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A Life In Protest
Michael Anderson is an Aboriginal activist with a long career of defending people’s rights. From 1969 he was a leader in the Australian Black Power movement and was appointed by his peers as the first Aboriginal ambassador to white Australia after he and three comrades (BERTIE WILLIAMS, Billy Craigie AND Tony Coorey) established the Aboriginal Tent […]
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Wave Hill walk off
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Wave Hill walk-off – the event that helped to kick start the land rights movement and elevate the issues faced by Indigenous Australians in the national consciousness. The Wave Hill walk off is considered an iconic landmark in the history of Indigenous rights in Australia. In 1966 Aboriginal […]
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Youth justice conferencing success
Youth justice conferencing (sometimes referred to as restorative justice) is an alternative to having the matter dealt with by the court, but there are rules around when it can be undertaken. Firstly, the young person must be referred to a conference by police and they must admit to or be found guilty of the offence. […]
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Growth in Indigenous employment
Employment among Indigenous people has risen dramatically over the last 14 years, according to a new study. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the rise, which was detailed at the Australian Social Policy Conference at the University of NSW last week. Employment among Indigenous women aged 18 to 64 rose by 19% between 1994 and 2008, […]
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Leah Purcell accepts Ngara Nanga Mai role
Aboriginal actress and cultural activist, Leah Purcell, was today announced as ambassador for Ngara Nanga Mai, SDN’s Aboriginal unit, reflecting her commitment to supporting and advocating for Aboriginal children. The award winning actress – perhaps best known for her contribution to the entertainment and arts industry – has long been an advocate for Aboriginal children. […]
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What’s in a word?
The City of Sydney has made headlines after announcing its landmark decision to replace the term “white settlement” with “invasion” in the preamble of its Corporate Plan for the city. The push to change the wording was made by the City of Sydney’s Aboriginal Advisory Panel, who would also like the term “invasion” to be […]
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Sydney Festival seek funding for I Am Eora
Sydney Festival is setting out to raise $300,000 for the development and staging of one of the centrepieces of the 2012 program, I Am Eora. I Am Eora is a theatre/music/film event that tells the stories of Sydney’s Aboriginal cultural continuity, celebrating its heroes and embracing the sacred heart of our city. Directed by Wesley […]
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On notice
The Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT has put the incoming NSW government on notice, releasing figures that show one in two juveniles in detention are Aboriginal, and just less than one in three adults in jail are Aboriginal. This is despite the fact that Aboriginal people make up only one in 50, or two per cent, […]
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An emotional National Sorry Day
Australians marked National Sorry Day in communities across the country yesterday, reflecting on the grief and trauma experienced by members of the Stolen Generations. Federal Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon said The Australian Government recognised that for members of the Stolen Generations, healing is a continuing process that requires ongoing support and understanding. “In […]
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Council defends Welcome to Country
The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council has expressed its concern at the watering down of significant Welcome to Country acknowledgements in Victoria. Chairwoman Bev Manton said the gesture was a symbol of respect and acknowledgement for the original custodians of this country we all love so dearly. She expressed her sadness that the Victorian […]
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UN first for Megan
Megan Davis, the first Indigenous Australian women to be elected to the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues attended her first session of the Forum in New York this week. She joins 16 independent experts nominated by Governments and Indigenous organisations across the world to examine Indigenous issues including economic and social development, […]
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30 new Indigenous jobs in Alice Springs
A new partnership between the Federal Government and the Mining and Engineering Academy will create 30 new Indigenous jobs in Alice Springs. The partnerships will enable 30 Indigenous job seekers in Alice Springs to complete a Certificate II in Retail, pre-employment training and have access to jobs with some of Australia’s largest companies. Minister for […]
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Essential Energy boosts Indigenous jobs
One of NSW largest employers is today launching a new strategy to tackle Indigenous disadvantage by boosting job opportunities. Essential Energy (formerly Country Energy) has developed the 2011 Indigenous Employment and Development Strategy in consultation with rural and regional communities. The strategy will assist Essential Energy to further strengthen Indigenous representation across its workforce and […]
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Registrations open for native title conference
Registrations are now open for the annual National Native Title Conference which will be held in Brisbane from June 1-3. Australia’s largest Indigenous policy conference, Co-convened by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS). The Conference promotes public debate about native title and Indigenous […]
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What I do – Michael Eckford
Michael Anderson-Eckord runs cultural training programs and shares his cultural stories to inform others about Aboriginal language, land, culture and country. My name is… Michael Anderson aka Michael Eckford or my tribal name Ghillar, meaning bird who invented the comeback boomerang. I’m from… Euahlayi country which is near Lightning Ridge in Far Western NSW. Their […]
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Yuwali connects young offenders with culture
A culturally based juvenile justice program which focuses on the relationship between drugs and alcohol and offending has won the NSW Juvenile Justice’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) recognition award. ‘Dthina Yuwali’ which means tracking footprints in the Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay language, is NSW Juvenile Justice’s flagship program for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) […]
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