annual report 2010 –2011 - Multicultural Development Association

Governance
Our Executive
The MDA, a membership based organisation, elects a board of directors from its membership
to ensure the trust given to the organisation by its members, stakeholders, funding bodies,
clients and colleagues is continuously maintained and enhanced. The board carries a fiduciary
responsibility to ensure good governance in accordance with legal, financial, industrial and
ethical requirements and practice. The MDA board also sees its role of ensuring the vision
and spirit that guided the formation of the organisation 13 years ago continues to shape its
growth and practice into the future.
The board includes a variety of professional expertise with people from legal, economic, policy,
community service, management, leadership development, events and human resources
professions. This variety complements the strong background in multicultural affairs, and
refugee settlement ensuring robust consideration of matters that come to the board. The
board is clear that its role is governance. It provides clarity of direction with mechanisms that
monitor performance and ensure accountability of MDA in relation to its objectives and to
its legal requirements. This work is exercised through a process of regular board meetings,
by standing board subcommittees in finance and occupational health and safety, and in ad
hoc subcommittees created around specific issues of priority.
This year, specific focus was directed towards two critical processes: firstly, overseeing the
progress of applications for significant funding worth in excess of $12 million to the MDA over
the next 3 years and, secondly the physical process of establishing the Brisbane Multicultural
Centre and moving the MDA into its new home. This will allow the MDA to use its influence to
progress the development of multiculturalism and the strengthening of settlement services
and policy frameworks. This will also enable better outcomes in service delivery for clients
and communities.
As part of the accountability process, the board reviewed the performance of the CEO. Major
funding bodies and peak agencies were consulted. The overwhelming conclusion was that the
MDA continues to be extremely well served by a visionary, passionate, strategic, competent
and highly regarded CEO.
The MDA has worked towards goals established at its foundation and given fresh strategic
impetus in a plan developed in 2006/7. The board determined that, given the successful
completion of the move to the new building and the successful application for significant
funding programs, the time was right to revisit and re-energise the strategic direction of the
organisation. A new draft statement of strategic priorities and directions for the next four years
has been produced. This was developed through wide consultation with staff, management,
the board and major funding bodies and peak agencies. The draft statement will be circulated
widely to members and stakeholders and further feedback sought before it is finalised.
Kerrin Benson | Chief Executive Officer
Kerrin Benson began working in the child protection system after graduating as a social worker
from the University of Queensland in 1984. She spent the next five years at the Brackenridge
Neighbourhood Centre.
In 1994 Kerrin joined Queensland Department of Housing as Manager of the Crisis and
Transitional Housing Program. This area had a lead agency role in homelessness and managed
grants to 180 community organisations across the State.
After eight years with the Department of Housing, Kerrin moved to London, working as
Assistant Director at Refugee Housing. It was here that her interest in working with refugees
was galvanised and she began as CEO of MDA in 2004.
Kerrin is a member of the Minister’s Council for Immigration Services and Status Resolution,
the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Board, the Settlement Council of Australia and the Department
of Immigration’s Client Reference Group. She was also a Member of the Board of Refugee
Council Australia for two years.
Karen Lee | Executive Manager | Advocacy & Social Policy Unit and Employment Services
Karen was appointed to the newly-created role of Advocacy Manager in November 2008 to
further establish MDA’s identity as one of the lead advocacy agencies in the sector.
Karen is a qualified solicitor from the corporate law arena. She worked as a senior policy
adviser to the Australian Democrats from 2001 to 2007 and consequently as Chief of Staff
to Senator Andrew Bartlett. Her established political experience, intimate knowledge of the
parliamentary process as well as her strong strategic advocacy and campaigning skills are
assets she brings to the role.
Her work within politics was largely based on principles of social justice in the portfolios of
immigration, Indigenous affairs, the environment, housing affordability and the status of women.
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