A remote Aboriginal council denies it shut down the local Police Citizens Youth Club to open a bar.
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Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council forced the closure of the PCYC earlier this month when they terminated the lease of the club, which was run out of a council-owned hall.
Gangalidda Traditional Owner Barry Walden said he has inside knowledge that the council planned on creating its own sport and recreation club which would operate as a bar.
Doomadgee CEO Lothar Siebert said this was untrue and council had no plans of selling alcohol in the community.
“It is a rumour and it is not true, no alcohol will be served.”
But Mr Walden said council cannot be trusted at the moment.
Only last month the town mayor was suspended over misconduct and forgery allegations. Mr Siebert was last year, appointed to his CEO job by this mayor.
The council has been operating with just three of its five elected members since the mayor was put on suspension. Mr Siebert said a by-election would be held in July. Mr Walden said he has been in discussions with state and federal governments about the issue of a licensed premises at Doomadgee.
Doomadgee’s crime rate has more than doubled since the PCYC was forced to close its doors on April 30.
“The council has taken this building away from our children,” Mr Walden said.
“The amount of kids going to court since the PCYC shut is a serious problem. They have nowhere else to go now so they are just wandering the streets.
Doomadgee’s crime rate has more than doubled since the PCYC was forced to close its doors.
“We have enough problems with domestic violence in our community, we need the council to be supporting us. If they start to sell alcohol in Doomadgee, children will starve,” he said.
An Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation spokesman said their was no record of a lodged application for a liquor licence or liquor permit for the Doomadgee Sports and Recreation Club.
