 Kununurra’s Yawoorroong Miriuwung Gajerrong Yirrgeb Noong Dawang Aboriginal Corporation – MG Corp received a high level commendation at the recent National Australian Indigenous Governance Awards held in Melbourne.
The awards held every two years were created by Reconciliation Australia and BHP Billiton to identify, celebrate and promote good practice in Indigenous Governance across Australia. The awards highlight good news in Indigenous Australia- strong leadership, effective partnerships and creative thinking.
Shortlisted from Aboriginal Organisations around Australia, MG Corp was a finalist in the under 10 years old section and received the Highly Commended award for Best Governance for an Aboriginal organization
Chairperson Edna O’Malley and CEO David Saunders represented MG Corp at the National Australian Indigenous Governance Awards on the 29th August in Melbourne Australia.
Entering the competition for the first time, the organisation was extremely pleased to receive the award as it are still only a young organization.
MG Corp CEO David Saunders commented that , “we have a very culturally structured organization and all the committees and staff work very hard to ensure the organisation is operating to best practice standards.”
“Although we still have a lot of work to do to get the organisation to where we can grow and create our own wealth and provide a brighter future for the Miriuwung Gajerrong people we have been rewarded for the hard work and vision that our members have put into the Organisation so far.”
“Our next challenge is to work collaboratively with Business and the wider community to obtain tangible economic outcomes for Aboriginal People in our community such as jobs and training.”
MG Corp was established in late 2005 as part of the Ord Final Agreement to receive and manage the benefits coming from that agreement with the establishment of an Economic Development Unit. More broadly the Organisation aims to improve the social, cultural and economic well being of the Miriuwung Gajerrong people to be achieved through jobs and training and improved living standards.
Along with a hand designed plate the organization received a cheque of $5,000.00, to assist the organization to provide further training for its committees and directors.
CONTACT : David Saunders; Tel: (08) 91692590 or mob: 0413 919 2226
Attachment One:
Copy of article from the Australian
The Australian
Look on bright side
Gary Banks | August 29, 2008
TODAY there is a good-news story about Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Australians. But if the past is any guide, you may not get to read about it or see it on television. That is partly because it deals with a pretty dry topic, governance. But it's also because the subject
does not fit with the image of indigenous communities and organisations that most Australians have been led to believe is the norm.
How do I know about this? Because it has been my privilege to be on the judging panel for the Indigenous Governance Awards sponsored by BHP Billiton and Reconciliation Australia. I must admit that I accepted Mick Dodson's invitation to join the panel without high expectations. But the Productivity Commission's research for the Council of Australian Governments on indigenous disadvantage had convinced me of the crucial importance of good governance, and the value of supporting a venture that seeks to promote it.
This is the third set of awards and the second with which I have been associated.
My experience has been the same on each occasion: I have been bowled over twice. Each time, about 50 indigenous organisations across diverse areas and functions stepped forward to be assessed. Most were worthy contenders, with important stories to tell. The eight finalists, with which I became more familiar, distinguished themselves as exemplary organisations.
I would go further: the best among these indigenous bodies outclass most mainstream organisations or enterprises in Australia. How so? Well, they do everything that mainstream organisations should do to reflect good governance principles and practice. They have strong leaders, clear goals, accountable boards and effective administrations. And they have sound policies for making decisions, strategic planning and dealing with
disputes. But they have something more: a profound connection with community and a cultural fit that makes the best of them truly remarkable organisations.
Let me give just two examples. During the 2006 awards, Dodson and I visited WuChopperen Health Service in Cairns, an essential healthcare facility established in 1979. It has since greatly surpassed its humble beginnings, providing first-rate services in a first-rate clinical
setting. It is an indigenous-run organisation, with a strong indigenous presence among its medical and other staff. From our initial meetings
with the chief executive and board, to those with an assembled throng of stakeholders and clients, it was clear to us that this innovative,
caring organisation was achieving excellence at many levels. What stood out was the passion and commitment to serve the community, allied to the highest professional standards and impressive attention to detail in service delivery. People said they felt at home and it was obvious that they did. As one patient put it: "They take the time to listen.
We have a beautiful gem." The judges agreed, awarding WuChopperen first prize.
The second organisation, Murriajabree, at Deception Bay just north of Brisbane, could not be more different. It has existed for only a few years and still occupies a modest house owned by its chairman, Uncle Allan. It has only a few staff and most are volunteers. For an outsider like me, it takes a little while to get to know. But in a visit last month with Dodson and fellow judge Heather Ridout, chief executive of
the Australian Industry Group, it became clear that this little organisation, whose name means "gathering together", was achieving
something very special. Its mission, to meet the social and other needs of a diverse and hitherto fractured community, was pursued not only with (unassuming) professionalism and dedication but also with a degree of inclusiveness and community involvement well beyond what could be imagined in any organisation as successful in getting things done. This was all encapsulated for me by one person's heartfelt comment that "Murriajabree's boomerang is bringing us all in".
Now I don't pretend that such organisations have done it easily - on the contrary - or that they will not face challenges in the future. After all, they are seeking to meet a range of objectives in situations far more complex than those faced by most mainstream organisations. Yet, like other organisations, they need adequate resources and the continuing commitment of talented individuals.
What these organisations and others like them have clearly demonstrated, though, is that indigenous organisations are achieving excellence in governance, providing examples that others can learn from. But for that to happen, the experience of those organisations needs to be accessible and shared. Despite decades of indigenous policy development, involving myriad programs, governments have not done enough to encourage good indigenous governance. Yet it is the bedrock on which the success of many other actions and policies directed at overcoming disadvantage depend.
Recognition of the importance of good governance is at last gaining momentum, drawing inspiration from the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Its work is reinforced by the Australian experience that successful institutions generally have much in common but are also closely attuned to local circumstances and contexts. The finalists in the 2008 Indigenous Governance Awards, which will be presented today at a lunchtime ceremony in Melbourne, deserve public acclaim for showing the way.
It would be gratifying to see this and other indigenous good-news stories making the news. I'm not saying that the media should dwell only on the positives and ignore the negatives. But the public needs a realistic picture of both. If we choose to recognise indigenous success more often, we may just see more of it.
Gary Banks is chairman of the Productivity Commission.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24257616-5013172,00.html
|
