Minutes of the ordinary Council meeting - 25 September 2012

The Minister, the Hon Victor Dominello MP, referred to:
Education, Employment and Service Delivery;
Genuine partnership with the community; and
Generational change
and appealed for answers from those in attendance on how best to implement the
issues.
Recent media comment attributable to the NSW Ombudsman stated programs are
not producing results for Indigenous Australians and government must work closely
with Aboriginal leaders to begin to solve well-known problems.
Language
There is a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Education,
Macleay Educational Community of Schools TAFE and the Aboriginal community to
work together to realise the aspirations and potential of Aboriginal learners with a
commitment to respecting, valuing and supporting each other to assist Aboriginal
students achieve successful education and training outcomes.
Attention has been drawn to an award evening education on employment package
for the Clarence Valley, known as „Fresh Start‟.
Local Decision Making
As previously stressed, Aboriginal people should drive and have ownership of
services from conception to delivery and there was need for strong Aboriginal
community governance.
There was disappointment expressed insofar as the outcomes from Dunghutti
Aboriginal Leadership Alliance (DALMA) in providing a conduit to pilot a new
approach to government to work with Aboriginal communities and there was
corresponding loss of trust and respect within the community.
Matters raised in community consultation included:
The need for more Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers; and
Whilst Council has requested consideration be given to the Macleay Valley to
be a Pilot Local Government Area for new police initiatives and be a base for
trialling the training and delivery for any new policing methods such as
Recognised Law Enforcement Officers it may well be worth requesting the
specific inclusion of members of the Aboriginal Community in any proposed
program.
The creation of job opportunities through tourism especially ecotourism
It is understood the Federal Government provided Dreamworld (Gold Coast)
$1.1M to boost Indigenous tourism through an Aboriginal Culture and
Australian Wildlife showcase in the form of a Strategic Tourism Investment
Grant.
It is unfortunate that Council did not pursue involvement with the proposed North
Coast Academy of Sport Indigenous “Future Stars” program as well as the
Kempsey Shire Council FULL TEXT Minutes Ordinary Meeting 25 September 2012 Page 56