News

New directors on MDAS Board

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 12:33:00

New directors from the Swan Hill and Kerang communities have been appointed to the board of Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS).

MDAS is the Mallee’s peak body for the provision of health, welfare and community services for Koori people and their families, serving a potential client base of 5000 people between Mildura and Kerang.
Kerang Elder Lloyd Murray and Swan Hill community member Nicola Perry were appointed to the nine-member board at its final meeting of 2016.
MDAS Chairman Keith Hampton said he was pleased to welcome the new community representatives.
“MDAS provides about 50 different services across the region and our growth has been especially strong at Swan Hill and Kerang,” Mr Hampton said.
“We have more than 650 regular health clients on our books in the two centres, with a 35 percent growth in attendances at Swan Hill and 180 percent growth at Kerang in the first part of this financial year,” he said.
“But that just makes it all the more important for our Swan Hill and Kerang communities to be directly engaged with MDAS at the board level, and for MDAS to be directly engaged with the community.”
Mr Hampton said in addition to the two new board members, new community advisory bodies were operating in both communities to allow the community direct input into MDAS.
At Kerang, the community advisory role is provided by the Elders group, while at Swan Hill a new Community Advisory Group has been formed.
Swan Hill board member Nicola Perry is well-connected to the community due to the various committees she is involved in including chairing the Swan Hill NAIDOC committee and in her work as a Local Aboriginal Justice Action Committee (LAJAC) Project Officer with Department of Justice & Regulation.  She has also worked previously as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer with Swan Hill Police.
“I’m passionate about being a voice for Swan Hill and advocating for the local Aboriginal community – it’s what I have done within all my working roles and many of my community involvements as well,” Ms Perry said.
“I’m looking forward to working with both the board and the community to continue improving service delivery and ensuring better outcomes for community and families,” she said. 
New director Lloyd Murray was born at Balranald but has lived at Kerang for 40 years.  He is well known through his community activity in football umpiring and lawn bows, but is also involved as an Elder in delivering children’s cultural programs. 
Uncle Lloyd said stepping into a director’s role was a new challenge, but one he was honoured to take up.
“As a small community, we need to work closely with other health providers and other community organisations and I hope that we can keep finding new ways to bring people in so that we are increasing the numbers of people we reach,” he said.
“I have some ideas but I will listen to others and want to do whatever I can to help and to make sure that Kerang’s perspective and needs are before the board.”