BAC Money Management

The Money Management Service (MMS) has been operating in Maningrida since 2009. It provides practical and essential support to assist people build longer-term capability to manage their money better, and increase financial resilience. MMS currently services the Maningrida Township, where there is a high Indigenous population, and plans are in place to include Maningrida Outstations. MMS is voluntary, confidential and free. People with complex financial issues are referred to the appropriate support services.

MMS aims to help people to:
    •    Manage money from payday to payday to ensure essential living expenses are covered (e.g. food, rent, clothing,                        education, regular bills) and share household expenses fairly
    •    Implement individual and family budgeting, savings tools and debt management plans,          
         including on-going budget monitoring
    •    Plan and set goals for items such as whitegoods, furniture, cars, boats and leisure goods and to put something
         aside for their children and the future
    •    Use financial services to manage their household funds and access technology such as ATMs, phone and internet
        banking, and access financial institutions and services
    •    Be aware of their rights as consumers, know how to avoid exploitation when using their money,
         and get better deals when making purchases
    •    Attend approved MMS courses run by local Indigenous workers to improve understanding of how to
        manage money and plan for the future
    •    Access free approved MMS education designed to improve financial skills through information sessions on
         financial literacy and budgeting, and to access the Matched Savings Scheme (income management)
         payment available through Centrelink.

The former manager of the MMS left Maningrida earlier in 2010. Indigenous staff members Jacqueline Puautjimi, Louanna Williams and Jessie Simpson operated the service for five months until the new manager arrived at the beginning of December 2010.

Extensive staff development and training has been provided over the past seven months by the Matrix On Board (MOB) team, who support and train all MMS workers. One staff member has commenced Certificate III Community Services —with 3 Financial Services.

Two staff members attended the annual Money Management Conference in Darwin in March 2011, and were fortunate to meet with the famous former World No. 1 tennis player Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, who was guest speaker at the conference.
Quincy Gaykamangu began work with MMS in March, 2011 and has become a very valued and hard working staff member. He is particularly interested in multi-media and computers and assists clients to access internet banking.

Money Management
ph: 08 8979 5799
email: moneymanagement@bawinanga.com