Driving positive change with passion

I have developed the skills and knowledge to really influence and negotiate. A lot of the time, you’re leading by influencing people.” Mark Champley (centre), Learning & Development associate, People and Culture, at Transport for NSW; AGSM Indigenous Adjunct Faculty member

Kamilaroi man Mark Champley is proud of the Indigenous heritage he only discovered in his twenties. “My grandmother had always told my mum that we had Spanish ancestry,” he says. “When we found out our Aboriginal connections, I wasn’t surprised – I’d always felt drawn to Aboriginal people. I felt sad for my grandmother, who had lived a lie, motivated to protect us from discrimination and prejudice.” Throughout his career, Champley has worked to ensure Indigenous people have a voice, taking steps toward his own personal development while promoting positive action for his community. His first leadership roles were at Sydney Ferries, where he spent 27 years and became Customer Experience Manager. For NAIDOC Week in 2013, Champley led the charge for Aboriginal flags to be flown on the ferries for the first time. “I was very proud of that,” he says. After moving to Transport for NSW as a principal trainer for Opal, the state’s contactless fare system, he participated in the Aboriginal Career Development and Mentoring Program – an internal program facilitated by AGSM Executive Education. This was the first in a series of courses he credits with turning his knack for connecting with people into a tool for powerful action. “It was my first opportunity to really grow and develop,” he says. “It [enabled me to] connect with other Aboriginal people within Transport and form new partnerships. That really helped my journey and stayed with me.” After undertaking the Emerging Indigenous Executive Leaders Program (EIELP) at AGSM, Champley is now a member of the AGSM Indigenous Adjunct Faculty. “It has given me the confidence to speak up. I’ve developed the skills and knowledge to really influence and negotiate. A lot of the time, you’re leading from behind by influencing people,” he says. In 2019, just after Transport for NSW had launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), a departmental restructure put learning initiatives – including the Aboriginal Career Development and Mentoring Program – on hold. From his seat on the RAP steering committee, Champley flexed his new-found skills. “I thought, ‘We’ve just launched our RAP and a big part of that is promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into more senior positions, but now we’re going to pause the program?’” Instead, he convinced the executives to approve it and “we had the largest cohort that we’ve ever had of mentors helping mentees reach goals while learning about our culture. When we had the virtual graduation last year, 50 per cent of the mentees had already moved into more senior roles within Transport for NSW.” Champley has also been instrumental in the placement of a plaque at Sydney’s Central Station to acknowledge the Stolen Generations, who were transported away from their families by train, and in convincing the government to gift the Lady Northcott – a ferry at the end of her working life – to the Aboriginal group Tribal Warrior. “Over the past 20 years, Tribal Warrior has trained more than 3000 young people – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – in various maritime qualifications,” explains Champley. “When the government told me they were going to give [Tribal Warrior] the ferry and a sponsorship of $300,000, I nearly fell off my chair.” The vessel, in Aboriginal livery, will do cultural tours. “She’ll carry the name Wirawi, which means ‘Lady’ in Gadigal language.” Champley says the mindset fostered by ongoing education reaches across communities and generations. In 2019, his son, Ryan – the eldest of nine children – became the first Aboriginal skipper in Sydney’s harbour ferries’ history.