2012 Queensland Reconciliation Awards winners and photo gallery
Business Award
Proudly supported by Indigenous Business Australia
Winner
Social Responsibility
Islanders Board of Industry and Service
Outside of government departments, the Islanders Board of Industry and Service (IBIS) is the main provider of food supplies and employment in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula. IBIS’s Social Responsibility project incorporates partnerships with many organisations and community groups to improve standards and opportunities throughout the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula.
The project has been in existence for approximately two years and has directly improved the quality of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in these communities through training and employment, healthier food supply options, and the provision of a ‘cleaner and greener’ community environment.
Highly commended
Thiess Indigenous Pre-employment Program
Thiess Pty Ltd
Thiess developed the Thiess Indigenous Pre-employment Program in 2010 to create and deliver real opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by providing training and employment prospects.
The program has a 100 per cent completion rate, creating an industry benchmark for achievement and helping Thiess meet its target of engaging 25 per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander apprentices by 2015.
Education Award
Proudly supported by Leighton Contractors
Winner
Reconciliation Action Plan
Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE
The Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE was the first Queensland TAFE to implement a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Its goal is to provide real, rewarding and relevant training and education to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve equality in all aspects of life. The RAP drives the institute’s commitment to innovative training delivery and initiatives, student support, client relationships, and community networks and strategies.
Highly commended
Indigenous Education Program
St Joseph's Nudgee College
Nudgee College has a long and proud history of catering for the educational needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Their approach to this endeavour was formalised in 1993 with the establishment of the Indigenous Education Program, the Indigenous Student Support Team and associated programs.
Since 1993, more than 430 Indigenous students have benefited from a quality education at the college, which enjoys 92 per cent retention and completion rate for Indigenous students, one of the highest in Australia. A key outcome of the Indigenous Education Program has been the acknowledgement and acceptance of Indigenous cultures and traditions not only within the school environment of Nudgee College but throughout the broader community.
Community Organisation Award
Winner
Mungalla Aboriginal Business Corporation
The Mungalla Aboriginal Business Corporation has been operating for 11 years in the areas of cattle enterprise, tourism, land management, and training and education. Mungalla offers cultural and historic tours, emphasising how people can coexist in the spirit of reconciliation and harmony through the amazing history of the first settlers on Mungalla Station and the Nywaigi people.
The tourism and education factor of the powerful pioneering history of Mungalla, paired with an understanding of the country and a focus on education to improve relationships, both within the region and beyond, is a powerful symbol of true reconciliation.
Highly commended
Cowboys Learn Earn Legend!
Cowboys Rugby League Football Ltd
The Cowboys Learn Earn Legend! program was developed in 2011 in response to an analysis of data on Indigenous youth unemployment in Queensland, that showed 40 per cent of 2009’s Indigenous Year 12 graduates were not in full time employment or engaged in further education one year after finishing school.
The program aims to provide Indigenous students enrolled in years 11 and 12 at participating north Queensland schools with the support they need to complete their secondary education and move into further study, training or employment, thus securing brighter employment prospects.
Partnerships Award
Winner
Shipton's Flat Partnership Project - Bana Yarralji Ranger Base
The Centre for Appropriate Technology, Engineers Without Borders Australia, Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc and Aurecon
For the past four years, the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Engineers Without Borders Australia have been working together to develop and implement a partnership model to assist the linkage between the corporate engineering world and on-the-ground Indigenous organisations to build sustainable livelihoods.
The Shipton’s Flat Partnership Project brought together Aboriginal enterprise Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc with extensive pro bono support from global engineering corporation Aurecon to build an Aboriginal ranger base and associated essential services on Kuku Nyungkal Country.
Highly commended
Stolen
Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts and Link-Up (Qld) Aboriginal Corporation
The production of Stolen, written by Jane Harrison and directed by Leah Purcell, was the result of nearly six months collaboration between the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) and Link-Up. The project involved research, sharing of stories, exploration of family histories, intensive production development and rehearsal, leading to a five day public season of eight performances, with the generous support of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Stolen is the first of a series of collaborations between two unique organisations that share opposite ends of the reconciliation process – ACPA developing the next generation of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing artists, and Link-Up supporting and promoting the healing of generations carrying the stories of the past.
