WAW An Indi Community Organisations

As a teacher at Galen College in Wangaratta in 1979 I first opened my WAW Credit Union Bank account. I have been an active member ever since. WAW is a licensed, deposit taking institution, guaranteed by the Australian Government and operates under the watchful eye of APRA.

Credit Unions and Building Societies are great organisations and play an important role in rural communities.  They are totally owned by members.  All the profits go back to our communities.

WAW* has 13 branches,  20,000 members and over $300,000,000 - yes that's right three hundred million dollars in deposits.  WAW has branches in towns where there are no other "Banks" such as Chiltern and Walwa as well as the regional centres of Wangaratta and Wodonga. We employ 75 people and I am very proud to have been a director for 9 years.

On the last Tuesday of the month the 8 Directors meet with senior management for our formal monthly Board Meeting.  Last night we discussed the budget for next year as well as buildings and infrastructure. And once a month we meet for Continuing Professional Development to make sure we are across all the changes in the financial industry.

If you are interested in knowing more about this great Indi community initiative check out the WAW web site: www.wawcu.com.au


*  WAW - Wodonga, Albury, Wangaratta or as I was told by a young staff member - we are wonderful.

What a week!!

Thanks everyone for your warm support.   I am encouraged by the many offers of support I am receiving.  I know its going to be a journey and I am delighted to have made this decision.

Last night I was a guest at the graduation of the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program (AVCLP) in Wangaratta.  One of the graduates congratulated me and then asked: "But Cathy do you really want to work in Canberra? "

The truth is that I already work in Canberra.  I am up there regularly: advocating on behalf of the  PNG women in Agriculture, as a member of the National Farmers Federation's 2030 committee - I am the Victorian Farmer's Federation rep, and lots more.  I am very familiar with the bureaucracy and how it works.

What I want now,  is to be the community's representative for Indi in Canberra!  Over the next weeks I am looking forward to being out and about.  Meeting people, learning about the issues and helping us find our voice - and when it's appropriate using my voice in Canberra on behalf of Indi.

Howard Jones has written a opinion piece in today's Border Mail (Friday May 24) , saying that we have no hope at all.  Why? because Indi "is historically true-blue conservative and a Liberal strong hold since 1977"

I think he's going to be proven 'not correct' on this one - people of Indi want choice - they want the  choose, they don't want their vote to be taken for granted, and they want their voices to be heard.

Historic moment

The Voice for Indi report will be launched at the Performing Arts Centre in Wangaratta on Sunday, May 19th.  I think in time this will be an historic occasion, it will be seen to be the beginning of a powerful grass roots community movement.  

In just under 6 weeks, over 50 individual conversations and 400 voices from all across the electorate; these voices show that people do care about their communities and how they are represented, they have opinions about how the future should look and they are interested enough to give their time to meet together, to talk and report on their feelings.

I am proud to be part of Voice for Indi.  I am interested in continuing the conversations.  I would welcome an invitation to come to your community, to speak to a local group and  to lister to views and together explore options for the future for people of Indi.

Cathy