Anger as fund rort source is named
25.10.2004
A NORTH Queensland doctor has expressed fears for her safety after being exposed as the whistleblower in a report identifying serious mismanagement of government funding on the Cape York Aboriginal community of Kowanyama.
Dr Lara Wieland, who spent almost three years as resident doctor at Kowanyama but now works from Cairns, complained to the state Government about the misuse of grant funds provided for needy Aboriginal children and women suffering domestic violence.
The subsequent state Government audit report, which was given to members of the Kowanyama Council responsible for the funding, exposed Dr Wieland's role on the opening page.
``The lack of service delivery was highlighted further during a meeting on January 24, 2004 with stakeholders and a further meeting with Dr Wieland and the then Minister (Judy Spence),'' the report says.
``Dr Wieland requested information about the $10,000 vacation care money given to the council for the Christmas holiday period, and the `crisis centre' for which funds (of $92,580) were allocated.'' Communities Department assistant director-general Steve Armitage said the auditors had only ``briefly mentioned'' Dr Wieland's name.
He said distributing the report to council members was ``consistent with procedural fairness'' and defended his decision to deny Dr Wieland a copy on grounds of ``the confidentiality agreement'' between the department and the Kowanyama council.
But in a letter to Communities Minister Warren Pitt last month, Dr Wieland said her case amounted to a breach of Queensland's Whistleblowers Protection Act.
``Being named in this widely circulated report raises fears for my safety when I visit the community,'' she said.
``This could seriously compromise my work ... plans for future employment at Kowanyama may (also) have been compromised for both my husband and me.'' The audit report recommended the department recover $37,000 not spent on allocated programs. The report also found that $44,179 was spent on wages, operating costs and renovations to a crisis house that never existed.
Dr Wieland said very few people would be willing to raise such concerns with government if they thought their name would be circulated to the people involved.
``(This) could act as a very strong deterrent for anyone wishing to raise concerns about important issues affecting the welfare of children and the community,'' she said.
