Closing the Gap Roundtable highlights Aboriginal Leadership and Employment

Aboriginal NGO leaders, stakeholders and government decision-makers gathered at the Redfern community centre to exchange feedback and ideas on Closing the Gap priority reforms and targets. 

The event included two robust panel discussions, a keynote address from the Co-Chair of the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations, Robert Skeen and was opened by Yvonne Weldon from the Metro Local Aboriginal Land Council. 

Yilabara Solutions CEO Matthew Clarke was one of the panellists invited to join the discussion on supporting Aboriginal Employment and leadership in the sector. He spoke with Nada Nasser, and Dale Towns from Mission Australia about the work Yilabara Solutions and Mission Australia are doing together on engaging and supporting Aboriginal leadership and staff and the importance of Cultural safety, cultural development, and leadership. 

Matthew said, “It was important for us to also talk about the challenges of the industry in addressing Aboriginal employment and how the solution needs to be underpinned by strong Aboriginal community and sector engagement. “

In attendance was the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC said the roundtable would provide an opportunity to work closely with key organisations and get important feedback to make change. ” 

“This important roundtable will bring social sector organisations together to discuss opportunities and challenges to further support Aboriginal community-run organisations, improve service delivery for Aboriginal people in NSW and expand Aboriginal employment opportunities within the sector,” Mr Franklin said. 

Hosting regular roundtables with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business owners, organisations and those providing services to communities is one of the NSW Government’s 2021-22 Closing the Gap commitments.