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. Important DEG-led efforts have 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 level 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 embedded elsewhere. And we are developing a new ACCO capability unit that could provide an innovative model enabling ACCOs to flourish and lead change in communities across NSW nationally that could enable significant progress in Closing the Gap targets and self-determination.

Hugh Percy - Walgett Council's Acting General Manager meets DEG
Hugh Percy - Walgett Council's Acting General Manager meets DEG

DEG is represented at the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations by its peak body - Aboriginal Culture, Heritage and Arts Association of NSW,

of which it is a founding member.  ACHAA regularly updates its members on discussions and committees and is working hard to obtain funds to support a policy officer to contribute to the four Priority Reforms of Closing the Gap which many committees have formed to progress - before the CEO becomes exhausted with the huge expansion of his workload. The Priority Reforms were negotiated by national representatives of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the National Cabinet (previously COAG).

DEG has participated in Dubbo and Walgett feedback workshops with NSW CAPO, and has been invited, along with our UNSW Yuwaya Ngarrali colleagues, to contribute to the work of the different working groups. Yuwaya Ngarrali is working on a submission to the current Productivity Commission Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap - so stay tuned for that!