WHEN Annette Steele began as the CEO at the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council in 2010, the group had an annual income of $130,000. Now six years later that income has grown to $3 million dollars and has earned her a place in the finalists in the 2016 REX Airlines regional woman of the year awards.
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Nominated by the board at the Lands Council, Ms Steele was initially reluctant to enter.
“After they submitted the nomination they sent me a questionnaire that they wanted me to fill out so I did it, then they wanted me to write up a bio so I put it off, and off, but eventually we did it and on Tuesday night they told me I was a finalist,” she said.
Not only has the income increased for the group, employment levels within it, and the wider community have also soared.
“When I began here in 2010 there was just me and one admin staff. Now we have 33 staff, 26 of those are Aboriginal and that means that there are 33 families that have at least one parent that is working. The ripple effects from those people working go out across the whole community. There are kids seeing their parents working and that sends a really positive message out that they can be whatever they want to be.”
The $3 million in funding comes from tripartite partnerships with Broken Hill Land Council and Deniliquin Land Council to conduct the Ability Links Program for Aboriginal communities funded through Aging Disability and Home Care Services. Ms Steele was also successful in securing the tender for Going Home Staying Home package for adults and families, funded by Family and Community Services.
“We also run a biodiversity program where we revegetate areas like the land that Orange council bought for the pipeline, and also for Cadia Valley. Last year our wages bill was $1.25 million. That’s a lot of money for a small group to bring into the community.”
Ms Steele said that employment was her greatest passion.
“Employment assists with a lot of issues, if you’re employed and financially a bit secure, other things are solvable. If you’re in that poverty cycle, housing, health, education social inclusion, it affects everything that you do.”
The award is judged via public voting online and the winner will be announced on March 9.
