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Torres Strait Regional Authority Annual Report 2017-2018 Torres Strait Regional Authority Annual Report 2017-2018 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL i Torres Strait Regional Authority Annual Report 2017-2018 The Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) The TSRA will always make every effort to respect recognises the Traditional Owners of the land Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people’s on which we operate. We acknowledge the past cultural sensitivities when featuring the images and present elders of all Torres Strait Islander or names of people who have recently died. and Aboriginal people in the Torres Strait However, please be advised that this document and Northern Peninsula Area and respect the may contain images of persons who have died culture and lore of all Torres Strait Islander and since this Annual Report was prepared for tabling Aboriginal people in the region. in Parliament in October 2018. We offer our apologies for any distress caused if this occurs. © Commonwealth of Australia, 2018 This document must be attributed as the Torres Strait Regional Authority Annual Report ISSN 1324–163X 2017-2018. The TSRA has made all reasonable effort to: The TSRA’s contact officer for the 2017-2018 Annual Report is Ms Yoshiko Hirakawa, S clearly label material where the copyright is Acting Programme Manager Governance and owned by a third party Leadership. Telephone (07) 4069 0700 or S ensure that the copyright owner has email [email protected]. consented to the material being presented in this publication. The TSRA Annual Report 2017-2018 is published on the TSRA website at With the exception of www.tsra.gov.au in the following formats: the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and S Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) where otherwise noted, all material presented S Portable Document Format (PDF) in this report is provided under a creative ISO 32000-1:2008 commons licence. Details of the licence can be found on the Creative Commons Australia S ePub Electronic Publishing for website at http://creativecommons.org.au/ eBook Readers. learn/licences. ii TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 9 October 2018 Senator the Hon. Nigel Scullion Minister for Indigenous Affairs Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Minister I am pleased to present to you the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) Annual Report for 2017-2018. The TSRA’s Annual Performance Statements, Financial Statements and Auditor-General’s Report on the Financial Statements are included in the Annual Report as required under sections 42, 43 and 46 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth). In accordance with section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (Cth), the TSRA has fully complied with the requirement to prevent, detect and deal with fraud. The Directors of the TSRA endorsed the Annual Report in a resolution passed at Board meeting number 109 on 5 September 2018. The TSRA delivered outcomes as set out in the Torres Strait Development Plan 2014-2018 during the past year and continues to meet the objectives of the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Plan 2009-2029. Through both plans, the TSRA programmes have continued to contribute towards the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and closing the gap in disadvantage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians living in the region. The TSRA looks forward to continuing our good work with you and to working through challenges and building on our successes over the coming year. Yours sincerely Mr Napau Pedro Stephen AM TSRA Chairperson LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL iii PAPUA NEW GUINEA BOIGU ISLAND TORRES STRAIT REGION SAIBAI ISLAND DAUAN ISLAND UGAR ISLAND ERUB ISLAND MASIG ISLAND IAMA ISLAND MER ISLAND MABUYAG ISLAND PORUMA ISLAND BADU ISLAND ST PAULS MOA ISLAND WARRABER ISLAND KUBIN KERIRI (HAMMOND) ISLAND WAIBEN ISLAND NGARUPAI ISLAND MURALAG ISLAND SEISIA NEW MAPOON BAMAGA FIGURE P-1 UMAGICO MAP OF THE TORRES STRAIT REGION INJINOO CAPE YORK PENINSULA iv TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 VISION v VISION EMPOWERING OUR PEOPLE, IN OUR DECISION, IN OUR CULTURE, FOR OUR FUTURE KALA LAGAW YA The Indigenous people of the Torres Strait are a separate race of First Nations peoples Ngalpun yangu kaaba woeydhay, a ngalpun who speak two distinct traditional languages muruygaw danalagan mabaygal kunakan and six dialects. Torres Strait Islanders in the palayk, bathayngaka Eastern Islands speak the traditional language of Meriam Mir, which includes the Mer and MERIAM MIR Erub dialects. The Western and Central Island groups speak Kala Lagaw Ya, which includes Buaigiz kelar obaiswerare, merbi mir apuge the dialects of Kulkalgau Ya, Kalaw Kawaw Ya, mena obakedi, muige merbi areribi tonarge, Kawrareg and Mabuyag. Torres