The Beananging Kwuurt Institute (BKI), a Boorloo/Perth Indigenous support centre providing services including meals, counselling, and cultural activities, is facing imminent closure.

Two major church organisations who respectively control BKI's finances and board governance, have ushered in the closure of the service operating from a small building among many abandoned ones on the four-hectare Queens Park site, which is located on what once was the old Sister Kate's Children's Home, where many Aboriginal children endured trauma during the Stolen Generations.

The BKI board was ratified in 2007 after a 'Covenant' agreement between the Uniting Church Australia (UCA) and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), to govern a social services arm for Aboriginal people in need.

BKI spokesperson Bev Burns claims the idea of a true 'covenant' partnership with BKI never turned into a reality.

"They did nothing… rather, they supported every pie-in-the-sky idea, whilst there was no real benefit to the local Aboriginal population," Ms Burns alleged.

A disagreement over the Voice referendum last October appears to have - at least in part - led the UCA and UAICC to dissolve the current BKI board, ordering all BKI operations, and thus all services, shut down on December 13.

The UCA and UAICC cited "differences" with the organisation, but did not specify them other than noting some members of BKI publicly campaigned against the Voice using BKI social media.

A UCA media statement said "despite significant efforts over a long period of time to achieve the vision of BKI, in May 2024 the UCA made the difficult decision, at the request of the UAICC, to close BKI".

"Differences were highlighted when members of BKI publicly promoted a 'no' vote to the Voice Referendum," it said.

UAICC chairman Reverend Mark Kickett told National Indigenous Times "discrepancies" the two church groups had with some BKI attendees over the issue of the Voice were troubling, and a main reason for enacting its rights under the 'Covenant' relationship to shut its services.

"In terms of the 2021 board, one of the things that really disturbed us was the supporting of the 'No' vote [in last year's Voice to Parliament referendum], when Congress had made a clear statement around its support of the 'Yes' vote, along with the Uniting Church," Reverend Kickett said.

"We felt the relationships between the [BKI] board and Congress were just moving in different directions."

Ms Burns criticised the claim the closure was linked in any way to some attendees not favouring a 'Yes' vote, calling it "ludicrous".

"BKI provides a safe space for people to gather, regardless of their views on the referendum," Ms Burns said.

"People come here because they trust the services, it's a safe place for people to come and yarn, not to discuss politics.

"Has the UCA pushed closure on any of their schools or other NFPs, where some members or employees are also likely to have supported the 'no' campaign?"

Ms Burns alleged that before the current board took over in 2021, several independent audits flagged potential concerns over the use of funds intended for Aboriginal services, and documented that hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on consultancy, feasibility studies, two boats, office supplies, cleaning and other miscellaneous services.

Financial records seen by National Indigenous Times also show an $850,000 transfer a decade ago for a "quarterly BAS statement" to the Uniting Church WA. There is no indication or suggestion the transaction was dishonest, but some BKI members believe it warrants further scrutiny, given that it was paid from the BKI account.

When asked, the UCWA declined to address why funds intended for Aboriginal services appear to have been spent on church tax fees.

Ms Burns said the UAICC and its WA Regional Congress were given significant control over BKI's funding, but showed little interest in its services once the initial "millions" were spent.

"The land is worth a lot of money and now they want to kick us off it," she said.

Reverend Kickett acknowledged financial issues and poor governance during previous BKI boards "was terrible" and said BKI had provided essential services for Indigenous people in need for a long time.

"Just going back to the financial situation, we're well and truly aware of that... that's an old story, that's not this current [BKI] board's story, but they're making it an issue," he said.

"We've looked at that, I'm aware of what's happened… look, the Uniting Church - as well as Congress nationally and the WA Congress - realise that was a terrible time, and we've got to try to rectify what we're doing."

Reverend Kickett, said he was "working hard" with the WA Regional Congress to improve their governance structure and "also have a vision".

"At this moment that [vision] is still taking shape with the WA Synod (of the Uniting Church Australia," he said.

A new board established in 2021, led by Worrorra Walmajarri woman Katina Law, has been delivering a range of services - despite limited funds and resources - including advocacy and a safe haven for domestic violence and sexual abuse victims, food, clothing and furniture aid and accommodation support.

An art group of local Elders also has convened, which participants say has helped heal generational wounds, while enabling them to sell and exhibit some of their work, and provide cultural art sessions to organisations such as Rio Tinto, the WA Art Gallery, ECU and the City of Canning.

In mid-2023 the BKI board requested a rewrite of the UCA constitution in an effort to desist from being controlled by the UAICC and WA Congress.

"We called the UCA out on the waste of money allowed to happen, and the state in which the property had been left," a BKI spokesperson told National Indigenous Times.

Mediation was set up by the UCA, but attendees claim they were not allowed to discuss any issues with Congress representatives during the three days.

"Finally, it was made clear by the UCA that Congress actually has no plans for the site at present, and they are still 'thinking about it'," a BKI spokesperson said.

"Why then shut down all the services now?"

Following mediation, the BKI board was suspended and an interim board - composed of two non-Indigenous members from the UCA - was appointed.

BKI members feel the interim board should consist of Aboriginal members as was the requirement to be on the BKI Board since its inception. In response to questions from National Indigenous Times, the Church did not confirm or deny that the interim board consists of two non-Indigenous people.

Members allege local Aboriginal people who rely on BKI have not been consulted, and the UCA has only listened to a small number of people who make up WA Congress.

UCWA said it hoped alternative services might 'open their arms 'to some of the people whom BKI supported'.

Ms Burns said people come to the current BKI site "because they have a long-standing and trusted relationship with BKI, and a cultural connection to the site".

"They have no desire to go elsewhere, but more importantly, there are no other services nearby who provide what BKI provides," she said.

BKI has requested an indefinite extension to stay open so it can continue to deliver services.

It is understood the land title has now been transferred to the UCA property trust.