Commissioner Atkinson took the opportunity to spend a few hours meeting with local members of the service who worked at the Mount Isa station. His plane departed for Mornington Island at about 1pm.

The commissioner, along with former Rugby League International and Queensland Government Ambassador Steve Renouf and Queensland Department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation Director General Michael Kinane will spend the next two days meeting with Mornington Island community groups and attending a school sporting awards night.

Commissioner Atkinson said they had flown to Mornington Island as part of the Queensland government’s ‘champion’ program.

The Mornington Island community was the first Indigenous group in Queensland to sign a Local Indigenous Partnership Agreement in 2007. The agreement sets targets with the community for housing, education and health initiatives.

“The champion program means we try to help the communities to progress and coordinate things and if possible cut through the government red tape,” Commissioner Atkinson said.

He said the program had been extremely worthwhile.

“There are some tremendous people involved in the community that are very committed to improving the situation there. It’s about supporting the people on the island who are committed local residents as well as the teachers, nurses and police who live there. They are really good people who are trying to make a difference.”

While this trip to Mornington Island was an informal visit, the group will make the journey to the Gulf again in February to re-negotiate the local Indigenous Partnership Agreement for the region.

“I believe it’s been a really worthwhile program,” he said. “I hope the communities see it as a worthwhile program.”