October 2019 Message from the Chairperson work of Sean-Paul Stephens in the Executive Management team, and Josie Borrell in the Member Welcome to the latest update from the Robe River Services team and wish them all the best in their Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC). This is our future endeavours. first newsletter under our new name, on 1st July 2019 Lastly, thank you all for your continued support and we, formerly Kuruma Marthudunera Aboriginal contributions to your corporation. Corporation RNTBC, proudly moved forward under our new corporation name, Robe River Kuruma Kind regards, Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC. Sara Slattery 2019 has been a busy and eventful year for RRKAC, RKKAC Board Chair and as you can see in the newsletter, we’ve been On behalf of the RRKAC Board. working hard on a number of different projects, events, and heritage work. Message from the CEO In this newsletter, you’ll be able to find the outcomes Dear RRK Community, from the recent AGM in April. You may be aware that I’m delighted to report back on an eXtremely eventful we’ve got another AGM coming up on the 26th year to date and a continued busy year ahead which November, so stay tuned for more information about has seen much progress on your strategic priorities that. and a number of wonderful accomplishments of your You can read more about some of the significant staff, Board and fellow community members as milestones achieved this year in the newsletter below, captured in this newsletter. but I’d particularly like to emphasise the work being We have heard from the community that cultural done by the RRKAC Youth Council; the new ATMS heritage projects need to be prioritised further and a database for the corporation; and the Healthy Country number of areas within member support have been Framework. All these projects form part of the RRK identified for improvement. Accordingly, your Heritage community’s Strategic Plan – these are the projects and Member Services teams have been busy that the community has identified as being important focusing on your requests which has seen to encourage our young people to become future improvements to our systems, processes and leaders, to maintain important information about our procedures to ensure efficiency for our members. We community members to ensure they are receiving the are finalising the implementation of our new database, support they need, and to take care of Country. I’d updating a more user-friendly Member Services Policy also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the manual, streamlining our internal processes and ensuring we have the resources to deliver the highest quality community projects. Our new community hub is at completion stages and we look forward to Staff updates welcoming members to a morning tea to open this community space. Farewell to Sean-Paul, welcome to Zoe Our RRK Youth Council continue in their It is with sadness in September that we farewelled achievements and the Pilbara Indigenous Youth Cultural Heritage and Environmental Manager, Sean- Council is about to launch. Both State and Federal Paul Stephens from Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Ministerial support has been garnered through Corporation. meetings between the RRKAC and KML Chairs and RRKAC CEO, including Minister Ken Wyatt, Minister Since joining RRKAC in February 2017, Sean-Paul Ben Wyatt and Minister Alana McTiernan. has been a valuable and well respected member of our team. As Cultural Heritage and Environmental Our heritage team are moving to stage 2 of Manager, Sean-Paul has been appreciated by his co- developing the Healthy Country Plan, progressing our workers and community members alike. We will miss Bawa reporting process under our new RRKAC best Sean-Paul’s professionalism, and dedication to the practice and as leaders in this space, and working on Robe River Kuruma community. We respect Sean- our Native Title country protections project. Paul’s decision to move into a new community role Corporate rebranding is also nearing completion as with Woodside in Roebourne, and we wish him all the we await the new eXternal office signs to be installed best for his future endeavours. in the coming weeks, hopefully in time for our We are very pleased to community morning tea. announce that Zoe As part of our ongoing cost mitigation strategy, Ramsden, who has RRKAC continues to actively seek eXternal grant recently joined the Cultural funding to deliver on projects which provides a cost Heritage team as Senior saving to the community. We currently have three Heritage Project Officer, grant funding applications lodged and under will be stepping into the consideration at the time of writing this update, and role of Cultural Heritage have successfully obtained close to $500, 000 in and Environmental external funding over the last 12 months. Manager. Zoe has A reminder that our current three year Strategic Plan extensive relevant is approaching a conclusion and we will commence experience in managing Indigenous cultural heritage developing our new RRK