Board of Directors

Combined Message

A combined message from the CfAT Board

The Board has been diligent in sourcing industry-based expertise to assist the organisation going  forward. This has been achieved by attracting Adrian Mitchell, previous Director of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, who brings a wealth of much needed training and finance experience to the Board. Frank Curtis comes on as Chairman, and Noel Hayes Deputy Chair, with Peter Renehan taking on the CEO role.

We are immensely proud to have achieved this outcome after 40 years of operation, to have an Indigenous CEO. In November 2019, we facilitated the 40-year anniversary of GeoScience Australia on the Heath Road site, with attendance by senior representatives from Canberra and the USA hosting the event.

This was a significantly rewarding cultural experience for all concerned, especially the exchange of knowledge and culture through the artwork from both the Arrernte and Lakota Native American design and artists. It shows that we are bridging a cultural divide and connecting Indigenous peoples who are separated by distance but can connect through the advancement of technology.

Strengthening our relationship with the Northern Territory Government on some major infrastructure and social outcome projects, that have a wide application throughout the NT, both in Aboriginal communities and in the mainstream context, has been another highlight for CfAT.

Our Registered Training Organisation has continued to provide much needed outcomes in remote areas for Aboriginal people and is looking to be a growth area for the business. We have been developing pathways for new and emerging talented Aboriginal staff, supported by strong senior leadership, to maintain our RTO in this much needed impact area.

The successful completion of the Viasat Satellite Ground Station was an immensely complex project, but as a group we responded well. The expert advice and guardianship was provided by our wholly owned subsidiary, Ekistica, to complete the project on time, and to a very high standard, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Viasat provided advice and supervision remotely from America and this project, provided our Aboriginal staff the opportunity to build and construct the facilities, which is a great achievement.

We also faced immense challenges with the departure of the senior executives of the organisation at a crucial time of the installation of the 7.3m dishes. Our relationship with Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) also strengthens and grows through this and other potential projects.

We were able to regain the confidence of stakeholders and partners through external disruptions, which can be attributed to our robust internal operational and financial processes, and the stability of stable governance arrangements from the long-standing members and the Board to see us through a very challenging and crucial part of our history.

Again, another very challenging year for the Centre for Appropriate Technology Ltd, but one that we feel we have continued to have significant impact in the local, Northern Territory and National arena.

We are well placed to face an uncertain future, and also resilient enough to develop and create new emerging opportunities through the digital developments and linking in with large scale industry-based opportunities, combined with the potential to be very well placed in the growing space industry for the Northern Territory and Australia, which allows for exciting times ahead.