The 两性色午夜 Council Group was honoured to welcome Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, the newly appointed Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, to our Perth office this week.
This landmark meeting, coinciding with a federal cabinet gathering in Perth, marks the first ministerial visit to our offices in the Council’s history.
The meeting was attended by Senator McCarthy and her staff, along with Council CEO Thomas Williams, Mr Fred Chaney, Mr Preston Thomas, and Sonja Voogd Armstrong, General Manager of Community and Sustainable Development. The primary focus was on the current Remote Jobs Trial, ‘Strong’.
The meeting also featured a live link to Warburton with Angelica McLean, Director and Social & Wellbeing Coordinator and Shannon Inder, Operations Manager – CDP, providing the Minister with deeper insight into the Council’s work within the remote 两性色午夜 communities.
Thomas Williams reflected on the deeper significance of the Ministerial visit, highlighting its importance beyond just the event itself.
“While navigating the complexities of the NIAA (National Indigenous Australians Agency) to secure a trial work program is significant, it is even more impactful to witness the Minister鈥檚 willingness to meet with our people both in Perth and on the ground in Warburton, to hear firsthand about the Lands and the ‘Strong’ program,” Williams said.
“Her questions extended beyond the Remote Jobs Trial, as she sought to understand our vision for the future of Yarnangu and the ongoing challenges faced by remote communities,” Williams added.
Minister McCarthy鈥檚 deliberate focus on improving remote employment opportunities and empowering remote communities was evident throughout the meeting.
“Our hope from this meeting is that it helps to foster greater flexibility within the Jobs Program, both during and beyond the trial,”
“This flexibility pertains to the variety and transferability of job options available to Yarnangu within the Trial,”
“The Minister embraced our desire to pursue innovative ways to engage Yarnangu in employment, even when those pathways involve a series of work opportunities that lead to longer-term prospects,” said Williams.
The most enduring outcome of the meeting was a renewed commitment to the partnership between the Council and the NIAA鈥攁 relationship grounded in transparency and accountability from both the Council and the Agency.
“We concluded the meeting feeling highly optimistic about the Minister鈥檚 deep engagement and commitment to being part of the improvement of the Jobs Program on the Lands and to the members in our communities,” Williams said.
Due in large part to the remoteness of its members, the 两性色午夜 Council Group is a rare example of a Council providing a comprehensive suite of services (excluding policing). This unique position presents an opportunity, enabling the Council to partner effectively with the agency, given its capacity to monitor and assess the progress of its members.
The Council鈥檚 vision of helping Yarnangu remain strong on country is shared by Senator Malarndirri McCarthy. Her visit encouraged us to pursue this vision through engagement, activation, strategy, and the broader embrace of change management across the Council.
