First general meeting held!
Members of the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation cultural advice committee.
The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation’s first General Meeting was a success, held in Northam, on Saturday 18 June 2022.
After a Welcome to Country from Deborah Moody, the meeting was chaired by Kevin Fitzgerald and facilitated by Bill Bennell.
The first Cultural Advice Committee (CAC) for the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation was elected by private ballot, with twelve successful candidates. The cultural advice committee is made up of Elders who consider matters relevant to culture and make decisions to promote and protect cultural interests of the Ballardong Noongar region. Find out more about the CAC at https://ballardong.org.au/governance-structure
The female members of the cultural advice committee are: Kathleen Mary Davis, Shirley Ruby Harris, Deborah Moody, Geraldine Metcalf Blurton, Marie Pryor and Muriel Pearl Collard.
The male members of the cultural advice committee are: Farley Garlett, Desmond Blurton, Roger Turvey, Murray Jones, Jarrod Hayden, Faron Winwood.
The outgoing initial directors – Barbara Bynder, David Collard, Kevin Fitzgerald and Murray Yarran – were thanked for their hard work in setting up the corporation, and were each given a gift in appreciation.
The first elected directors – Kevin Fitzgerald, Norman Pickett, Michael Blurton and Murray Yarran – took up their roles at the closing of the meeting and are now busy exploring how the corporation will operate. This will include selecting expert directors, appointing a CEO, hiring staff and finding a suitable office location within the Ballardong region.
In his report as interim committee chairperson, Kevin Fitzgerald celebrated the exciting and historic occasion, and updated members on the journey so far.
Kevin informed members that the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation was registered with ORIC on 21 October 2021. All the necessary registrations to get charitable status, register the corporation name, and get an ABN have been completed.
The corporation also held two membership meetings and approximately 10 initial director meetings.
“We now have 923 members, which is an incredible achievement,” Kevin said.
“Thank you so much to every one of you who have joined us. The more members we have the more effective we will be in our efforts to build our a strong, sustainable, united Noongar Nation.
“The Southwest Native Title Settlement is a momentous part of our long history as Noongar people. As we all know, it has taken us many, many years for us to get to this point.
“It has taken our past Elders many more years, and some of them were not able to see this day. So, we honour them by continuing their work, to protect and respect our corporation and its potential.
“Now that regional corporations are ready to start work, we will start seeing the results of all of that time and effort.”
L-R: Kevin Fitzgerald, Murray Yarran and Norman Pickett.