A rural Queensland council is auctioning 24 homes owned by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Welfare Services (ATSICWS), a not-for-profit organization, to recover nearly $1 million in unpaid rates over five years. The first 10 properties are being sold in Mount Isa this Tuesday. Residents were only recently informed of the debt, which dates back to 2021, and many are now facing the threat of eviction. The situation has sparked concern among local Indigenous families who are struggling to find alternative housing in the area. Leonie Reading, who has lived in her home for 11 years with her three children, learned in April that ATSICWS had not paid the city council’s rates since 2021. Her husband is a traditional owner of the north-west Queensland region. Reading, who is terminally ill, said she is "forced out" with "nowhere to go" when her home is sold. She has reached out to local officials, including the minister and her local MP, but has not received a response. Her case highlights the personal and emotional toll of the situation on affected families. Kerry Major, another resident facing eviction, said ATSICWS stopped maintaining her home two and a half years ago, leading her to stop paying rent. The conditions of the homes are dire, with no hot water, no stove, and some homes in such disrepair that they may need to be demolished. Major warned that the auctions would leave many Indigenous residents homeless, as most have not found alternative housing and private rentals in the city are nearly impossible to secure. In August 2025, ATSICWS was fined $15,000 for 12 breaches of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, including failing to submit annual reports. The director of ATSICWS declined to comment when contacted by Guardian Australia. While the council initially planned to auction all 24 properties from 1 July, including 15 occupied by Aboriginal families, the government has not found a way to stop the sales. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has urged the federal government to purchase the homes under the Lands Acquisitions Act 1989, arguing that the government should have acted earlier to prevent the crisis. She claims the responsibility lies with the federal government and the prime minister for not providing support to the families. Queensland's Department of Housing and Public Works said it has not been approached to acquire the properties but is working with local service providers to assist tenants facing eviction. The Mount Isa Housing Service Centre is also offering support to affected individuals and families.