Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation has won two awards at the 2012 Aboriginal Health Awards.

The award winners were announced at a special awards ceremony in Sydney last night – on the evening of National ‘Close the Gap’ day.

Maari Ma took out the Director-General’s Award for its workforce strategy - Planning for our future: developing and implementing an Indigenous workforce development plan in far west NSW.

Maari Ma also won the Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health through Excellence in the Chronic Care Award category for The Outback Vascular Health Service - specialist chronic disease care is now part of the local team.

Maari Ma Chief Executive Officer, Bob Davis, said to receive recognition at a state level is testimony to the Boards strategic vision and dedication of the organisation’s staff over a long period of time.

Last Thursday (29th March) local contractor Jim Sammon and staff undertook the safe removal of several inches of soil from the state government office block site opposite the Westpac Bank.

Due to the possible presence of asbestos in the soil had to be kept wet and the interior of the tip truck tray lined with black plastic. The plastic was wrapped around the soil prior to disposal.

Samples were taken to be sent to Queensland for testing.

Construction of the building is due to start sometime this month and is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.