The Julyardi Aboriginal Corporation, a key service provider in Port Hedland's Indigenous community and central to recent child protection concerns, faces possible exclusion from government contracts worth approximately $30 million due to questions over its governance and community accountability.

Julyardi has been a preferred recipient of state and federal contracts under the Closing the Gap framework, which prioritizes Indigenous organizations deemed accountable to their communities. However, it has emerged that the corporation’s constitution restricts its membership to just five individuals who appoint themselves as directors, without elections or broader community input. This structure has cast doubt on whether Julyardi genuinely represents the local Aboriginal population of Port Hedland, which numbers 2,759 according to the 2021 Census.

This revelation has prompted the Council of Aboriginal Services WA (CASWA), the peak body endorsing Julyardi for government contracts, to reconsider its support. CASWA chief executive Chad Stewart confirmed the organization was under the impression that Julyardi was accountable to a wider, participating Aboriginal membership in Port Hedland. The CASWA board plans to review Julyardi’s membership arrangements at its next meeting scheduled for November.

In September, Julyardi held multiple government contracts, including $13 million awarded by the Western Australian Department of Communities for child protection and related services. The department, responsible for child welfare, faced criticism following reports of up to 15 unsupervised children living in substandard public housing in South Hedland. Despite these concerns, the agency increased funding to Julyardi, operating under the belief that the corporation met the federal criteria for an Aboriginal community-controlled organization. However, the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations (ORIC) clarified it does not define community control beyond confirming Julyardi is Aboriginal-controlled.

Julyardi’s governance came under added scrutiny amid media reports featuring Raylene Button, one of its prominent directors. Video footage showed her at the scene of a large brawl involving adults in South Hedland, which she described as being resolved "in an Aboriginal way," asserting no children participated. Additional footage from around 2020 showed Button in a physical altercation with an Aboriginal elder during a board meeting of Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, a native title body where she also served as director.

A 2025 report commissioned by Kariyarra’s legal representatives revealed that Button was removed from its board after an audit found she misused corporate funds, transferring $3,100 to herself using a corporate credit card. The amount was reportedly recovered through salary deductions. Julyardi chairman Alfred Barker, a former Kariyarra director, received this report but stated that Julyardi’s board had neither reviewed nor discussed its contents.

In response to the growing concerns, the federal government has formally sought information from Julyardi about actions taken following the recent reports. Indigenous Australians Minister Malardrini McCarthy also engaged with ORIC’s registrar, who has requested confirmation that Julyardi continues to meet director eligibility requirements. Subsequently, Button resigned as a director and member of Julyardi.

Julyardi asserts that it takes guidance from the Hedland Aboriginal Strong Leaders, a community group comprising over 20 elders. However, efforts to independently verify the group's membership have not been successful. As the investigation continues, Julyardi’s future role in delivering government-funded services to Port Hedland’s Aboriginal people remains uncertain.