Category A: Organisations in existence since January 1996
Valda Weldon and Craig Honeysett from Gannambarra Enterprises
Develops sustainable businesses and provides opportunities for local Indigenous people to find employment in their preferred fields. Two of its current enterprises in Wagga Wagga are Deadly Detailers, a car detailing service, and Gannambarra Pottery, an arts and crafts centre.
Panel Comments
- Board consciously seeks to recruit people who are respected and admired by the broader community.
- Strategic risk of losing staff has been realised and active steps are being taken to address the issue through career development opportunities.
- Emphasis is on teamwork at all levels Board, management and staff.
- Good, strong and candid engagement with participants organisation challenges them with the question, do you want to work?.
- Gannambarra has been instrumental in helping promote reconciliation in what has been a conservative environment.
Ian Trust, Tom Birch and Ralph Addis from Wuan foundation
Creates partnerships to recruit, train, place and mentor young Indigenous people. It also operates Wunan House, a Kununurra hostel for Aboriginal people pursuing education, training and employment; and a business services centre that provides a range of customised support to remote community organisations.
Panel comments
- Board has established a robust, best practice organisation along business lines, making it far less reliant on recurrent funding.
- It's ability to improve the governance and operations of other organisations is making a real contribution to the Kimberly.
- Experienced staff members act as role models and mentors for less experienced employees.
- Management has a strategic focus for the region, projects are long term and designed to be sustainable and deliver measurable outcomes.
- Wunan has a strong understanding of community structures and cultural values.
Category B: Organisations in existence prior to 1996
Nancy Long, Cilla Preece, Maureen Mossman and Joy Savage from WuChopperen Health Service
Formed in Cairns in 1979 as an essential health care service provider, its services include specialist clinics and chronic disease management, oral health, and social health and wellbeing. It also oversees the establishment of medical services and clinics in remote regions.
Panel comments
- Continuous improvement ethos and effective processes to identify and implement change.
- Innovative and creative approaches by staff are supported and encouraged.
- Good processes for communicating views and decisions.
- Stakeholders endorsed the quality of the organisation and its role as a leader and model in a range of areas.
- WuChopperen has a focus on generational change and effective actions to achieve it.
Chris Lynch from BHP Billiton with Dean Collard from Yirra Yakkin
Tells the stories of Aboriginal communities through Indigenous performing arts. The company evolved from a successful youth theatre project to a corporation with a world-wide reach through major national and international tours of authentic Aboriginal productions.
Panel comments
- The structure and qualification required for election to the Board provides a strong platform for effective and passionate representation.
- Strong business plan that gives direction for the organisation in the performance area as well as for staff development and succession planning.
- Positive reputation in the community and is highly regarded as more than just a theatre company.
- There is a sense of family and inclusiveness for all.
- Yirra Yaakin staff have a high level of enthusiasm and commitment towards the Board and management