At the end of October I tabled the first OCHRE 12-month progress report in NSW Parliament. You can read here.

Earlier in November I also provided an overview on its key employment and education initiatives during Question Time. You can read my response to a question from the Member for Upper Hunter George Souris here.

I am pleased to report that since the last OCHRE e-newsletter in April, we have seen significant achievements on a number of fronts.

Danny Lester has commenced as our State’s first Deputy Ombudsman (Aboriginal Programs); all four Opportunity Hubs are now open and operational; all five Aboriginal Language and Culture Nests have been launched; and two additional Aboriginal communities have been chosen to participate in the OCHRE Local Decision Making initiative.

Other important milestones include:

• The first statutory review of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 30 years, which will see historic changes to the Act. The Bill passed the Upper House with the support of all parties last week;
• The first OCHRE Healing Forum, “Mapu Yaan Gurri, Mapu Marrunggirr - Healing Our Way”, was held at University of New South Wales (UNSW) in July;
• The 90th anniversary of the opening of Kinchela Boys' Home was held in October. The NSW Government provided funding to Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation to host this historic Healing event; and
• The NSW Aboriginal Land Council launched its Economic Development Strategy in October, which includes $16 million in seeding funding and training support for local land council business ventures.

Danny Lester, an Aboriginal man with family connections in Singleton, La Perouse and Orient Point, has been appointed for a three-year term as the Deputy Ombudsman (Aboriginal Programs).

Mr Lester brings a wealth of experience working with government and has been CEO of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy Ltd for eight years. His role will be to monitor and assess OCHRE programs and assisting the Ombudsman to prepare regular reports to Parliament. He started in his role in October.

Opportunity Hubs in Campbelltown, Dubbo, Tamworth and Upper Hunter have engaged 1280 Aboriginal students in mentoring, training and career development opportunities under the program. The Hubs have forged partnerships with more than 20 local employers – including companies like John Holland, one of Australia’s largest rail transport operators.

Within the Language Nests in Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Wilcannia, Lightning Ridge and Lismore there are more than 1964 Aboriginal students and 50 tutors engaged in language lessons under a revised k-10 scope and sequence. 

The Nests are also working with local TAFEs and universities to develop new Aboriginal language qualifications, to encourage more people to continue their study at the tertiary level.

In September, Barang and Three Rivers joined the Local Decision Making initiative, which aims to strengthen governance and leadership capacity to enable local Aboriginal communities to have a greater say in the design and delivery of government services. They join Illawarra & Wingecarribee (South Coast), Murdi Paaki (Far West) and Many Rivers (North Coast) Local Decision Making areas which were selected in December 2013 after a competitive Express of Interest process.

As part of another OCHRE initiative, the Master Builders’ Association of NSW (MBANSW) and the NSW Government have commenced implementing the Action Plan developed under an Industry-based Agreement focussed on growing new opportunities for Aboriginal employment in the building industry.

The MBA currently has 13 Aboriginal apprentices and is looking to improve recruitment and retention by partnering with the NSW Government on this initiative.  Last week I held a morning tea at NSW Parliament to congratulate four new MBA apprentices and trainees.

Another important aspect of the NSW Government’s Plan for Aboriginal Affairs is Healing and in July we hosted the first OCHRE Healing Forum, in partnership with the National Healing Foundation, at the University of NSW. Over 200 delegates from more than 60 organisations attended the event.

Last month I had the privilege of attending the 90th anniversary commemoration for the Kinchela Boys Home. At the site of the former home on North Coast, in the Macleay Valley near Kempsey, a weekend of commemorative activities was held.

They included a symbolic chain cutting ceremony at the gates to Kinchela and the screening of the Kinchela Boys Home Survivor Project – a film project supported by the NSW Government.

The strength of character displayed by the Kinchela survivors was remarkable and I was honoured to be invited to participation in the poignant chain cutting moment.

Thank you for your ongoing interest in OCHRE and its many important initiatives which are being delivered in partnership with Aboriginal communities. I look forward to reporting back with another progress update in 2015.

Victor Dominello MP
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

Opportunity Hubs are now operating in Campbelltown, Dubbo, Tamworth and the Upper Hunter.

Their primary role is to broker partnerships between local schools, universities, TAFEs, employers and training providers. In October 2014, the four hubs had engaged with more than 1280 Aboriginal students in mentoring, training and career development opportunities under the program including several holiday programs.

The Hubs have forged partnerships with more than 20 local employers. They include companies like John Holland, one of Australia’s largest rail transport operators.

