An advocate for indigenous Australians has taken extended leave without pay from the Cape York Institute shortly after his role in the demolition of Paga Hill settlement in Papua New Guinea was exposed.
The Institute, which works with government on welfare reform for Aboriginal communities, says its chief executive, Gudmundur Fridriksson, is now concentrating on his PNG interests.
He is chairman and secretary of the Paga Hill Development Company, which claimed a lease over prime Port Moresby real estate at Paga Hill in a land deal criticised by a parliamentary committee.
The International State Crime Initiative's Dr Kristian Laslett says after the company ordered the demolition of Paga Hill settlers' homes in May, Mr Fridriksson's past in PNG has come under scrutiny:
"He ran a consultancy company called CCS Anvil and CCS Anvil was censured in two Auditor General reports and three Public Accounts Committee reports. CCS Anvil had been acting as an agent for the Public Curator's Office. They had been allegedly selling assets of deceased estates and then rather than putting that money into trust accounts, they had been keeping it themselves."
Dr Kristian Laslett
