Empowered workforce

Staff at MacDonnell Regional Council recognise and respect the fact that Aboriginal culture is the oldest continuing culture in the world and that Aboriginal people have governed their lives for tens of thousands of years. As strong and effective Aboriginal representatives, its councillors’ clear and consistent vision, mission and values inspire and maintain the focus of staff. MacDonnell Regional Council’s mission to improve the lives of Council residents by delivering valued and relevant services is lived out through an engaging workforce.

Council staff are committed to delivering quality services for residents from delivery centres in its 13 remote communities. The coordination of all services and the administration of governance, finance, funding agreements and arrangements, program management and human resources are undertaken centrally from an Alice Springs office.

MacDonnell Regional Council has a proven record of service deliver in remote communities and is regularly engaged by the federal and territory governments to deliver services in addition to its core local government services. This sees Council delivering a wide array of services including aged and disability care, early childhood development, youth development and community safety as well as postal, social security and the essential service of maintaining power, water and sewerage operations and infrastructure.

To deliver these services MacDonnell Regional Council employs around 480 people of which about 80% are Aboriginal. To maintain this, Council knows that supporting Aboriginal staff to perform in higher roles is as important as employing them. To support this, MacDonnell Regional Council employs people who are keen to share their expertise, mentor fellow workers and help prepare the future Aboriginal workforce.

This year when a number of Council Service Coordinators roles, our most senior positions in communities, become vacant local Aboriginal staff were encouraged to apply. Since their promotions more than half of MacDonnell Regional Council’s 13 community council offices are staffed by Aboriginal people in the senior position and serving as role models to other staff and residents.

Maybe it’s the promotion and support of Aboriginal staff, maybe it’s the opportunity to provide important services, or maybe it’s the employee benefits that make MacDonnell Regional Council a friendly and inspired workplace – among some of the most beautiful and iconic outback landscapes in Australia!