With a background in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs as well as the Department of Housing, Terry Hill took over the role in January. 

He said about 95 per cent of people at the Wallaga Lake Koori Village are currently unemployed, which was a result of the cancellation of the Community Development Programme (CDP) about 10 years ago as well as no major industry and lack of jobs in the area. 

"The worst thing they did here was take out the CDP,” Mr Hill said on Friday. 

He said the CDP was “basically a work for the dole program”, where individuals would commit to some kind of employment in return for social security payments.

He criticised the government’s decision to remove it from the whole South East region and not looking at the need for it in the individual Indigenous Australian communities. 

“When the CDP was operating here the community was active and thriving,” he said.

“The community was maintained because we had people being paid to maintain it.

“People were very proud of what they were doing.” 

The community’s major asset, the Umbarra Cultural Centre, has been “sitting idle” for the last 10 years, but Mr Hill has plans to change that by revitalising and reopening the centre. 

“I see that as providing opportunities for individuals in the community who are driven to start some small cottage businesses,” he said. 

“It will provide opportunities for economic independence.” 

It will become as a function centre and meeting place available for those across the Far South Coast, with the opportunity to install a cafe there. 

For instance, a person looking to set up a tour company may use it as a meeting place each morning over a weekend, or an artist looking to display work can set up in the centre.  

This will provide an income so Merriman’s LALC is able to employ members of the local community to maintain the Koori village to supplement their social security payments.

Mr Hill, who’s grandfather was from Wallaga Lake, aimed to reopen the Umbarra doors in October and also plans to move the LALC office from the village to the centre .  

“It might grow, it might not grow, but if we don’t open the doors we just don’t know,” he said.