TDC Update
Our Mission at TDC is to develop all commercial opportunities on behalf of the clan members throughout the Region to advance our key aims of providing local jobs for local people and, in the long term, ensuring every child has a chance of a full life.
CEO Chat with Scott McIntyre
This past two weeks has been dominated by COVID activity, as the fight to keep the virus out of Wadeye continues.
The Darwin office has had 9 people thrown into isolation and those left on deck have bene running around like chooks without heads trying to help local people get back into community. Limited access to tests and the logistics of rounding people up to attend testing clinics has been all consuming.
Staff in community have experienced similar issues, taking people in to get tested and no tests available and the confusion of those returning, unable to get the tests they need to meet the CHO directions.
We have highlighted these issues with the relevant Minister and Local Member and hope to see some changes in the coming week.
For many of our team, there have been some feelings of frustration as our jobs seem to be managing COVID rather than progressing our real jobs in community development.
Please try not to feel frustrated, and support those who are struggling where you can, particularly if we see distressed behavior.
We know that everyone is doing their best under difficult circumstances, and our job right now is to try and keep COVID out of community as we prepare for the inevitable. We are working with other agencies to look at isolation capacity in community, mobile health records for people who are evacuated quickly, and the team are working on COVID sanitization packs and training people in additional hygiene. Every week we can keep COVID out means we are all doing a good job at that!
Ranger Capability Building
The Ranger Team have been successful in securing a small grant to build on the existing capability of Indigenous Rangers who undertake biosecurity work in northern Australia.
The activities under this grant will support Rangers to have the necessary training and equipment to undertake biosecurity activities for the Department.
This will potentially enable them to expand the scope and complexity of activities they can undertake in the future, thereby potentially enabling groups to increase their biosecurity fee-for-service income.
The intended outcomes of the grant activity are:
-increased capacity of Indigenous Rangers to undertake current and future biosecurity fee-for-service activities for the Department
-increased skills and capability of Indigenous Rangers to enhance their career pathways
-improved work health and safety of the work undertaken by Indigenous Rangers in remote areas.
The grant will be used for purchasing equipment like iPad, computers and a camera.
Thank you to Mahala Balmer and An Nguyen for their efforts in getting this investment into our Ranger activities.
Farewell Joe Tusler
Joe Tusler has announced that he is leaving TDC and the community of Wadeye for a six months break, and will spend some of this time looking at Men’s Sheds around Australia.
Joe has been instrumental in driving the art and art sales in Wadeye , creating exposure opportunities in Darwin and around Australia for Wadeye artists. Mural at Catholic Care Wadeye
Joe has been proactive in publishing local art on Instagram and Facebook and promoting mental health and well being activities in the community, as well as mentoring artists and employees in this space.
While we are sad to see Joe leave, we hope he gets the well-deserved break he needs, having had very little time away since starting in his role in 2018. We wish him all the best and hope to see him back in the future.
Fighting Parasites in Wadeye
Lea Brady sent through this awesome story, posted by Animal Management in Rural and Remote Ingenious Communities (AMRRIC).
AMRRIC worked closely with the TDC Healthy Homes team and supported by West Daly Regional Council. The 4-day visit saw the team set up for surgical desexing procedures in the special vet room that TDC, in collaboration with AMRRIC, have designed for veterinary visits to the community.
Working alongside TDC Team Leader Tom Burgess and the many community-based Healthy Homes team members, the AMRRIC team hit the ground to speak with community members door to door and where necessary care for and transport surgical patients back and forth to the clinic.
This is a great example of organizations working together for a common goal.
Thank You Aarthi Nirmal Bruce
TDC extends a big thank you to Aarthi, who has been holding the fort in the finance team, managing Accounts Payable while everyone has been on leave or knocked out with COVID. There is still some confusion with the new purchasing processes and Aarthi has been supporting the wider team to keep getting things paid.
We will be working to get clear purchasing procedures documented in the coming weeks, to provide clarity to people needing to purchase goods and services and to streamline getting accounts paid. Thank You Aarthi.
Remote Area Entry – RAT pics
Please note that all employees and contractors, entering community for the purpose of undertaking work for TDC are required to provide photo evidence of a negative Rapid Antigen Test. The photo must capture, photo ID of the person (or facial image) the batch number of the test kit and the negative result. Please send through to covidsafe@thamarrurr.org.au or teams’ message to HR. TDC has written to Minister Fyles and spoken with Dheran Young about the issues in obtaining tests. We hope that NTG will sort this out ASAP.
AFL School Holiday Footy
There were lots of smiles and enthusiasm on from all involved. Thanks to AFL and TDC Teams for running these activities through the school holidays.
Outdoor trips Thwarted
Up until this week, the kids and families had been able to enjoy some outdoor trips during the holiday program. This was thwarted by the battery being stolen out of the vehicle which is very disappointing for both the program organizers and participants. This is the second attack on the Palumpa vehicle in as many weeks, which is disheartening for all those trying to keep healthy activities running for the kids.
