Viaella Aldridge looks after the Southern Queensland region from the Brisbane office. Here, she shares some reflections on the value of training, as a facilitator and as a delegate to a conference.
Viaella Aldridge, regional officer and Northern Kaanju woman
Along with providing ongoing governance support, Viaella delivered training to a number of corporations in the South Queensland region, and assisted with delivery in neighbouring regions. Some of the feedback that has stayed with her is from a director who said that although they have undertaken training in the past, further training acts as a good refresher and provides an opportunity to clarify matters, and share knowledge and experience with others.
As an attendee at the 2017 National Native Title Conference, Viaella deepened her understanding of the challenges and opportunities for RNTBCs. Later, while helping to facilitate training in the Torres Strait, she was able to apply her new knowledge, to help a corporation to develop an appropriate governance framework.
RNTBCs in the Torres Strait and on the mainland face similar challenges, which are often compounded by remoteness and the complexities of cultural protocols and considerations. While governance training may not eliminate these challenges, it does raise directors’ awareness of their legal obligations and affirm that directors need to be both consistent and transparent when making decisions for the corporation.
Directors identified another benefit of governance training: it highlights the need to regularly review the rule book to ensure it stays relevant and continues to meet the needs of the members.