Media Releases

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced major shared funding to the tune of $1,436,808 for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) in the Loddon Mallee region, including Echuca’s Njernda Aboriginal Co-operative.

Mr Weller said the funds will directly benefit vulnerable Aboriginal children and their families in the Rodney Electorate who will now receive better care and support through this recent allocation - to be shared with 17 other ACCOs across the state.

“Njernda already provides family services, out-of-home care and placement prevention programs and this additional funding will now allow the service to provide therapeutic out-of-home care for Aboriginal children who have been abused or neglected as well as support for young Aboriginal people transitioning from state care to independent living,” Mr Weller said.

“Previously young people who needed this type of support could only access help via mainstream services and this new approach provides greater choice for young Aboriginal people in times of great need,” Mr Weller said.

Mr Weller said that Aboriginal children and young people are consistently and significantly over-represented in the Victorian child protection system and it is hoped this new high-quality, responsive and culturally appropriate care can make a significant difference to help break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage.

“By providing direct, specific funding and capacity building support to groups such as Njernda, we recognise that strong and vibrant Aboriginal service providers are a crucial part of our system and help us to best meet the needs of young people who need our support,” Mr Weller said.

 

Mirrimbeena Aboriginal Education Group has received State Government funding of $47,120 to re-engage community members with learning, Member for Rodney Paul Weller announced today.

The group is one of 80 Learn Local organisations across Victoria to receive grants totalling $3.78 million, provided through Round 2 of the State Government’s Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board Capacity and Innovation Fund 2011.

Mr Weller said the funding would assist Mirrimbeena Aboriginal Education Group to take learning to people who were currently connected to other non-educational organisations, both indigenous and non-indigenous.

“The project is aimed at people who have had little or no assistance from the education system in identifying early learning problems,” he said.

“Through the project a strategy for profiling learners’ level of education will be developed that will provide a solid base to better align their learning ability.

“With this information relevant learning methods will be introduced to re-engage participants with learning.”

Mr Weller said the Capacity and Innovation Fund aimed to encourage innovation within adult education and to support a sector of the Victorian education system that already performed vital work in supporting adult learners.

He said the grants would help adult community education Learn Local organisations to expand their services, improve efficiency, offer new courses and increase the participation and attainment of learners.

Nationals MP Paul Weller has encouraged Aboriginal community organisations to apply for funding from the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Program.

The funding will provide much-needed infrastructure upgrades for facilities which provide services and programs to Aboriginal Victorians.

Three categories of funding will be available from the program, including small projects less
than $50,000, large projects in excess of $50,000 and emergency projects.

“The Victorian Coalition Government is committed to closing the gap on Indigenous
disadvantage and improving community assets is part of that process,” Mr Weller said.

“Access to appropriate infrastructure is fundamental to the effective operation of Aboriginal
community organisations, which deliver key services and programs to the Aboriginal
community.”

Mr Weller said there were many indigenous community infrastructure projects in the Rodney electorate which could benefit from funding through the program.

He encouraged indigenous community groups and cooperatives in north central Victoria to consider submitting a grant application.

“Aboriginal community organisations which deliver culturally-responsive and effective
community-based services help build stronger, more resilient Aboriginal communities,” Mr Weller said.

“Priority will be given to applications which propose matched or shared funding and
demonstrate ongoing benefits to Aboriginal communities.”

The program has previously helped fund works to more than 90 properties across Victoria for
use by Aboriginal community organisations over the past 20 years.

Applications opened on 29 August and will close on 30 September 2011. Assessment of
applications will occur in late October 2011.

For more information about the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Program please visit
www.dpcd.vic.gov or phone Mr Weller’s electorate office on 5482 2039.

The mysteries, triumphs, hardships and legends that make up the history of the Yorta Yorta tribes in North Central Victoria will live longer and reach more locals thanks to the Victorian Coalition Government’s Local History Grants program.

Echuca’s Mirrimbeena Aboriginal Education Group Inc has received a $9000 grant from the Coalition Government to research and document the historical connections, happenings and events of the Yorta Yorta tribes and produce a book depicting this history.

Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller was thrilled by news of the grant.

Mr Weller said the grant recognised the contribution of Mirrimbeena Aboriginal Education Group in conserving and explaining the historical narration of the Yorta Yorta tribes in North Central Victoria, to both locals and visitors.

“It is wonderful acknowledgment of the important historical and educational work Mirrimbeena carries out in our community,” he said.

“The grant will assist them to preserve and share the past for current and future generations.”

Premier and Minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu said the projects funded by the Local History Grants Program reflected the wealth of stories that chronicle the rich and diverse history of a great state.

“These grants will ensure the many amazing stories of our past are preserved and shared with the community,” Mr Baillieu said.

“Discovering our history can help us to learn from the past and guide our future as a community, which is why the Coalition Government provided $1.66 million over four years in the 2011-12 Victorian Budget to continue the Local History Grants program and the Victorian Community History Award.”

The Local History Grants program is managed by the Public Record Office Victoria.

A proposal to establish an educational facility at the Baroona Healing Centre site in Echuca has been supported by Member for Rodney Paul Weller.

Mr Weller praised the project in State Parliament last week and sought the endorsement of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jeanette Powell.

He said the proposed education facility would be utilised to engage and educate participants at Baroona as well as other youth who are disengaged from conventional schooling options.

“This exciting proposal is the initiative of the Njernda Aboriginal Cooperative and Echuca Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group,” Mr Weller told Parliament.

“These groups are deeply concerned about the problems facing some members of their community, particularly adolescent boys and young men, who have fallen out of the education system.

“They have been working together to come up with a plan to address the issue and I commend them for their proactivity.

“It is envisaged that this proposed facility will play a major role in assisting to break the cycle of recidivism of clients returning to rehabilitation, youth training centres or prison by providing them with a real opportunity to gain meaningful employment, self satisfaction and meaning in life.”

Mr Weller said the Baroona Healing Centre was a drug and alcohol rehabilitation and healing facility for koori males aged between 14-25 years, most of whom were predominantly youth training referrals.

He said clients at Baroona, and other disengaged youth would be able to attend the proposed education facility five days a week for a period of three hours each day.

“The project has been costed at $102,500 which includes a modular classroom, underground power, work desks, chairs, computers and reverse cycle air conditioning and heating.

“If the project was to go ahead, the Bendigo TAFE Echuca campus would provide the educational training which would be suited to individual needs and would incorporate culturally specific learning.”

Mr Weller asked Minister Powell to consider the proposal’s merits and to advise of the best way of progressing the project and the application for funds.

Minister Powell agreed the project was worthy of further exploration and has arranged for the department’s regional team in the Loddon Mallee region to assist in facilitating a discussion to explore funding possibilities with a number of stakeholders.