INNOVATIVE local group The Marruk Project has been named a finalist in the prestigious nation-wide 2014 Indigenous Governance Awards (IGA).
And next week a panel of judges formed by Reconciliation Australia will meet with those involved with the project as part of their decision making process.
The awards are given to a select group out of 113 nominees that hail from Australia’s remotest communities and busiest cities and represent a diverse range of sectors.
They are held biennially to identify, celebrate and promote strong Indigenous governance.
The panel’s chair Professor Mick Dodson said it was “truly outstanding field of applicants”.
Other groups nominated include the Muntjiltjarra Wurrgumu Group, based in Wiluna.
“Since the inception of the Indigenous Governance Awards in 2005, the depth, breadth and calibre of the nominations has continued to increase,” Professor Dodson said.
“From every corner of the country, the IGA finalists demonstrate that whatever the project — be it land and sea management, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, education and training or health — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are achieving impressive results in often challenging environments.”
The Marruk Project’s project manager Angela Frost said the award gave those involved in the program national recognition as well as the financial resources needed to continue running community projects.
“I think sometimes Swan Hill is just far enough away that we feel a little bit under the radar and don’t necessarily always get to be a part of what’s happening on a national level,” Ms Frost said.
It is The Marruk Project’s whole of community approach to celebrating culture and reducing workplace discrimination that has seen it gain attention at a national level.
“What I think is particularly special about what the Marruk Project does is that it is looking at community development on a whole of community level and it is led by Aboriginal people,” Ms Frost said.
“It’s not just a leadership project, it has a whole range of outcomes as well.”
The Marruk Project sees members of the Aboriginal community engage with other cultural groups in a variety of projects, including film and theatre productions.
The panel of judges will meet next week with representatives from organisations that work with The Marruk Project, including Harmony Day, Mallee Family Care, Swan Hill Rural City Council and Swan Hill Police.
“We’re trying to gather as many voices in the community as we can to show them what we do and how we do it… a whole range of cultural leaders, Aboriginal leaders and community members at the centre of the conversation,” Ms Frost said.
“We will represent the truth of what drives this project and show them our success and our hopes for the future.”
