SPEECH BY NSWALC CHAIRPERSON BEV MANTON
LAUNCH OF THE PILOT STUDENT INTERSHIP PROGRAM

TRANBY ABORIGINAL COLLEGE, GLEBE NSW
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2009

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First, as is our custom, I want to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the land, the Gadigal people, on whose land we stand today.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Brothers and sisters.

I am particularly pleased to be able to speak at today's joint launch of the pilot Aboriginal Student Internship Program.

It is the culmination of NSWALC's long-held plans - and the realisation of one of the recommendations from the recent State Conference of Land Councils - that NSWALC do more to encourage young, professional Aboriginal people to work within the land rights network.

It wouldn't have been possible without the wholehearted support of our inaugural partners - the University of Western Sydney.

On behalf of the land rights network,  we thank you.

It is vital that we attract the brightest of the bright.

It is vital we promote the value of working with our network.

This initiative can be said to be a logical extension of our two-year-old, $30 million Educational Endowment Program  which has already helped more than 230 Aboriginal students throughout the State.

Education is one of the cornerstones that will underpin the future for Aboriginal Australians.

There is no doubt that those of our people with tertiary qualifications will be chased.

Will have considerable opportunities.

This makes it up to us to  be one step ahead of the opposition in planning to attract them to work for us.

This program with appropriate mentoring support is our response to make sure we attract this type of young person to work for us.

It may at this stage only be a pilot program benefiting between two and four students, but the clear intent, after appropriate anaylsis, is that it can be expanded - and expanded quite rapidly.

Our members have made it clear there is a need to attract the best talent possible - in particular black talent.

We can offer many rewards.

To Jamie Lee and Danielle, congratulations on being the first on Board.

It is our wish, as I am sure it is yours, that you feel you have clearly benefitted from being part of this innovative initiative.

My thanks also to the University of Western Sydney for readily grasping the benefits of the initiatives and becoming our inaugural partners.

"I can promise you Jamie and Danielle that you will working for short stints in a wide-range of policy and issues related areas of NSWALC that will help you in such areas as policy and research, land management, social services and social services.

We want you to work with us.

Better still, when you have finished your respective degrees, who might seek to work with us full-time and permanently.

That would be a magnificent end result.

A result we hope we might be able to encourage much more widely if the scheme spreads, as we hope, to other universities.

For all concerned it is a win-win situation.

Welcome to NSWALC.

Welcome to the land rights network.

Thank you.