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The Royal Australian Air Force Test Ranges Squadron’s (AFTRSQN) successful Indigenous community engagement initiative has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Public Sector Innovation Awards 2019.
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The initiative, called the Reserve Regional Compliance Officer (RCO) Program took place in the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA), and have been recognised by the annual awards program that seeks to "recognise, celebrate and share innovative work in the Australian Public Service and the ACT Public Service".
AFTRSQN Executive Officer, Squadron Leader Peter Knox, travelled to Canberra with his pitch team, Sergeant Lisa Johnson, and RCO members Corporal Joey Hull and Corporal Manisha LeBois.
“Building trust, respect and relationships – that is how I characterise Air Force's partnership with our first nations people and it is the genesis behind the RCO program,” SQNLDR Knox said.
“Innovation is not just about finding new and better ways of doing something but it can also be about changing the lives of individuals and whole communities.
“Air Force Test Ranges Squadron manages all the equipment trials and the testing of war material in the Woomera Prohibited Area.
“In order to do the trials safely and securely, it requires patrols where compliance is enforced and community engagement occurs across the entirety of the range.
“This means engaging all six aboriginal groups within the WPA, a relationship that defence recognises and strives to understand in order to maintain and build on the strong ties that have been developed already.
“This program acknowledges their deep connection to the land while also providing opportunities to invest in the communities.”
While unsuccessful in winning the award, the AFTRSQN program has proved so successful that the RAAF is looking at rolling the program out at other ranges in Victoria and the Northern Territory.