On 8 August, the last of the five Language Nests was officially launched by Minister Dominello in Tamworth. 25 October marked one year since the first Nest, teaching students North West Wiradjuri, was launched in Dubbo.  Key achievements over the past year include:

• Traditional language and culture lessons being taught to 1964 Aboriginal students in 45 schools across the five Nests;
• 50 Aboriginal language tutors engaged;
• Revised K to 10 Scope and Sequence being implemented across the Nests to ensure rigour and consistency in the way the curriculum is taught;
• The Board of Studies has commenced the development of Aboriginal Language Stage 6 Content Endorsed Course, providing incentives for students to continue in their study right through to the end of high school and into tertiary education;
• Employment of five Aboriginal Language and Culture teachers to work within the Aboriginal Language and Culture Nests and within schools; and
• A pay determination by the Department of Education and Communities means that Aboriginal Language and Culture Tutors have had their hourly pay rate increase from $21 to $40 per hour.

Further information can be found in OCHRE: One Year On.

Local Decision Makings (LDM) is a key component of OCHRE. It builds on existing Aboriginal community leadership and governance capacity to enable communities to have a greater say in the design and delivery of Government services and programs.

On 8 September Minister Dominello announced that two additional Aboriginal Regional Alliances had been selected to participate in LDM.   Barang, in the Central Coast, and Three Rivers Regional Assembly, in the Central West, will join the three existing LDM sites - Many Rivers (North Coast), Illawarra Wingecarribee (South Coast) and Murdi Paaki (Far West).

Through LDM Regional Alliances and Government will enter into binding Accords detailing how parties will work together to address community priorities.  Similar strategies in Canada, New Zealand and the United States have resulted in improved service delivery and outcomes for Indigenous populations.

Accord negotiations are well advanced in the Far West.  On 15 October the Illawarra-Wingecarribee LDM Committee and the NSW Government signed a Statement of Commitment set the foundation for LDM Accord negotiations in that region. The signing took place at an event in NSW Parliament with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Across the remaining LDM sites Regional Alliances are undertaking thorough processes to establish the priorities they will take into Accord negotiations.

On 23 October Minister Dominello met with all the Chairs of Regional Alliances participating in LDM in Sydney. At the meeting Chairs identified common goals across LDM sites for working with Government.

The initial phase will be monitored and evaluated for three years, and if successful it will be rolled out in other areas. If you would like to know more, please contact Rachel Ardler.

On 21 October Minister Dominello introduced legislation to empower the State’s 120 Aboriginal Land Councils by improving accountability, efficiency and economic capacity as well as helping to ease the backlog of 26,000 land rights claims. Minister Dominello said the changes, which follow the first statutory review of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 in over 30 years, will enable speedier resolution of land claims.

“Economic empowerment, reduction of red tape and strengthening accountability are at the heart of this legislation,” Minister Dominello said.

“This historic reform will for the first time see voluntary negotiations on the bulk settlement of land claims, helping to take the economic handbrake off land councils.”

The reforms will:

• Enable the NSW Government and land councils to enter into voluntary and legally binding negotiations on land transfer and use, reducing the need to engage in costly and lengthy claims determination processes;
• Enable land councils to take advantage of economic development opportunities by clarifying that they can engage in business enterprises and establish corporate entities;
• Removes the need for land councils to comply with two parallel schemes to obtain approval to run social housing programs;
• Allow the Registrar to appoint specialist advisors to support land councils to improve governance arrangements and strengthen their capacity; and
• Increase maximum penalties for breaches of the Act; and
• Establish additional grounds for appointment of administrators in order to protect community assets.

The Bill, the Statutory Review Report, and other explanatory materials are available on at: http://www.aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au/alra/legislative-review/

The Bill is passed the Legislative Council without amendment on 12 November and is awaiting Assent from the Governor before it becomes law.

“Darkinjung support the Bill and the extensive consultation process taken. Minister Dominello is leading the way with this reform and should be recognised as standing at the forefront of change.” 

Media Release 4 November: Sean Gordon, Chief Executive of Darkinjung LALC.

The NSW Government hosted the first OCHRE Healing Forum, Mapu Yaan Gurri, Mapu Marrunggirr, Healing Our Way, at University of NSW in Sydney on 23 July. 

More than 200 delegates, representing 68 organisations, attended the forum where they heard from Aboriginal people with experience of trauma and healing in Aboriginal communities.

Participants included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda, NSW Mental Health Commissioner John Feneley and NSW/ACT Stolen Generation Council Chairperson Matilda House.

There were impressive and courageous speakers and a lot of goodwill was generated by the NSW Government’s acknowledgement that healing needs to take place and that trauma has impacted on Aboriginal communities.

The forum served to inform many people’s understanding of healing and provided an opportunity to share succesful stories about what works; for example, the courage of the men from Kinchela Boys Home recording their stories through film. 

