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Regional reportsCentral Queensland
An awareness session about the Anti-Discrimination Act was also held at the Woorabinda Aboriginal community. While numbers were small, the session was well received, and the office is planning to conduct Tracking Your Rights sessions in Woorabinda in the near future. Conciliator and past Regional Manager Denise Flanagan retired after a long career serving central Queensland as a solicitor, then a public servant with the ADCQ. Rockhampton office has a new Regional Manager. Julie Davies started the new year with a new career, having worked previously as a political scientist and an environmental scientist. Her background in legislative development and public service management and her life-long volunteer work with disadvantaged groups gave her the skills needed for the diverse job of managing an ADCQ regional office. But it was her recent fiftieth birthday that gave her the motivation to make the career change so that she could make a real difference to the community in her last decade of paid employment. She is already enjoying both the challenges and rewards of working with the ADCQ. Julie Davies, regionalmanager Central Queensland Far North QueenslandOne of the highlights to close the year for 2006 was a visit to Thursday Island. Commissioner Susan Booth, the Regional Manager and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultant to the Commission held a very successful public meeting and several smaller meetings, to hear from community members and to introduce the Commission and the legislation it administers. Over recent months the region has been able to respond to requests for training in several of the more isolated workplaces in the region. Staff have provided sessions to more than one hundred employees in two centres in the mining industry. Feedback from trainees, managers and organisers of the training has been overwhelmingly positive, with a commitment to continue with follow up sessions. Several visits have been made to outlying centres such as Ravenshoe and Mt Garnet. The visits have been beneficial to the ongoing focus in the region of meeting with community members and organisations. In December the Regional Manager contributed to a one day workshop hosted by Disability Services Queensland. The workshop was well attended with more than one hundred participants actively discussing and identifying what could be achieved in the sector for 2007. Ideas and issues were presented at a series of facilitated discussion tables culminating in an evaluation document that “prioritised” the “priorities” for 2007. Complaint handling continues to be a strong focus for the region. 74% of the complaints lodged for the year to date have been settled at the conciliation conference. North QueenslandThe Townsville office hosted the HREOC (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) National Enquiry into Discrimination Against People in Same-Sex Relationships in October. Thirty attendees from across the region including Cairns told their stories of discrimination, which included non-recognition of parental and couple benefits. Townsville was the only centre visited outside Brisbane due to the activism of the local LGBTI network. We welcome Lorelei Billing who has been employed as a Cadet under the National Indigenous Cadetship Project. She is a law student at James Cook University and is busy learning about all aspects of the Commission including administration, conciliations and training. Lorelei has been visiting local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. Indigenous radio station 4KIG interviewed Lorelei during one of the Commission’s weekly spots on discrimination featuring the Regional Manager, Royalie Walters. Topics covered included discrimination, the Commission’s processes and conciliation. NAIDOC Week was recognised by Townsville staff who participated in the march and held an information stall at Central Park. As well as dancers and performers, a talent competition was held. Achievements within the community were recognised with awards. Annual training will be held in the Townsville office from 23 to 27 July 2007. Contact the Townsville office on 1300 130 670 to register for the northern region’s courses. |
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