Warning: Images of deceased persons may appear | See the Yuwaalaraay / Gamilaraay pronunciation guide here
ACCO Leadership & Capability
We have published two research and policy papers to assist public servants in meeting their Closing the Gap commitments in working with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations:
DEG made a submission 6 October 2023 to provide information to the Productivity Commission Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap Draft Report. It provided advice from our work in our Yuwaya Ngarrali partnership with UNSW to Close the Gap.
DEG has always wanted to understand the quantum of government investment into service delivery and infrastructure for the Walgett Aboriginal community, so that we can evaluate from the community perspective, the value and effectiveness of that investment.
DEG was shocked to learn from the ABC in early July that the Walgett Shire Council had resolved to "decommission the Walgett pool". We swung into action along with WAMS, the Walgett swimming club and the town's swimming community.
DEG holds an ex-officio position on the management committee of the Lightning Ridge Opal Mining Reserve. We are working to ensure that the Aboriginal cultural (including environmental) values
At the core of our work is supporting Elders' wellbeing and their work for managing Walgett's Aboriginal cultural values, natural resources and community development. It's about "Ageing Well" and DEG believes its model for
DEG travels twice a year to meet with the other members of ACHAA NSW. DEG is a founding member of ACHAA which is the peak body for NSW Aboriginal-controlled cultural and knowledge centres like ours. In May 2023 an ACHAA gathering was held at Corindi Beach in Gumbaynggiirr Country. Our gathering was hosted by Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre
DEG is represented at the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations by its peak body - Aboriginal Culture, Heritage and Arts Association of NSW,
One of the objectives identified in the Action Plan for Children and Young People is to build awareness in the Walgett community and with those we work with
In June the Acting General Manager of Walgett Shire Council, Hugh Percy, accepted DEG's invitation to morning tea. It had been many years since he had first met DEG as the Council's Administrator. DEG expressed its concern about the need for good facilities
Since 2020, the building and centring of Aboriginal community capabilities and control in Yuwaya Ngarrali’s work has been a key enabler of all other areas as well as an area of significant achievement in itself. During the 2020-2023 period evaluated here important DEG-led efforts resulted in 32 outcomes relating to ACCO capability and control, with a further 51 outcomes associated with community-led emergency response and community troubleshooting. Walgett Elders and community voices have been prominent in national media stories on topics as varied the government’s response to COVID, food and water security, floodplain harvesting and homelessness. DEG and YN’s agenda-setting on food and water security in particular has led to Ministerial visits to Walgett and commitments to long-term solutions to safe drinking water that is having systemic impact. Within our team we have embedded important learning about how to recruit, develop and retain Aboriginal staff members that provide a model that could be shared. And we are developing an ACCO capability unit that could provide an innovative model enabling ACCOs to flourish and lead change in communities across NSW nationally, thereby contributing significant progress in Closing the Gap targets and self-determination.