Other organisations and community members who weren’t able to attend the forum in Sydney were able to provide comments through an online survey to ensure their views were included in the outcomes of the forum.

The National Healing Foundation was a forum partner and its CEO Richard Weston recognised that the event represented the first step towards some concrete action on healing, in government policy and program delivery

“This is the first state in Australia that has included or incorporated healing into a major Aboriginal affairs policy document.”

The NSW Government has acknowledged that it must learn about healing from the people involved, and this event has already generated partnerships and ideas that will transform that commitment into reality.

Discussion at the forum focused on healing as a solution and how healing can create renewal and change. The forum recognised that Aboriginal leadership and cultural integrity are critical to healing.

A report is currently being prepared about the issues and discussion outcomes raised from the Forum.

This publication will reflect the positive leadership and understanding generated through the event. It will enable that information to be discussed and considered more broadly to inform further opportunities to support healing.

Further information about the healing forum including a link to the survey is available at www.healingourway.com.au. 

Minister Dominello at the 90th Anniversary of the opening of the Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Training Home.

On 25 October Minister Dominello attended a commemorative event at the former Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Training Home to mark 90 years since its opening.

Over 300 people attended the 90th anniversary event held from 24 to 26 October, including former Kinchela boys and their families, Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council representatives, Mayor of Kempsey Liz Campbell and CEO of the National Healing Foundation Richard Weston.

Kinchela Boys Home, located in the Macleay Valley near Kempsey, operated between 1924 and 1970 where NSW authorities incarcerated 500 Aboriginal children, mostly boys, many of whom were subjected to poor treatment and abuse.

The NSW Government provided a total of $38,000 in funding the commemoration and the KBH Survivor Recording Project which enabled 15 men who lived at the home to record and share their incredible stories through film.

The films, which were screened publicly for the first time during the 90th anniversary event,  offer a remarkable insight into the hardship the men faced and enduring bonds they have formed to support one another through the healing process.

A poignant chain cutting ceremony was also held at the gates to Kinchela where decades ago the boys entered the home for the first time, leaving behind their names, families and identities.  They became known only by a number and I commend the survivors of Kinchela Boys Home for their courage in speaking publicly about their experiences at the home.

Mr Dominello said: “Healing is integral to OCHRE, the NSW Government Plan for Aboriginal Affairs with initiatives like Language and Culture Nests and Local Decision Making helping to address inter-generational trauma by strengthening pride in culture and local governance capacity.”

Kinchela Boys' Home Aboriginal Corporation Strategic Development Manager Tiffany McComsey said, “The success of the event demonstrated the commitment of the surviving men to overcome adversity and support each other through Healing.

“I thank Minister Dominello and the NSW Government for its support of our truth-telling project and this historic commemorative event. Without their support this commemoration would not have been possible.”

Information about the work of Kinchela Boys' Home Aboriginal Corporation and the Kinchela Boys Home Survivor Recording Project can be found at: http://www.kinchelaboyshome.org.au/.

OCHRE recognises the importance of pursuing economic participation through the use of Aboriginal land and natural resources.

On 29 October Minister Dominello joined with NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) to release its $16 million economic development policy.

The policy will foster wealth creation for Aboriginal people over the next five years across the State’s 120 local Aboriginal Land Councils. It will provide start-up capital, financial training and business development support to turn Aboriginal local knowledge into successful and sustainable businesses.

The policy seeks to support the following strategic priorities:

• Economic development: up to $16 million of seed funding and business loans to support land council business ventures;
• Improved governance and sustainability: additional governance and financial literacy training opportunities for local land council staff; and
• Security and management of Aboriginal-owned land: property asset management to assist with identifying cultural and economic land assets and assist with strategic land claims and settlement negotiations.

Mr Cromelin said, “Applications for business development funding will be assessed on their commercial merits and risks. We know we can only create long-term jobs for Aboriginal people with profitable and sustainable business enterprises.

“This is about driving self-determination; we want our communities developing their own approaches to wealth creation, not someone else’s vision. NSWALC only supports enterprises built around solid governance and strong leadership. Effective due diligence and training will be crucial to the policy.”

Minister Dominello said, “I congratulate NSWALC on this policy because at its heart is a vision to support land council enterprises to bolster employment opportunities for Aboriginal people through start-up funding, business development support and equity investments."

“Whether it’s a commercial property in Coonabarabran, a motel in Orange, quad bike tours on Worimi country, or residential property development on the South Coast; we need to enable and encourage more successful local land council ventures.”

Further information about the policy can be found at: http://www.alc.org.au/about-nswalc/economic-development-policy.aspx.

To see Minister Dominello discuss the Strategy on NITV please follow this link.