Indigenous

... Upon discovering the ovens on his property Mick Cattanach along with local Waradgery man, John ‘Gubba’ Woods decided to fence off approximately six acres of land to protect it from stock degradation and to make it a private reserve for the generations to come ... What happened next is an example of how everyday Australians can voluntarily help the ‘Close the Gap’ initiative with practical and sustainable outcomes, with the use of volunteer labour.

Shane Presley, a dedicated member of the Barkly Youth Advisory Group, is driven by his aspiration to enhance access to mentored employment pathways for fellow young Aboriginal Territorians. His passion for fostering a secure environment and his aspiration to establish safe after hours activities for the youth instil a sense of hope and optimism.

Minister Uibo has set her focus on Tennant Creek and Elliott, in a three-day visit meet with stakeholders and local organisations, as well as celebrate a record 14 houses being fixed up and handed back to families this week. Minister Uibo has sat down with organisations and the community regarding Local Decision Making, remote housing, health, mental health and employment.

First, there was a ban on climbing Ayers Rock, gasp - what did he call it… where are the name police when you need them, or the indoctrinated millennials, I am referring to the rock you know as Uluru, and believe it or not, once upon a time your parents were allowed to climb it. Now the hunt is on to ban the Kimberley's Horizontal Falls experience, no doubt accompanied by a name change to the Garaan-ngaddim Non-Experience ... Are we heading back to the dark ages in Europe when the local lord charged you to cross his land and only the wealthy could hunt and fish on it? You bet we are.

As part of the weir project Water Infrastructure contracted to an archaeological consulting firm to conduct excavations on a number of sites that may fall with the footprint of the weir and construction zones ... Wilcannia Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Barkindji Native Title Group were consulted and a number of members received training on how to sift the soil from the holes...

Marion Scrymgour, MP Member for Lingiari ... Last Wednesday Chief Minister Eva Lawler put in place a youth curfew in and around the CBD in Alice Springs. This action took into account violent rioting and damage to property in the town area and then in one of the town camps on Tuesday.

Bail laws covering young offenders should be tightened, according to local CLP Members urging the recalling of Parliament to deal with crime in Alice Springs. “We have seen time and time again a lot of young people being allowed out on bail. Breach of bail is currently not an offence": Braitling MLA Joshua Burgoyne.

A vacant house and on Crown Land with river views in Grafton will return to the local Aboriginal community ownership after a successful claim by the local Aboriginal Land Council. In June 2023, the Grafton Ngerrie Local Aboriginal Land Council lodged a land claim on a 1200 square metre block of Crown Land on Duke Street, Grafton, which was granted last week.

Asta Hill, with a decade of front line work both as a prosecutor and as a defence lawyer, is a leading figure in creating a policy for the Greens to deal with the noxious crime rate in Alice Springs. Another local woman, Cherisse Buzzacott, is thinking about launching herself into the political arena, also with crime as the main concern, viewing it from the vantage point of health management.  

Yamba resident and proud Yaegl woman, Diane Randall, has been elected to the NSW Aboriginal Land Council as the North Coast representative, one of two new faces on the council elected to protect the interests and further the aspirations of its members and the Aboriginal community ... Ms Randall said she will represent 13 Local Aboriginal Land Councils...

Over the next 10 years 2700 mansions, at a cost to the taxpayer of $1.5m each, will be spread across Aboriginal communities in the NT outback ... It's simple: $4,000,000,000 divided by 2700 houses equals $1,481,481 per house ... we have asked Mr Albanese and Ms Lawler for a break-up of what the $4 billion will be spent on.

The Territory and Federal Labor governments announced a landmark $4 billion investment this week to improve Aboriginal housing in remote communities across the Territory. The investment will see 2,700 homes built across the Territory’s remote communities in the next 10 years, with 270 homes built each year.

Team members from Aboriginal History Western Australia (AHWA) and the State Library of Western Australia's Storylines will be hitting the road this March to jointly hold free family history sessions in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt. Usually located in Perth, the teams will be visiting Narrogin, Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup and Albany...

The Chair of a Territory Aboriginal Corporation has highlighted Traditional Owners’ concerns about a major blaze from Jemena’s gas pipeline in Queensland, cutting gas to Gladstone. Chair of Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Djingili Elder Samuel Sandy, a former resident of Elliott, said if an event like that happened in the NT it would be a catastrophe, given the major bushfires across the region last September.

“Welcome everyone” is the decision of Naracoorte Lucindale Council which has ditched its prayer and modernised its acknowledgement of country ... replaced with two simple lines: “We acknowledge and respect our complex history. We welcome everyone to build our future together.”

At the NSW State Land Council regional elections ... local candidate Walpa Thompson hosted a democracy BBQ. But instead of sausages, it was kangaroo rissoles on the menu ... Approximately 80 members of the local land councils came out to vote for the Western region’s representative.

A dedicated committee of women have been working hard to deliver two fabulous International Women’s Day (IWD) events for Tennant Creek next week. Under the leadership of Barkly Regional Council and Tennant Creek Women’s Refuge, a diverse committee of women, along with the generous support of the Northern Territory Government’s Office of Gender Equity and Diversity and a multitude of local organisations, have come together to bring these events to life.

Michelle Daw. Stenhouse Bay and a rising full moon formed the stunning backdrop to the on-Country preview of Adelaide Festival production, Guuranda, at the weekend ... It tells the creation stories of Guuranda/Yorke Peninsula and is led by artistic director and Narungga /Kaurna theatre-maker Jacob Boehme.