The Commission recognises we are visitors to the country we travel across and work in and that many of our Local Commissioners are Traditional Owners and Elders of their communities. The Commission acknowledges and pays our respects to the Traditional Owners, Elders and Teachers of these lands; to those of the past whose unseen hands guide the actions and decisions of the Commissioners today; to those of the present working for their communities setting the example for the next generation and to those of the future, the Elders not yet born who will inherit the legacy of our efforts.
Commissioner Edgar KERINDUN OAM (Sara Clan) was born and raised in Aurukun and is a traditional owner of the area. Before his election as a Councillor for the Aurukun Shire Council in 2012 Commissioner Kerindun worked as an Engagement Officer at Queensland Health. He served as a Councillor for eight years, including four years as Deputy Mayor, until 2020 when he decided not to run for re-election. On 26 January 2015 Commissioner Kerindun was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to the community. One of the original Community Police Officers in Aurukun, he continues to advocate for justice and rehabilitation for ex-offenders. Along with his partner, Commissioner Doris Poonkamelya, he cares for three children from their extended family. Commissioner Kerindun believes that showing respect to everyone fosters mutual respect.
Commissioner Vera KOOMEETA OAM (Aplach Clan) was born in Aurukun and attended primary school there. She continued her studies at Scots PGC College in Warwick, completing Year 10, and later earned a qualification in community teaching from Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in Cairns. From 2012 to 2020 Commissioner Koomeeta served as a Councillor in the Aurukun Shire Council, choosing not to run in the 2020 Local Government elections. On 26 January 2015 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to the community.
Commissioner Koomeeta is a Justice of the Peace (Magistrates Court) and a registered interpreter, as well as a member of the Aurukun Community Justice Group. As a representative of her clan group, she is involved in several committees and holds positions on multiple boards. Her extensive experience enhances her ability to make independent and informed decisions as a Local Commissioner. In 2022 she joined the Aurukun School Board (Paamp) to support school attendance and children’s wellbeing. When not working Commissioner Koomeeta can been found fishing and camping with her grandchildren. Commissioner Koomeeta is an established artist, with her paintings featuring at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair.
Commissioner Doris POONKAMELYA OAM (Putch Clan) was born at the Kendall River Outstation and moved with her family to Aurukun when she was a child. She dedicated 29 years of her life to working as a senior health worker for Queensland Health, retiring in 2009. On 26 January 2015 Commissioner Poonkamelya was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to the community. From 2016 to 2020 she served as a Councillor for the Aurukun Shire Council but chose not to run in the 2020 Local Government elections. A founding member of the Aurukun Community Justice Group, Commissioner Poonkamelya is also deeply committed to education as a pathway to employment and a promising future for young people. As a carer for Child Safety Services, she believes in creating a safe environment for children to grow and mature.
Commissioner Dorothy POOTCHEMUNKA (Winchanum / Aplach Clans) was born, raised, and educated in Aurukun. She has 10 children, 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Commissioner Pootchemunka’s interests encompass a wide range of traditional activities including fishing, camping and basket weaving using Pandanus and Cabbage leaves. Her baskets are displayed in national galleries in Australia and overseas. In 2023 Aurukun State School engaged Commissioner Pootchemunka to deliver cultural classes to senior students, teaching weaving, collecting roots to extract dye, and fire building.
Commissioner Pootchemunka is a registered Wik interpreter, and her expertise is utilised within the court system and by the Department of Human Services. More recently she worked with the Youth Justice team as an interpreter for local Aurukun youth. She became an Aurukun Local Commissioner on 4 March 2010. Commissioner Pootchemunka views education as the key to employment and encourages all students to make the most of their education and training to enhance future job opportunities.
Commissioner Keri TAMWOY (Putch Clan) was born in Cairns but has spent her entire life in Aurukun. She met her husband Gerald Tamwoy when they were 17 and 18 years old respectively. Together they have raised their six children in Aurukun, deeply embedding themselves in the community.
Commissioner Tamwoy has extensive experience as a mediator and has successfully run the mediation program in Aurukun which has been instrumental in helping families resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. She considers the mediation program a valued service in Aurukun.
Professionally, Commissioner Tamwoy has previously worked as the Office Manager for the Aak Puul Ngantam Ranger Program and currently serves as the chairperson of the organisation. She is also a Director of her husband’s business and runs her own business delivering cultural and community awareness workshops for Aurukun stakeholders.
Commissioner Tamwoy became an Aurukun Local Commissioner on 1 January 2018 at the age of 44. She was elected Mayor of the Aurukun Shire Council in the Local Government elections on 28 March 2020.
Commissioner Ada Panawya WOOLLA OAM (Winchanum Clan) was born and raised in Aurukun, leaving the community to attend boarding school and later Cairns Business College. From 2012 to 2020 Commissioner Woolla served as a Councillor on the Aurukun Shire Council, deciding not to stand for re-election in 2020. Upon her election to Councillor in April 2012 she retired from her position as a Recognised Entity where she assisted families and children in Aurukun.
In September 2014 Commissioner Woolla was appointed to the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland, established by former QLD Premier Campbell Newman and chaired by the Honourable Quentin Bryce AD CVO and former Governor-General of Australia. On 26 January 2015 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to the community. In September 2018 she was appointed to the Queensland First Children and Families Board, which oversees the implementation of “Our Way” – a generational strategy and “Changing Tracks,” an action plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families (2017 – 2019).
Commissioner Dereck WALPO (Kiadilt Clan) was born and raised on Mornington Island. After completing his primary schooling on Mornington Island, he completed his senior studies while boarding in Warwick Queensland. Commissioner Walpo then moved to Cape York where he met his partner of 40 years, fellow Commissioner Ada Woolla of the Winchanum Clan. He has worked in various positions across Aurukun including in plumbing, as a road worker and machinery driver before finding work in the health system and becoming the Team Leader of the Wellbeing Centre. In 2016 Commissioner Walpo joined the Apunipima Board to support the Aurukun community and ensure their voices are heard. He recognises the importance of mental health support and the need for services to support remote Indigenous communities such as Aurukun.
From 2012 to 2020 Commissioner Walpo held the position of Mayor in the Aurukun Shire Council using his authority to work towards improving social norms and helping the community of Aurukun grow. In November 2023 Commissioner Walpo joined the Aurukun Community Indigenous Corporation as a member of the board.
Commissioner Walpo has two children and nine grandchildren and enjoys spending the weekends with his grandchildren fishing and hunting. Commissioner Walpo became an Aurukun Local Commissioner on 5 May 2022. He wants to use his role as a Local Commissioner to further restore social norms and encourage community members to take responsibility for their futures.
