Koorie Club News

**WARNING: THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS SENSITIVE INFORMATION AND NAMES OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED**

Nation Wide News:

What if the walls of Ballarat could talk? This May, they just might, thanks to a powerful new art exhibition that brings Indigenous voices and history to life.

Wadawurrung artist Jenna Oldaker has teamed up with local Elders and community members to create a stunning art installation inside the historic Ballarat Mining Exchange.

The project, called Deep Listening, shares personal stories from the region’s Aboriginal people, including those from the Stolen Generations, and turns them into immersive artworks. Using bold colours and six guiding themes, spirit, song, story, heart, healing, and history, Oldaker’s works are more than just art. They're windows into the soul of Ballarat’s true history, told by those who lived it. “As a Wadawurrung woman, it’s an honour to give voice to these stories,” Oldaker said. “They remind us that these events happened right here, on the streets we walk every day.”

Each piece includes written reflections that explain the stories behind the images, allowing visitors to connect more deeply with the culture and experiences of the Wadawurrung and Gunditjmara peoples. The Deep Listening exhibition runs alongside Craft Lab 2025 and is supported by the City of Ballarat, local Aboriginal organisations, and a Federal grant. It’s on show at the Mining Exchange on May 17–18 and 24–25. Whether you’re an art lover, a history buff, or just someone who wants to better understand our shared past, this exhibition is must-see.

Victoria’s latest state budget has sparked strong criticism from Aboriginal women’s advocates, who say it misses the mark when it comes to protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) says the government’s decision to pour over $1 billion into a new prison — while only making small changes to unfair bail laws, shows the wrong priorities.

“Too many Aboriginal women are being locked up for being poor or fleeing violence, not for committing serious crimes,” said NATSIWA CEO Wendy Anders. “We’re building prisons instead of building safety.”

Shockingly, more than 90% of Aboriginal women in Victorian prisons haven’t even been sentenced. Many are there due to minor offences, often related to poverty, homelessness, or domestic abuse. The government has announced some bail law changes, but NATSIWA says they’re too slow and don’t go far enough. The group is calling for the complete removal of the harsh “reverse-onus” bail rules, which make it harder for people to be granted bail, especially for low-level, non-violent offences. Instead of more prisons, NATSIWA wants to see real investment in culturally safe housing, mental health services, and support for women escaping violence, all led by Aboriginal communities.

“This is about justice, safety, and respect,” said Anders. “The question is: Will Victoria listen to its First Nations women, or keep punishing them for needing help?”

In the Northern Territory, Aboriginal business leaders are calling out the government’s 2025-26 budget for once again leaving them behind. The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) says while there’s welcome funding for housing and justice, there’s little support for Indigenous-led economic growth. According to NTIBN, this continues a worrying pattern of overlooking Aboriginal businesses, even though they’re creating jobs, driving innovation, and reinvesting in communities. “Aboriginal businesses aren’t charity cases,” said NTIBN CEO Naomi Anstess. “We are employers, builders, service providers, and key to the Territory’s future economy.”

The budget, she says, offers no major investment in Indigenous enterprise, no major reforms to government contract processes, and no real plan to remove long-standing barriers like limited access to capital. Worse, the government introduced a Sacred Sites Bill without properly consulting Traditional Owners. Anstess says that decision not only threatens cultural heritage, but also economic opportunities built on land and sea rights.

"This is not just about business, it’s about our right to control our own futures,” she said. NTIBN is urging the government to create a Territory-wide Indigenous economic development strategy, expand procurement policies to include more Aboriginal contractors, and support Aboriginal businesses in growing industries like renewable energy and bush foods. “We have the solutions,” Anstess said. “What we need now is a government that sees us not as stakeholders, but as partners.”

Doing the little things, like tying shoes or reaching a seatbelt, can get harder with age. But a new guide developed by Aboriginal Elders and organisations is making those everyday tasks easier for mob across Victoria.

The Everyday Tools to Help Mob guide is packed with helpful tips and simple products that support older Indigenous people with home, garden, and travel tasks. It’s available for free both online and in print. Created through a partnership between the healthy ageing initiative LiveUp and Aboriginal organisations like the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) and VACCHO, the guide was co-designed with an Elder working group to ensure it truly meets community needs.

“We want our people to stay strong, safe, and independent,” said Robyn Bradley, a palliative care worker who helped shape the guide. “Even something like putting on socks or lifting a kettle, these small things matter.”

