who regarded it as a sacred site and that they had to accept responsibility for their own actions, were there at their own risk and under Grandmothers Lore.
Twelve months ago Queensland Homelessness Working Group was just an idea, now it is a diverse group of people, a charity and a community group – driven by a clear mission and simple vision, those who come together to do God’s work are supported in their efforts and for that we can only be grateful, he said.
Their aim was to come together as a community with the intent to benefit the lives of those less fortunate, he said.
When asked if Community Village had made contact with local homeless people about the project Greg said, “they don’t know about it“.
“We can’t introduce people to this site the way it is. We have to get it shipshape,“ he said.
After receiving calls of concern from members of the public Noosa Police attended the site.
A police officer warned participants not to go into buildings because it was hazardous and would be trespassing.
A DESBT spokesperson said the future of the vacant Tewantin TAFE was a key priority for the Queensland Government and the department continued to maintain the site.
“The Government remains committed to reactivating the site for the benefit of the Tewantin-Noosa community,“ they said.
“Community leaders and stakeholders have been part of consultation to identify the best community-aligned proposals for the site, and negotiations with a preferred proponent are underway.
“The Queensland Government also respects the current native title process that is underway for this area.
“The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) recognises the site’s value to both Traditional Owners and the local Tewantin community, which is why DESBT is committed to working towards a positive outcome for all.“
Following the encounter Ms Bolton posted on her website that, “as the MP for Noosa, I will fight any efforts to further divide our community or delay this site being reinvigorated for the benefit of our community“.
“As I did in relation to the Cooloola Great Walk, I requested that sovereign Kabi sit down with recognised Kabi claimants and sort their differences. Having always respected efforts by our first Australians, seeing our laws and processes being totally disregarded by this group was deeply disappointing and saddening, and does not engender an environment to work together for the future,“ she said.
“The organisers … need to be transparent in their intent to all as understandably there are questions surrounding the credibility and legitimacy of the endeavours and the organisations which do not appear to have any history, nor contact details, and have not been involved in any efforts with this community, nor sought information from our people.
“I will not hide my frustration, as when suddenly unknown organisations and people ‘pop up’ with no knowledge, nor history of assisting us, attempt to ‘take over’ a site that we have fought for over many years to be of benefit to Noosa again, is being disrespectful to this community, and to any resident experiencing homelessness.“
For more information on the Noosa TAFE site, visit sandybolton.com/decommissioned-tafe-site-federal-court-native-title-claim-update-october-2023/ and for more on Community Village visit communityvillage.com.au
