Less than a week after the notice of its closure, Redfern's National Indigenous Centre of Excellence (NCIE) will remain open pending an agreement between two bodies who were at loggerheads over its financial future.
The Indigenous Land and Sea Council (ILSC) has announced that the operation of the NCIE's fitness and aquatic services will transfer to the George Street properties' new owners, the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) this week.
In a statement, The ILSC said the announcement has been made in "anticipation of the ILSC and the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) agreeing on the transfer of ownership and operation of these services in the coming days."
"We have been in constant dialogue with key stakeholders over the weekend and, as a result, the ILSC will keep the fitness and aquatic services operating," said CEO Joe Morrison.
"We are looking forward to meeting with the NSWALC to finalise principles for the transfer to them as the new owner and operator."
But the NSWALC said that is news to them, and that they are "disappointed" with the ILSC's "misleading statement."
"The ILSC issued a Statement stating that an arrangement had been reached. NSWALC would like to clearly state that is not the case," it said.
"ILSC has made this announcement unilaterally without NSWALC’s agreement. These types of decisions by the ILSC are continuing to cause confusion and hurt."
'It doesn't make sense'
Bunjalung, Wonnarua, and Bidjigal man and Tribal Warrior CEO, Shane Phillips says the announcement "doesn't make sense".
"This is what the community is complaining about . . . this poor execution of a very important asset," he said.
"I'm sure everyone in the community thinks the same thing - who would do that in any commercial world? Transfer a major asset without a plan and not have an execution, which includes some of the major stakeholders?"
Mr Phillips said it was "important" the ILSC "owned the whole debacle".
"Because they were the asset owner, or manager, on behalf of the Redfern Aboriginal Community. Now how they work this out with the state land council . . . they have to work that out quick."
On Monday, around 50 NCIE staff were notified of the business closure by the ILSC, a decision that followed a two-year divestment process.
They were notified they would be out of jobs in a week, with small payouts offered and non-disclosure agreements pushed.
In response, community members turned up at the centre daily to protest the decision, which drew the attention of Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, and Federal Member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek.
Speaking to the crowd on Friday, Ms Burney delivered an ultimatum to the ILSC and NSWALC, telling them to "get your act together" and sort the centre's future within a week.
She stressed that she wanted to see centre stay open, tenants whose services operate out of the centre given permanency, and that people keep their jobs.
"The negotiations about the future of the aquatic and the gym have to have local people sitting at the table," she said.
While the NSWALC took ownership of the property, the organisation has been adamant that it was not able to take over operations of the "debt-funded" business.
The ILSC apologised to staff on Friday, and has now acknowledged the decision "caused distress for staff employed at the fitness and aquatic services as well as the community".
NOTE: An earlier version of this article stated an agreement had been made between the ILSC and the NSWALC. This was quickly rectified to articulate the below media release. We apologise for the error.
An official statement by the ILSC saying it will "keep the fitness and aquatic services operating." Source: Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation
