Words: Dale Keehne I am pleased to be able to announce the outcome of the latest discussions on Tuesday 5 November to develop our Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between United Workers Union officials and other employee representatives, our Enterprise Bargaining Advisor and myself as CEO. These discussions were scheduled to take place many weeks ago as the next key step to progress discussions. I would like to thank Fair Work Commissioner Riordan who facilitated these very constructive and positive discussions to help us all reach agreement. There are a range of improvements to our workers’ salaries and conditions that I have already recently introduced to ensure our workers’ can begin to benefit from them. These improvements include a 4 per cent increase to salaries and Locality, as well the Outdoor, Apply First Aid, Sleepover and Meal Allowances, increasing the starting wages for all our Level 1 employees, the provision of Apply First Aid Allowances to our Community Night Patrol and Sobering Up Shelter workers, the increase in paid parental leave from 8 to 10 weeks, and an additional $7,000 payment to Level 8 Council Services Managers for extra hours worked. Council had also committed to a 3 per cent pay increase in 2025 and another 3 per cent increase in 2026. These improved conditions will also be included in the new proposed Enterprise Bargaining Agreement if it is approved by workers in the next few weeks. Additional changes that we have made to the proposed Agreement are: the addition of a fourth year to the agreement with a further 3 per cent pay increase from 1 July 2027 and a corresponding increase in the Locality, Outdoor, Apply First Aid, Sleepover and Meal Allowances; back pay for the 2024 4 per cent pay increase from 1 July to 19 September, more flexibility in approving the Bi-lingual Allowance; recognition that Individual Flexibility Arrangements could include changes in daily hours of work and days on which work is undertaken where agreed by an employee and the Council; and, outside the agreement, the increase of the proposed Air Conditioning Subsidy when staff are on leave and their Council provided housing is vacant from $25 to $50 a week. I look forward to putting the proposed Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, with the support of the United Workers Union and other employee representatives, to all workers to consider and vote on, so we can gain formal endorsement of the wide range of improvements to our workers’ salaries and conditions. I take this opportunity to thank the United Workers Union and employee representatives for their hard work and their representation during the agreement discussions and negotiations. As an ex-trade union official for many years, it gives me great satisfaction as CEO for us to unite to support our highly valued workers. Dale Keehne CEO

The Gattjirrk Festival, founded by East Arnhem Regional Council's President Lapulung Dhamarrandji , recently celebrated its 42nd anniversary.