News

Promising times ahead for Mildura Aboriginal Corporation

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 06:50:00

Sunraysia Daily Feature - Feburary 2013

Message from Mildura Aboriginal Corporation Chief Executive Officer Rudolph Kirby

The year 2013 is shaping as a promising and exciting one for the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation.
While there is still some change occurring at the management level, it’s important to emphasise it is still “business as usual”.  As restructuring has occurred, the delivery of more than 50 essential services has continued without interruption, to Koori communities in Mildura, Swan Hill, Balranald and Kerang.
The recent change at management and board level means new faces and new ideas filtering through the organisation.  But the new energy around the MAC offices is also coming from the ground up. 
We have great teams of committed individuals who have been delivering services to our clients every day of the year. 
They can be assured their work and commitment is valued and respected and that the organisation’s structure is committed to supporting their important roles.
Part of MAC’s job is to deliver practical health and family services to indigenous people, their families and support the indigenous community generally.
In meeting this agenda, I have restructured the organisation to simplify its management. Where previously there were 15 managers reporting to the CEO, the new structure will have only two general managers. 
David Lim is already well known in Mildura, and is the general manager of MAC’s Corporate Service.  We are fortunate to have recruited an astute and experienced health administrator from Queensland, Nahtanha Davey, to lead the Health, Family and Community portfolio.
These two general managers will oversee all of the operational areas of MAC involvement in each of our service areas –Mildura, Swan Hill, Balranald and Kerang.
The day-to-day administrative structures are now transparent throughout the organisation and I am confident the new, clarified structure will improve both outcomes and efficiency.
The health and welfare goals are still our most important challenges, but I am also keen to put more attention to the challenge of community-building. 
To break down barriers, there must be a wider understanding in Mildura generally about MAC’s role and responsibilities.  I understand that as an organisation we need to work harder to improve awareness about Koori issues and to work towards broad-based support for the services MAC delivers.
MAC is determined to provide new and positive ways to improve the outcomes for Koori people in Mildura, but closing the gap between Koori culture and non-Koori people will be a team effort.
I am looking forward to working with a range or organisations and people in the year ahead to help achieve those aims.