Since 2008 federal and state governments, in agreement with a wide range of peak bodies, service providers and other stakeholders, have been committed to “closing the gap” in health, education, employment and other social inequities faced by Aboriginal people. Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) are pivotal to our communities to assist with closing the gap.
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However, at a local level, this is not happening. The question is, why not? The state and federal governments invest a significant amount of taxpayers’ money into ACCOs.
Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) is an ACCO based on a social model of care, to provide a range of health, welfare, and social services to the whole local Aboriginal community. It is not an Aboriginal Traditional Owner Group, it is not an Aboriginal Land Council and it is not an Aboriginal Medical Service. It has developed over time to assist Aboriginal people to come together to create a place that is culturally safe and to meet the needs of Aboriginal people who are struggling.
The article ‘Indigenous group needs outside help’ (The Border Mail 28.6.2017) states that Mungabareena has been monitored by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) since 2015. The suggestion that MAC “needs outside help” raises questions about the role of the board and management in leading the organisation into its current situation.
Over many years MAC has been given support from the state peak body, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, and other government and health authorities to provide sustainable and culturally competent services that assist in meeting the government’s “closing the gap” targets. MAC members have requested to hold general meetings to resolve a range of issues regarding governance concerns. Community members have also raised concerns directly with ORIC and the minister. These have been denied, deemed frivolous and the decisions made by the directors have been supported by ORIC.
In The Border Mail article, ORIC has stated it “provides services to improve the corporation’s governance and help resolve internal disputes”. The spokesperson for Senator Nigel Scullion, (Minister for Indigenous Affairs) says “these issues are for ORIC to consider”. This issue is like a hot potato. Does anyone want to assist in tackling the underlying issues and create change to assist with closing the gap?
The Border Mail article stated MAC directors have not responded to the request of members to have a general meeting to discuss issues, one being the amendment of the MAC rule book. The aims of the proposed amendments are to strengthen the governance structure of the organisation; ensure diverse representation; rule out nepotism; rule out assets being sold without endorsement of the members; require the directors to be open and transparent and include skill based representatives from the Aboriginal local community to be on the MAC board. The MAC rule book was sent to the directors in 2015. It has not been endorsed and not authorised by ORIC to ensure it is aligned with the CATSI Act 2006.
For MAC to be sustainable it needs good governance and management. It needs to work in partnership with regulators and other key stakeholders. Most importantly, it must regain trust and support from MAC members and wider community by being open and transparent; after all, it is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.