Strait Creole ko merbi keub kerkerem and English are also spoken. Our vision is expressed in the languages of our region, recognising the importance and diversity of our culture and traditional languages. Our vision signifies that the heart of our region is our people, with culture an important part of our lives now and into the future. Empowering our people to contribute to and make decisions regarding their future ensures that our culture will remain strong and that the future will be guided by the people who live in the region and understand and promote its unique characteristics. vi TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS SUPPLY NATION CONNECT 2018 REGISTERING IN THE SUPPLY NATION DIRECTORY ALLOWS INDIGENOUS The TSRA Economic Development BUSINESSES GREATER VISIBILITY WHEN BEING CONSIDERED FOR AUSTRALIAN Programme supports local businesses to GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AND gain greater economic stability and growth. COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. This included supporting Torres Strait and Aboriginal owned businesses to attend Supply The first day provided an opportunity for Nation Connect 2018. Indigenous business owners from across Australia to share their knowledge and The six Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal experience while engaging in a series of people who attended, representing five workshops facilitated by prominent business businesses, were: figures. The second day included the tradeshow, at which the TSRA operated a booth that provided S Ms Rita Gutchen – AJ Car Hire, our local businesses with an opportunity to Thursday Island showcase their businesses and products. S Mrs Alice Loban – Koedal Taxi Service, Thursday Island S Mr Stephen Nawia and Ms Dolly Oui – Seisia Hire Cars, Seisia S Ms Matilda Nona – Artist, Badu Island S Ms Louisa Nancy Kiwat – Artist, Erub Island. Held on 22 and 23 May 2018 in Sydney, Supply Nation Connect 2018 included a knowledge forum and a tradeshow, on the theme ‘Shaping Left to right: Ms Dolly Oui; Ms Jamila Gordon, an inclusive economy’. Supply Nation Connect closing keynote speaker; and Ms Rita Gutchen Staff of the TSRA Economic Development Programme and local businesses at Supply Nation Connect 2018 HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS vii Left to right: Ms Matilda Nona; Mrs Alice Loban; Mr Clifford A Bailey, Supply Nation Connect opening keynote speaker; and Ms Louisa Nancy Kiwat The Supply Nation forum experience highlighted the importance of developing effective marketing and networking opportunities. Registering in the Supply Nation directory allows Indigenous businesses greater visibility when being considered for Australian Government procurement and commercial opportunities. AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF Standing left to right: Mr Michael Bullot, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Centre of Excellence for STATISTICS REGIONAL STATISTICS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics and Community Engagement, and Mr Aven S Noah, TSRA. DATA LIBRARY PROJECT Seated left to right: Mr Dean Bowley, ABS Indigenous and Social Information Branch; Mr Wayne See Kee, The TSRA and the Australian Bureau of TSRA; and Mr Napau Pedro Stephen AM, TSRA Statistics (ABS) implemented a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the production of a Torres Strait Regional Statistics Data Library (RSDL). In signing the MOU, the TSRA and ABS demography and society, housing and have formalised their commitment to working infrastructure, social and support services, together with the Torres Strait community in health status, education and training, criminal supporting the development of regionally justice, labour market, environment, and specific data. income from employment and welfare. A primary focus of this collaborative project As a basis for regional development planning, is the compilation of key regionally specific the RSDL will provide geographically specific social and developmental statistics collected data related to a broad range of statistical in conjunction with the national population topics relevant to the Torres Strait, such as: census and other official data collections. viii TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 Mr Shaun Skerritt, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (third from right), delivering Recreational Marine Driver Licence training to outer island residents AMSA BOATSAFE TRAINING The TSRA provided $50,000 to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to deliver BoatSafe training to all outer island Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area communities. The BoatSafe training provider Evolution: Torres Strait Masks graphic panel at is accredited by the Queensland Department the National Museum of Australia of Transport and Main Roads to deliver maritime training. THE TRAINING ENSURES THAT COMMUNITY EVOLUTION EXHIBITION AND RECREATIONAL