Page 2605 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 August 2019
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This year the community came together to participate in arts and cultural workshops, school-based activities, sporting events like the NAIDOC golf day and the APS NAIDOC touch football carnival, and community celebrations such as the Gugan Gulwan NAIDOC youth awards.
I was privileged to join the community at some of these events across the week including: the community art exhibition at Community Services #1 featuring work from detainees at the AMC; the NAIDOC family day; the flag raising ceremony; the NAIDOC luncheon; and community celebrations in Woden town square.
As always, a highlight of the week’s activities was the ACT NAIDOC awards and ball, which the ACT government is proud to support. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate award winners: Person of the Year, Garth O’Connell and Elder of the Year, Anthony Longbottom. I also congratulate all the other incredible award winners: Patrick Vann, Tash Newell, Bradley J Moggridge, Kara Mallon, Wayne “Buddy” Martin, Tjillari Justice Aboriginal Corporation, Rondelle Seden, Kristi Lee, Zoe Billerwell, Dhani Gilbert, Papunya Connors and Albert Barker. Congratulations to all of them on their achievements. I also acknowledge all those recognised by their community in being nominated for an award.
I was also honoured again to have the opportunity to raise the ACT flag alongside Genevieve Jacobs raising the Australian flag, Selina Walker raising the Aboriginal flag and Aunty Lydia George raising the Torres Strait Islander flag at the Assembly’s flag raising ceremony.
MS CHEYNE: Minister, how was the ACT represented nationally during NAIDOC Week?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Cheyne for the supplementary. Every year the national NAIDOC awards ceremony is held in a nominated city as a focal point of national NAIDOC Week. This year, Canberra was proud to host this annual event. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the ACT NAIDOC committee in bidding to make Canberra the focus city for 2019. I would also like to acknowledge the national NAIDOC committee and their role in organising the week-long NAIDOC celebrations, including the national NAIDOC awards.
The national NAIDOC awards ceremony recognises the outstanding contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to improve the lives of their communities and beyond, to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in the wider community, or through the excellence they have shown in their chosen field. The national event is televised and drew attention to Canberra as the focus city. I heard people on the night saying that it was the best ever.
The national event also drew attention to this year’s theme, “Voice. Treaty. Truth”, chosen to build on the momentum from the Uluru statement from the heart. The awards and live telecasts highlight national winners and give us the opportunity to learn of their journey and their inspirational stories and to pay tribute to their achievements.
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