MALLEE District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) has welcomed the release of a report that details the indigenous health organisation’s reforms delivered in the past nine months.
At the request of the MDAS board and the Victorian Government, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (VACCHO) has worked with MDAS to deliver major reforms, including a membership drive, a successful annual general meeting with a competitive election for the board, and recruitment of a new chief executive officer.
Executive director Jill Gallagher said she was proud to deliver a report on the completion of the reform project to MDAS members and the broader Mallee communities.
“These are important, lasting reforms, and even more remarkable considering the project started during stage four Covid restrictions,” Ms Gallagher said.
“We have also started implementing significantly strengthened controls for finances, assets and operations and importantly, a new constitution is now in place that is based on best practice governance and truly reflects the aspirations of communities.”
Ms Gallagher said while MDAS was now a robust, democratic organisation, the challenge remained for Mallee communities to stay involved and to drive the future of its organisation.
“None of this would have been possible without the courage and persistence of elders who demanded change to return MDAS to community control,” she said.
“Aboriginal organisations get our strength from our culture, our community control, and our self- determination.
“The changes outlined in this report are critical first steps – they lay the foundations for MDAS to build on.
“However, there is much more to do, and the staff and board cannot do it alone.
“MDAS members got us to this point, now is the time to stay engaged and help MDAS grow even stronger.”
Ms Gallagher said the project provided “lessons” for VACCHO and other Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations across the state.
“The MDAS experience is a clear demonstration that ACCOs need a broad membership, and to continually promote membership, as well as offering many ways for communities to participate,” she said.
“Constitutions need review to ensure they reinforce community-control, self-determination and best practice governance, and that there is a system to ensure robust whistle-blower protections are in place.
“And for strong governance to be embedded in ACCOs, they need to invest in their boards through good quality training and independent support if they need it.
“There needs to be a strong culture of continuous governance improvement to support boards to fulfil their obligations.”