The guide showcases low-cost assistive products like easy-grip cutlery, two-handled mugs, seatbelt reachers, and pre-threaded needles, many of which can be found at local stores for under $5. There are also videos online that demonstrate how to use them.

Elder Janet Pyke said she never knew about these helpful tools until she saw the guide, and her daughter Paula Russell agrees. “You don’t realise how tough simple tasks can get as you age. This helps keep families informed.”

The project also brings together creatives, health experts, and Elders to ensure the guide is accessible, culturally safe, and aligned with the new Aged Care Act, which recognises the rights of Elders to make informed choices.

VAHS Chief Operations Officer Gavin Brown said it's all about giving Elders the support they deserve: “This guide is a big help for our old people. We’re proud to back it.”

Sports News

The AFL is once again celebrating the powerful legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players with Sir Doug Nicholls Round, and this year’s theme, Past Legacies, Future Legends, is lighting up stadiums across the country.

In Western Australia, both the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles are proudly embracing Indigenous culture, starting with new team names and eye-catching jersey designs created by First Nations artists. The Dockers will be known as Walyalup for the round, and their special Indigenous jumper was designed by former AFL star Jeff Farmer, alongside his family and former teammate Roger Hayden. It tells the story of Farmer’s life journey, his hometown Tambellup, and the Noongar culture of WA’s Great Southern region. The design includes powerful symbols like the Djiti-Djiti (Willie Wagtail), rivers that sustained generations of Noongar people, and Bluff Knoll, where Farmer and six other First Nations teammates once made AFL history together.

“It’s a design that honours my footy journey and our people’s deep connection to land and water,” Farmer said. “It’s something I hope our family and community can look to for years to come.”

The jumper also lists the names of every Indigenous player who has ever played for the Dockers, a proud tribute to those who’ve come before.

The West Coast Eagles, now known as Waalitj Marawar for the round, are also showcasing their culture through a bold jersey designed by artists Kevin Wilson and Taryn Woods. The design represents the land, stories, and strength of the Noongar people and features input from the club’s current First Nations players.

The round honours Sir Doug Nicholls, a proud Aboriginal man who was a footy star, human rights leader, and the first Indigenous Governor of an Australian state. His legacy continues to inspire the league, players, and fans alike.

This year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round is extra special, thanks to a powerful new football design that celebrates Torres Strait Islander culture. Former Adelaide Crow Ben Nabea Davis, who has roots in Saibai and Waiben Islands, has teamed up with Sherrin to create a special footy, called Koethuka Kakur (which means “football” in his traditional language, Kala Kawaw Ya). It’s the second time Davis has designed for this round. His artwork weaves in Torres Strait symbols like the Dhari headdress, shark teeth patterns, and basket weaving to represent strength, culture, and the passing of knowledge from Elders to the next generation.

“There’s power in seeing your culture celebrated like this,” Davis said. “For a long time, people didn’t even know the difference between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is a way to share who we are.”

He also included the warup, a ceremonial drum, because he sees a link between cultural dance and the energy of footy matches: “We gather around the drum to watch and support our dancers, just like we do around a footy oval.”

The footy replaces the traditional “Sherrin” label with Koethuka Kakur, proudly written in the Torres Strait language. “If you can roll your Rs, you can say it,” Davis joked. With only one Torres Strait Islander currently in the AFL or AFLW, Gold Coast’s Heidi Talbot, Davis said he’s proud to help increase visibility and pride through his art.

“This round goes beyond football,” he said. “It’s about valuing our cultures, our stories, and who we are as First Nations people.”

Didge ya know?

This year marks the anniversary of the famous Freedom Ride, a brave journey in 1965 when a group of university students, led by Charles Perkins, travelled through rural New South Wales to shine a spotlight on the unfair treatment of Aboriginal people.

The Freedom Riders exposed racism, segregation, and poor living conditions in towns where Aboriginal people were denied basic rights like access to pools, schools, and public spaces. Their courageous actions helped start important changes for Indigenous rights across Australia.

The Freedom Ride is remembered as a key moment in the fight for equality, inspiring many to stand up for justice and fairness for First Nations people.

Rachel Aden (Koorie Group Leader) – ADE0010@sthelena.vic.edu.au

For any other support needed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples please visit: https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/