Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility
Sustainability
NTSCORP takes its approach to the issue of climate change seriously. To ensure that the company is proactive, NTSCORP changed the name and expanded the activities of the OH&S Committee to Safety, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Committee (“the committee”) to take on the responsibilities of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
The committee works with the company to promote sustainable practices and reduce the ecological footprint of the company. The committee is made up of directors, executive members and staff.
The committee endeavors to raise staff members awareness about environmental sustainability and to promote sustainable practices both in house and in the community.
In early 2010 NTSCORP will be moving into new premises and the committee will be looking at ways to ensure that the company is keeping toward sustainable practices not only during this time but into the future by incorporating green design practices and operations.
Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships
NTSCORP has entered into discussions with Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships (IEP) about working collaboratively to engage corporate Australia with Indigenous organisations in Sydney’s Redfern-Waterloo area.
IEP currently operates in Cape York and the Goulburn/Murray district of Victoria. The organisation facilitates partnerships between corporate and Indigenous groups that work together to promote economic and social development, focusing on long-term, sustainable impacts that would help break the cycle of welfare dependency among Indigenous communities.
This is an exciting initiative for NTSCORP as the IEP model has received outstanding recognition in “The Business Guide to partnering with NGOs and the United Nations”, the first global effort to recommend business partnership NGOs.
NAIDOC
NAIDOC Week has grown into a wide-ranging celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Held from 5-12 July, the theme for NAIDOC 2009 is “Honouring our Elders, Nurturing our Youth”. The theme reflects the important contribution of Elders to community life and their valuable mentoring role.
NAIDOC Week extends well beyond Indigenous communities and provides a positive
forum for First Australians and non-Indigenous Australians to join in activities together. NTSCORP actively supports and participates in NAIDOC events, particularly in Sydney and the Hunter Valley.
NTSCORP will join the celebrations of the Youloe-ta Indigenous Development Association in Newcastle on 6 July. The NTSCORP team will hold an information stall for people to find out about native title. A children’s painting competition will also be held with the top three paintings being awarded $50 ABC Bookstore vouchers.
On 9 July NTSCORP and Sydney City Council will run a public weaving workshop with “the Gerringong Weavers” of Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art & Culture Studio at the Redfern Community Centre. In addition, NTSCORP historian, Mr Michael Bennett, will give a talk about native title.
National NAIDOC Poster Competition
In April, Luke Mallie, an artist from Mackay in north Queensland, was announced as the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC Poster Competition for 2009. Luke said his artwork, which uses water colour, acrylic and ink on paper, “represents the elders teaching and keeping watch over their young as they learn and grow into adults to then carry on the culture”.
Indigenous Football Festival
NTSCORP CEO, Mr Warren Mundine, was proud to be a ‘football tragic’ and one of Football Federation Australia’s (FFA’s) Indigenous Ambassadors at the launch of the Indigenous Football Development Program by Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Football Federation Australia (FFA) in February.
The centerpiece of the program launched at the Telstra Dome is the Indigenous Football Festival to be held in Townsville in July and involving around 180 Indigenous children aged between 13 and 16. Drawn from regions all across Australia, the 8 boys’ teams and 4 girls’ teams will enjoy a week of competition, coaching clinics and cultural workshops.
In an editorial for the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Mundine said “As an ambassador. I have had the privilege and great pleasure of working closely with communities all across Australia to bring together these wonderfully talented Indigenous teenagers. Attending ‘participation days’, where kids from all around the district came together to form the festival teams was very inspiring.”
Mr Mundine said the enthusiasm of the players, their families and their local communities validates his dream that something much bigger can be achieved.
“As they say, ’from little things big things grow’, and football has enormous capacity to positively affect Indigenous youth and their local communities,” Mr Mundine said.
The goal is to increase Indigenous participation in Australian football - at least 5% of players in both the men’s and women’s national teams and major competitions to be of Indigenous descent within 10 years.
Mr Mundine said that while there is a tradition of strong Indigenous representation at the highest level of AFL and rugby in Australia, this has not yet been reflected in football.
“According to the AFL, one in 10 players in the 2008 season had Indigenous heritage. In rugby, Indigenous representation tends to hover around 11%. Indigenous people have a lot to offer football. Our strong presence in AFL and rugby speaks volumes about the skill of Indigenous athletes and their positive contribution to successful sporting teams,” Mr Mundine said.
He said sport in general, and football in particular, has great ability to strengthen Indigenous communities. Like the successful AFL programs, football can be used to encourage children to stay in school and reinforce healthy lifestyle messages.
“I join the many voices that espouse the extraordinary positive power sport can have, an influence that stretches well beyond the sports field. In my personal and professional life, I continue to be inspired by the achievements of athletes such as John Moriarty, the first Indigenous player selected for the Socceroos, Harry Williams, a World Cup Socceroo and legendary footballer Charles Perkins.
“Football, ‘the world game’ is an excellent sport to encourage in Indigenous communities,” Mr Mundine said.
Aurora Internships
NTSCORP is pleased to report the ongoing success of its participation in the Aurora project, which facilitates the professional development of Indigenous students currently studying law, anthropology, research, management, education and other disciplines.
NTSCORP takes on voluntary interns and provides them with on the job experience opportunities in native title matters associated with their respective field. The organisation continues to encourage students to apply for an intership with NTSCORP.
