Ned Hargraves has a long and unfortunate history of threatening and aggressive confrontation documented over many years and he has been repeatedly banned from Regional Council, CLC & community meetings since at least 2011 due to his violent and disruptive behaviour.
In 2012 the CLC even offered (in writing) to assist him to seek counselling at the Men’s Health service at Congress to deal with his anger management issues but he sadly did not take up the offer.
On 7 December, Mr Hargraves attempted to enter a meeting of traditional owners at the CLC office with a camera person in tow. His country was not being discussed and the traditional owners present requested that he not be let in as they knew, given past behaviour, that he was attempting to disrupt the meeting.
Although he was advised that the meeting did not involve him and asked to leave, Mr Hargraves staged a scene, entered the meeting despite being asked to leave and ultimately only left when police were called.
His obvious attempts to set-up a confrontation for media purposes are shown up by the facts.
Mr Hargraves left the CLC premises with Police after CLC staff called them due to his violent disruption of the meeting.
Police were advised of his actions.
He has posted a heavily edited, self-serving and defamatory video – the CLC completely rejects his assertions and calls on him to make an immediate apology to the traditional owners at Yuendumu whose meeting he attempted to disrupt and the staff and contractors engaged by the CLC.
Francis Jupurrurla Kelly
In the name of the Chairman