Page 2438 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
not organised by governments; it is a movement by everyday Australians, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme—“Because of her, we can!”—was embraced and celebrated by tens of thousands of Australians. It was incredible to see the outpouring of love, support, appreciation and recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. “Because of her, we can” celebrates the individual and collective contributions and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to communities, families, histories, and cultures. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women carry their Dreaming stories, songlines, languages and knowledge that has kept strong their cultures, the oldest continuing cultures on earth. They have fought and continue to fight for justice for their families and communities.
NAIDOC Week was an opportunity to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are trailblazers, change activists, mentors and family members. Because of the achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, our city, Canberra, is a better place. Canberra is a stronger community. In our city many strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women work silently behind the scenes, raising families in caring environments, pursuing careers in the public, community and private sectors, and supporting kin in times of need. We do not talk about these women and their achievements enough.
We are fortunate to have many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women leaders right here in Canberra, as others have spoken about, like Katrina Fanning and Jo Chivers, chair and deputy chair of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body; Ros Brown, co-chair of the United Ngunnawal Elders Council; Julie Tongs OAM, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services; and Kim Davison, Executive Director of Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation.
The achievements of some of Canberra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were celebrated among the award winners at the ACT NAIDOC awards on 7 July. Thelma Watson, the ACT Nannies Group, Dhani Gilbert, and Julie Tongs OAM were all recognised with awards and have already been spoken about in this place.
Aunty Thelma was recognised as ACT elder of the year. Aunty Thelma is an incredible woman who is committed to helping her community. Now in her 80s, she still works at Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services. Thelma’s dedication to her community is incredible. While many people might be enjoying their retirement in the sun, Aunty Thelma is out there helping her community, doing what she can for people in need. She is, no doubt, an inspiration to many, and it was a great pleasure for me to chat with Aunty Thelma at the NAIDOC Week lunch.
The ACT Nannies Group received the community spirit award. Led by Meg Huddleston and Coral King, the Nannies Group provides an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grandmothers to come together, share stories, and provide emotional and spiritual support to each other. These grandmothers have lived, worked, and raised children and grandchildren in Canberra over decades. They
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video