General News
20 July, 2022
Far north First Nations people hit hard by the Youpla collapse
NEW data has revealed local indigenous communities in the far north including Yarrabah have been hit hardest by the collapse of the national funeral fund, Youpla. Calls are growing for action by the new federal government.
Community leaders say the collapse of Youpla is having a devastating cultural and financial impact on First Nations communities across Australia.
Previously known as the Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund, or ACBF Youpla – a Gold Coast based private business - for decades aggressively sold funeral insurance almost exclusively to Aboriginal people, including children and babies.
Nationally at least 31 Aboriginal families are struggling to pay for funerals for loved ones who have died since the collapse.
Yarrabah was one of the most targeted communities for sales of funeral fund policies, with 786 policyholders signed up.
It has been revealed that Cairns, Yarrabah, parts of the Cape, Mareeba, Kuranda and Tully have a total of at least 2,200 affected policyholders.
Yarrabah policyholders said they feel angry about being left without funeral cover.
“I feel betrayed,” said Agnes Neal, who was paying premiums into the Youpla fund from 2006 until this year. “It’s left me angry, traumatised, stressed,” she said.
“Anything happens to me now, who’s going to come up with the money? The family struggles too, you know. I don’t want to leave them with any burden.”
Brian Underwood, a Yarrabah policyholder for 15 years, said he was told Youpla was an indigenous corporation “who would do the right thing by us,” but has also been left feeling betrayed and upset. “Now I’ve got to look for another company that I’ve got to pay into, start all over again.”
Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Ross Andrews said the whole community has been betrayed. Mr Andrews said: “They targeted our community, working door to door, selling a funeral fund and the need for our community to join.”
Communities including Yarrabah are calling on the Federal Government to urgently assist people caught in the collapse of Youpla.
“Youpla targeted people who were doing the right thing by trying to ease the financial burden on their families when they passed. Instead, these families are in a state of deep despair, facing financial and cultural crisis,” said Bettina Cooper, Aboriginal Financial Counsellor at Mob Strong Debt Help.
“The new Federal Government has an opportunity to show its commitment to improving the wellbeing of First Nation peoples,” she said.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to compensate all current and former customers of Youpla.”
