Indigenous

Geoff Helisma. It wasn’t too long ago, Dheran Young was kicking a football around a vacant lot in Young Street, Wooloweyah, along with a lot of other kids from the neighbourhood – on Saturday September 11, Mr Young, 33, was elected to the Northern Territory Government as the Member for Daly.

Colourful Indigenous artwork will be splashed across the Batavia Coast Marina this Sunday night thanks to unique projection show “COVE” that forms part of the inaugural Shore Leave Festival.

Thursday Island has put on a spectacular display of Torres Strait Islander culture for the Winds of Zenadth festival ... “It may have been limited to only a two-day festival, but reached deep into our hearts as the sounds of the warup (island drum) and trum/luumoot, combined with our songs, brought joyful tears to all who attended" : Torres Shire CEO Dalassa Yorkston.

A popular East Kimberley event held in May this year, and supported by the McGowan Government, injected around $6 million into the local economy and recorded its highest-ever ticket sales.

Nancy Schmidt, who was fondly known as Aunty Nancy because she was such a lovely mumma to everyone, leaves a legacy of kindness and compassion, and a trail of goodwill. Nancy’s story began in the Central Desert, west of Alice Springs where she lived with her Aboriginal family until she was taken away by authorities and sent to the Bungalow in Alice Springs. When the Government handed over care of all Aboriginal children to missionaries, Nancy was transferred to the Methodist Mission on Goulburn Island and then on to Croker Island along with other children who were members of what has become the Stolen Generation.

Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the 100 millionth ACCU (Australian Carbon Credit Unit) has been issued for the Wilinggin Fire Project, which manages savanna burning in Western Australia’s Kimberley region and is managed by the Ngarinyin people. “The Wilinggin Fire Project is supported and led by the local Indigenous community, and one which returns substantial environmental and economic benefits,” Minister Taylor said ... Savanna fire management projects apply strategic early dry season burning with the aim of reducing the frequency and extent of late dry season fires. This results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions ... ACCUs from savanna fire projects command a premium in the private market.

In a significant step toward joint land management between the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and Tasmanian Aboriginal people, PWS Aboriginal Fire Rangers employees have completed their first cultural burn at Dempster Plains on the West Coast.  

Mark Knowles. Cape York artist Fiona Wirrer-George Oochunyung debuted her new range of fashion designs at the Brisbane Festival on Sunday. Her debut was part of the First Nations Fashion: Walking in Two Worlds show, curated by Cairns-based artist Grace Lillian Lee and presented by the Brisbane Festival and Screen Queensland.

Traditional Owner knowledge was shared among land managers in a Cultural Burning workshop held on Kabi Kabi Country at a Sunshine Coast Council environment reserve near Kenilworth recently.

Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation is now offering supermarket vouchers for all Aboriginal community members who are double jabbed against COVID-19. The $25 IGA Supermarket food vouchers are now available to collect for eligible residents one day after they receive their second dose.

Forests across all tenures are declining and/or exploding from lack of sustainable management. A miniscule proportion is available for logging. Logging can have a beneficial effect on local fire behaviour, but no effect on a regional scale. The bushfires and logging debate is a dangerous distraction from our real major environmental issue – sustainable fire management.

Aaron Smith. A coroner's report on the worst maritime tragedy in the Torres Strait since the sinking of the Malu Sara in 2009 was publicly gazetted last week and community leaders have voiced concerns over a lack of connectivity, affordable transportation and boat safety.

Illiam is a young Walmajarri Custodian. He describes the familial connection and spiritual sacredness of Martuwarra.

After listening to a presentation on the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 by Syed Jan from Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, the Elders enjoyed a delicious lunch sponsored by local MLA Steve Edgington.

National Indigenous Radio Service. The shadow minister for Indigenous Australians says the federal government is ill-equipped to deal with the level of food insecurity in COVID hit First Nations communities.

On 23 August 2021, the Ombudsman release a redacted report into his investigation of Council’s historic billing practices. The trigger for the investigation was a complaint in 2018 from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement on behalf of Aboriginal people into Council’s electricity and water billing practices ... Council acknowledges, and is sorry for, the harm and mistrust caused by its past billing practices, is committed to implementing all of the recommendations in the report, and welcomes all community input as to how we can move forward together.

National Indigenous Radio Service. A recent investigation by the South Australian Ombudsman has found the remote council of Coober Pedy in the state’s north, pressured Aboriginal residents into requesting money from Native Title funds to help pay off their overdue electricity and water bills.

Under the proposal, a portion of the site will be transferred to the Grafton Ngerrie LALC to support better outcomes for the Aboriginal community, and successfully resolve an Aboriginal land claim. Another parcel of land adjacent to Grafton Base Hospital will be transferred to NSW Health ... the SE portion, which comprises significant heritage items, will be set aside for future adaptive reuse with heritage protections in place ...

Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the Federal Court will recognise the Warrgamay People’s long-standing rights to more than 185,000 hectares of land and water at a virtual hearing ... the decision covers an area from Lucinda on the coast, up to and along the Seaview Range and into Girringun National Park.

The Territory Labor Government has released the first Closing the Gap NT Implementation Plan in partnership with Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT and Local Government Association NT.