Meet CityWatch's Indigenous Liaison Officer
Meet our Indigenous liaison officer
Tanya Saunders, CityWatch’s Indigenous Liaison Officer, is a proud Gundjitmara woman with 18 years of experience in Security. Gaining her licence in 2006, Tanya’s first shift was as a guard at a Justin Timberlake concert. Since then she’s had many placements including at the world-renowned MCG, with occasional work at the Cricket World Cup and busy Melbourne Central.
We asked Tanya some questions so you can get to know her too.
What do you believe CityWatch are doing differently in terms of Indigenous inclusion/relationships?
CityWatch are trying to be the best they can and picking up great people like yourself and me, making it a great place for all to work. The goal is to get more Indigenous guards on board so cummon you mob; come join us now.
What’s your favourite part of your role?
I love the early morning starts, late 12 hour shifts – every day for me is different. I love the company and friends I’ve made along the way, and helping CityWatch move forward on Indigenous issues in future.Security is always needed, it’s essential, and I just love everything about it.
What do you wish more non-Indigenous people knew about Australian Indigenous cultures? I believe they’re starting to teach our culture in schools now and that’s where it has to start; from primary schools to secondary schools. It starts at home, it starts in schools and the more we talk, the more our culture is kept, passed on and known about.
What's one belief that's stuck with you or that you use in daily life?
Something I come back to is that ‘Security is everyone’s business’. It’s not just because I’ve got a little card in my pocket that I am concerned with security; safety is everybody’s business.
Tanya balances her role at CityWatch with a senior position in the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, where she has worked for 10 years. CityWatch are grateful to have Tanya’s years of professional experience, cultural knowledge, community approach and friendly nature in our team. We are excited about collaborating with Tanya to increase Indigenous representation and inclusivity in our company.

