Wujal Wujal celebrates NAIDOC Week

Wujal Wujal may be a small community with only about 300 residents, but it has certainly put itself on the map, Minister for Environment and Ministerial Champion Leeanne Enoch said today during local NAIDOC Week celebrations.

Ms Enoch said it was wonderful to be in Wujal Wujal today to participate in NAIDOC celebrations, including a parade, for a second year in a row.

“NAIDOC Week provides an important opportunity to acknowledge the cultures, achievements and history of Australia’s First Nations peoples, and Wujal Wujal certainly has much to be proud of,” Ms Enoch said.

“Just last month, the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council took home the 2018 National Award for Excellence in Local Government at a ceremony in Canberra, beating nine other local governments from across Australia, including larger councils the City of Melbourne and Sunshine Coast Regional Council.

“The council was recognised for its Ngana Muruku Jundjurrjiku Janay Wujal Wujal Emergency Management Network and Community Forum project which provides the community with reliable telecommunications during major weather events when usual power and telephone connections are down.

“To receive the 2018 National Award for Excellence in Local Government is an outstanding achievement and testament to the innovative work of this small but hardworking council and community.”

Ms Enoch said the Wujal Wujal’s Bana Yirriji Art Centre would also be exhibiting at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair this week.

“This will be a fantastic opportunity for the Art Centre to showcase their talents to a large audience,” Mr Enoch said.

Ms Enoch said Wujal Wujal has been recognised for a number of its achievements, particularly in the area of emergency management, in the past year.

These include the Queensland Defence Reserves Employer Support Awards (Not for Profit category); the Local Government Managers Australia Queensland Awards for Excellence (Innovation category); and the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility 2017-18 Climate Adaptation Champions Award (Government category).

“Wujal Wujal is an amazing community and I am absolutely honoured to be Ministerial Champion for Wujal Wujal, and be here for NAIDOC Week celebrations.”

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