About Us

The South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) is a representative body made up of South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and peak bodies.

With over twenty organisations as members, we are committed to ensuring our members are supported to continue to provide effective and culturally responsive services and to increase opportunities for our people within South Australia. We do this through working with the Coalition of Peaks and engaging in partnerships with Governments to shape policy and legislative developments on Closing the Gap.

The core of our work is partnerships: we believe that strong, culturally responsive and accountable relationships between the South Australian Government and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations lead to better outcomes for our people and communities and are more likely to meet Closing the Gap targets.

SAACCON respects and acknowledges those that work to improve outcomes for our people and as such, we encourage those who wish to work together, to contact us.

Our Story

WORKING TOGETHER TO CLOSE THE GAP

SAACCON was created in 2019 to work in partnership with the South Australian, Commonwealth and Local governments to Close the Gap in South Australia. We work closely with the Coalition of Peaks, sharing information and ensuring commitments from State, Commonwealth and Local Governments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are met. Not only is it our role to hold the Governments to account, but our Partnership ensures the expertise and experiences of Aboriginal community-controlled organisations inform policy and program development that impact the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

With the Coalition of Peaks established as a national representative body of Aboriginal community controlled organisations, it was important that South Australia developed its own body that supported this work and would continue driving shared decision making. Through this, SAACCON was born.

SAACCON and the Coalition of Peaks are working with its stakeholders to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are central in the decision-making process. Our collective experiences, unique skills and deep understanding and respect for our culture reflect the necessity of having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders exercising autonomy for our future communities.

Governance

SAACCON is a network of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in South Australia and has been established to work in partnership with the South Australian and local governments to inform policies regarding the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

SAACCON is led by the nominated Lead and Co-Convenors and supported by the Secretariat.

SAACCON is, and will remain, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO). We maintain and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander independence and autonomy in decision-making, supporting South Australian ACCOs in their service delivery. We must work with other ACCOs to share information, promote fair and equitable representation of our communities and ensure that our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities receive the highest standard of services and support from service providers.

Scott Wilson
Lead Convenor

Scott Wilson is CEO of ADAC, the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (South Australia). He is also an Associate Professor & Co-Director at NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Health & Alcohol at The University of Sydney, board member of the Penington Institute in Melbourne & committee member of Justice Reinvestment SA. Scott’s personal & professional experience in substance misuse has made him a valued member of nearly every major governmental & non-governmental committee in Australia for over 20 years.

Deb Buckskin
Co-Convenor

Deb is a Kaurna/Narungga/Wirangu women and was raised in Erawirung Country on the river in Berri and Waikerie.

In her current role Deb is the Senior Advisor of Aboriginal Services at Baptist Care SA and works in strategic and operational governance of Culturally responsive service delivery of 1200 staff and around 400 Aboriginal People and Communities. Deb works across five service pathways, Disability, Care Pathways supporting young people in residential care, Wardli-ana and the Towards Home Alliance on Aboriginal People experiencing homelessness, young people living with AOD through the Adventure pathways program and supporting young people who are to re-engage and participate in education to help prepare for employment opportunities.