Strategic Plan in January. initiatives for government, private industry and This document captures our community project and registered Native Title Body Corporates and has priority areas that RRKAC will focus on for the next formal qualifications in Environmental Land three years and directs the Corporation’s efforts Management. Zoe moved to Karratha from during that time. Strong community input is required Queensland where she had been working for the to set the successful direction of your Corporation. Myuma Group which is owned and managed by The process will also be an opportunity to reflect on Camooweal's Indjalandji-Dhidhanu traditional owners. the Corporation’s performance over the past three There Zoe managed cultural heritage, PBC years. governance and the Lake Eyre Basin Indigenous Finally, please join me in welcoming our new staff Ranger program. members, Zoe, Daniel, Ostiane and secondee Gabby Please contact Zoe for all Cultural Heritage matters to RRKAC and wishing Sean-Paul and Josie the very moving forward on 9185 5005 or best on all future endeavours as they depart. [email protected]. Yours faithfully Aoife McMahon Chief Executive Officer 2 Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation – October 2019 Newsletter Farewell to Josie years and is an experienced land and In September we have also sadly farewelled Josie water management Borrell from our Member Services team. Josie has Geomorphologist. been an exceptional staff member, working with the Ostiane has held roles corporation for over four years. Josie has been with Rangelands NRM, dedicated to providing support and advocacy for our Greening Australia, The members. We will miss Josie’s kind and considerate Northern Land Council, approach to her work, and her passionate and with Yindjibarndi commitment to the Robe River Kuruma community. Aboriginal Corporation as We wish Josie all the best for the future. their Conservation Biodiversity Manager. Welcome to new staff Ostiane is eXcited to be working with the RRK Daniel Roy – Project members and developing projects within the Heritage Officer, Youth Development team. and Partnerships Ostiane can be reached at [email protected] Daniel is a Wiradjuri man, or on 9185 5005. who has recently moved to Gabby Raetz – Secondee from National Indigenous Karratha from Perth to join Australians Agency (formerly Prime Minister and the Members Services Cabinet) PBC Policy Unit Team as our new Project In her current role at NIAA, Gabby focuses on Officer – Youth developing and refining the policy for PBC-related Development. Daniel’s native title reforms which were introduced into the exciting new role within the Corporation will be Parliament in November last year, focusing on supporting our young people, our Youth Council and changes to the Native Title (Prescribed Bodies their initiatives including the development of the Corporate) Regulations. It will be a fantastic Pilbara Aboriginal Youth Council. We have been opportunity to have Gabby in the RRKAC team for the fortunate to receive some eXternal funding to support next three months to develop a mutually beneficial these initiatives, and Daniel will be working with our relationship between our two organisations, and for Member Services and Operations Manager on Gabby to gain an understanding of the on-the-ground securing further funding to support this fantastic work. operations and daily compliance obligations, Daniel comes from an eXtensive background in youth community support, heritage obligations and strategic work, employment and education, having worked program development that happens within RRKAC! across Aboriginal communities and local councils in Gabby can be reached at [email protected] or on the Northern Territory and Western Australia, 9185 5005. developing and implementing youth programs, services and events. Daniel is currently a Board Intern and casual pool update Director of the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia and is studying Youth Work and Psychology Community within the corporation is key. at University. • We currently have five Aboriginal employees / Daniel is very eXcited to be working at RRKAC, and is three are RRK community members (this looking forward to collaborating with the Robe River includes two heritage roles for which Kuruma and Pilbara community. recruitment is currently being finalised). You can reach Daniel at [email protected] or on • We have placed a strong emphasis on 9185 5005 building the RRKAC Casual Pool of Ostiane Massiani – Senior Heritage Project Officer Employees with 10 office casuals in the last financial year. These roles provide the Ostiane joined the RRKAC team this September as opportunity for community members to the Heritage teams Senior Project Officer. Ostiane undertake flexible work hours within the office has lived and worked in the Pilbara for a number of 3 Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation – October 2019 Newsletter to get a better understanding of how the The Local Implementation Committee is as corporation works, and identify possible future follows; job pathways.