Tarnanthi opens with stunning show

From the global resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement to the national story of AFL legend Adam Goodes and his fight against racism in the sport, we are seeing race and racism discussed more and more in the mainstream. 

But some researchers argue that these important conversations are being stifled in the classroom despite an eagerness from students to have them. Psychologist and Monash Education PhD candidate Hannah Yared has been undertaking research in order to understand why that is, leading a study in the past year titled ‘How does race play out in schools?’. 

The findings are stark. There appears to be a code of silence around discussing race and racism with children in the classroom, as well as a lack of training and support for teachers who want to hold safe and informed conversations. 

What’s concerning, Ms Yared argues, is this trend doesn’t mitigate the harm caused by racism and could foster the development of prejudices later in life…

The Australian Capital Territory has released an independent report which outlines the reforms needed to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years. 

The review was prepared by Professor Morag McArthur in partnership with Aboriginal consultancy Curijo, and Dr Aino Suomi from the Australian National University. 

The report looks at the ACT’s current system and identifies ways in which that system could be changed to better meet the needs of children who would most likely be affected by raising the age. 

The review proposes a model of wrap-around and case management services for children and young people, including appropriate after-hours and crisis accommodation for this age group in the ACT. 

Aboriginal health, legal and human rights organisations welcomed the report and called on Australian governments to follow suit as a matter of urgency…

For Gomeroi man Phil Duncan caring for water and Country means everything. 

“We as Aboriginal people across this country live in a symbiotic relationship with our cultural landscapes,” he said. 

“Our Indigenous totemic values are related to both fish and animals. 

“Our rivers are our arteries. 

“We have a profound intrinsic birthright to care for Country. It’s one of our cultural obligations.” 

Mr Duncan is an ambassador for this year’s National Water Week, which has the theme ‘Caring for water and Country’ and runs from October 18-24. 

Mr Duncan said that one of his hopes for the future was enabling more Aboriginal people to share their concerns about water management. 

He said he’d also like to see Aboriginal cultural knowledge working with Western science to protect and preserve waterways…

Cairns City Lions broke a 38-year premiership drought when they defeated Cairns Saints by 11 points, 15.12 (102) to 14.7 (91), in the 2021 AFL Cairns Seniors grand final in September.

Leading the Lions around on the park as captain was former Melbourne Demons AFL player Aaron Davey. 

Davey, who played 178 games for Melbourne and three for the Indigenous All Stars between 2004-2013, used his strong connections to bring to the club several Indigenous players from three different states and territories, including Brandon Lovell, Jake Long, Eddie Sansbury and Josh Tilmouth; Greg Braico and Reece Munster, who had played during the year, had missed the grand final. 

Tilmouth kicked four goals for the winning Lions while Long and Sansbury, a one-time AFL player at North Melbourne, added one each. 

Cairns City came from fourth position on the ladder, with an 8-7 win-loss record, to win the premiership. Their grand final opponents, Cairns Saints, had finished the home-and-away rounds on top of the ladder with a 12-3 record…

GOORENG Gooreng man Malachi Johnson hopes the CQUniversity-Arrow Energy Whanu Binal Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program will not only help him learn new skills, but also support the training of more traditional owners in central Queensland. 

Whanu Binal is delivered in partnership by Arrow Energy and CQUniversity. While Arrow Energy has run the Whanu Binal program in various forms since 2013, the partnership with CQUniversity was launched in July 2019. 

The Whanu Binal program is dedicated to improving Indigenous business outcomes by not only supporting business owners and entrepreneurs, but encouraging individuals and organisations to support Indigenous-owned businesses. 

Malachi, who belongs to the Gooreng Gooreng nation of the Port Curtis and Coral Coast region, is the Project Coordinator for TUMRA (Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements) through Darumbal Enterprises Pty Ltd in Rockhampton…

ROPER Gulf Regional Council is celebrating a great outcome of its Community Development Program (CDP) in Borroloola, seeing strong participation in local training opportunities by job seekers to prepare for local employment. 

The goal of the Community Development Program – a federally funded work-for-the- dole scheme for remote communities – is to support, assist and service CDP job seekers by providing a package of support that includes a combination of vocational and non-vocational training, essential skills training, assistance to overcome personal barriers to employment, job search assistance and ongoing support. 

Recently, CDP job seekers in Borroloola completed training to receive their White Card, Prepare to Work Safely in the Construction Industry. 

The training was delivered by senior lecturer Alvin Tan from the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, with a total of 26 participants in the training, made up of CDP job seekers, Mabunji staff and council municipal staff.

Of these 26 participants, 19 CDP job seekers went on to begin a Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations, also delivered by Alvin Tan, to further develop their skills and expertise to operate and work on a civil construction plant.