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Aurukun on agenda at Indigenous forum

Recent unrest in the Cape York community of Aurukun is on the agenda at an Indigenous Leaders' Forum, which begins in Cairns on Wednesday.

The Aurukun police station on the Cape York Peninsula
There's been calls for help to strengthen security as crime continues to plague Aurukun in Cape York. Source: AAP

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Source: AAP


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Recent unrest in the troubled community of Aurukun is among the top agenda items at a meeting of Queensland's indigenous leaders in Cairns.

Aurukun Shire Council Mayor Dereck Walpo and CEO Bernie McCarthy will provide an update on the remote Cape York township at the two-day Indigenous Leaders' Forum, which begins on Wednesday morning.

A spate of violent incidents last month prompted the closure of Aurukun's only school, with some 20 school staff evacuated on two separate occasions.

Health, law and order, and the official recognition of the role of elected indigenous leaders will also be discussed at the bi-annual forum, which is being attended by delegates from the state's 17 indigenous councils.

"We're calling on all political parties to recognise this leadership role, as well as support a new, community-led approach to funding indigenous communities as part of the 2016 Federal Election Local Government Policy Plan," LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said.

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Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Queensland's Assistant Minister for Local Government Jennifer Howard are among those who have been invited to address the forum.


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