News

Name change for Aboriginal organisation

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:32:00

North West Victoria’s major Aboriginal organisation is changing its name to reflect an expanding role in the region.

Members of the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation voted at a general meeting on Friday in favour of changing the organisation’s name to Mallee District Aboriginal Services.
The name change will take effect from July 1.
The chief executive Rudolph Kirby said the change was both practical and symbolic.
“The title Mildura Aboriginal Corporation really no longer reflects the scope of the corporation and its activities,” Mr Kirby said.
“We are an organisation that has expanded in terms of its geographic reach, and we have health services and offices right across the Mallee at Mildura, Swan Hill, Kerang and Balranald.
“We have a role to play as the local Koori body in each of those communities, so the new name more readily identifies who we are and what we do.”
Mr Kirby said the name change was the latest milestone for an organisation that is rapidly evolving for the better.
“We recently had our first Swan Hill-based board member appointed, in Rob Connelly, and that also is a reflection of our changing geographic region,” he said.
“But the name change will also reflect more accurately what we are about as an organisation.
“We are a corporation, and we operate within a corporate governance model and with all the accountability that requires.
“But the essence of what we are doing is providing health and community services.  Our new name will more accurately reflect those values, and ensure that our role is more easily understood.”
MAC/Mallee District Aboriginal Services provides more than 50 health and family services to Koori people and their families, with a potential client base of nearly 5000 people across north west Victoria and southern New South Wales.