Highly commended – Girringun Aboriginal Corporation

Girringun Aboriginal Corporation cares for over one million hectares of land and sea on behalf of nine Traditional Owner groups in North Queensland. Girringun’s trailblazing success is driven by the Elder’s desire to keep country, people and culture strong. Their work involves a well-established arts centre, ranger program, native plant nursery and Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMBRA) program. Girringun is widely recognised for its outstanding stewardship of the land and sea rights of its members and its tireless negotiation of Australia’s first co-managed Indigenous Protected Area. They are a well-respected leader in the community and ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate in key decisions affecting their collective future. Girringun’s excellent reputation was recognised when a freehold landowner granted a conservation area to the organisation to be cared for by Traditional Owners

Finalist – Institute for Urban Indigenous Health

The Brisbane-based Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) is striving to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in South East Queensland through a regional, evidence-based approach. Only in its fifth year of operation, the Institute is achieving significant results. Last year, their services attracted 6,000 new patients, preventative health checks increased by an incredible 1,300 per cent and their key programs Work it Out and Deadly Choices enabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Institute’s unique governance model has brought together four independent Aboriginal Health Services to empower communities. The Institute uses data and evidence to target the delivery of health services to the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in South East Queensland. This approach is rapidly showing an improvement to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the area

Finalist – Ngnowar Aerwah Aboriginal Corporation

For almost three decades, Ngnowar Aerwah Aboriginal Corporation has delivered crucial drug and alcohol services to the community in Western Australia’s remote east Kimberley region. The organisation is working to strengthen cultural and family ties amongst its clients and community and provides everything from mental health and cultural workshops to music appreciation and pregnancy classes. Growing from a small tin-shed to a pillar of the community, Ngnowar Aerwah serves thousands of people and has helped to achieve a 35 per cent decrease in domestic violence in the community. Ngnowar Aerwah is supporting its community to thrive—delivering crucial services, employing passionate people and contributing to the wellbeing of the community

Finalist – Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency

The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is the oldest Aboriginal child and family welfare organisation in Victoria—and for 38 years has protected and promoted the rights of Aboriginal children, young people, families and communities. The organisation provides crucial services to reinforce Aboriginal culture, encourage best parenting practices and advise government. VACCA has a long history of achievements for the Victorian Aboriginal community. It successfully lobbied for changes to Victoria’s child protection laws and for the inclusion of special provisions based on the right of Aboriginal people to self-determination and self-management in the state’s family law. VACCA is strengthening the safety, wellbeing and cultural connectedness of Aboriginal children, young people, families and communities