Koorie Club News
**WARNING: THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS NAMES OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION**
Nation Wide News:
The Northern Territory Police Commissioner, Michael Murphy, has issued a historic apology to Indigenous Australians for past harms and injustices committed by the police force. This apology was delivered at the Garma Festival and marked a significant step towards reconciliation. Murphy acknowledged the force's mistakes and committed to changing the relationship between police and Indigenous communities. He outlined plans to address racism within the force and increase the number of Indigenous officers.The apology comes amid growing pressure for police reform, particularly following the death of Kumanjayi Walker.
A new centre, the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, has opened in Shepparton. The centre is a collaborative project between Indigenous and government organizations, aiming to provide education, cultural programs, and community support. The centre is designed to be a hub for Aboriginal leadership and knowledge but will also serve the wider community. It is seen as a significant step towards reconciliation and creating a better future for Indigenous Australians.
One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson discusses the public’s “perception” of her due to inaccurate representation in the media and how she has to “wear” it all the time.“ I have copped so much thrown at me and the perception people have you know, it started when they said I would not represent the Aboriginal people and I never said it at all,” Ms Hanson told Sky News host Chris Kenny.
“Yet it has never been retracted … I have to wear this all the time, the perception people have about me, my policies, is not the truth.”
https://www.news.com.au/national/northern-territory/we-need-to-own-our-past-nt-police-commissioner-to-apologise-to-indigenous-community-over-historical-injustices-harms/news-story/65ef8a24c64e655aede040f4f153b5dchttps://nit.com.au/07-08-2024/12962/indigenous-led-education-centre-opens-its-doors-in-shepparton-to-create-healthy-people-healthy-communities-and-the-leaders-of-tomorrowhttps://www.news.com.au/national/pauline-hanson-discusses-her-public-image-due-to-media-representation-bias/video/baf3287515d5a70cf099271dc1f739d5
Sports News:
The AFL’s Collingwood Football Club has been hit with a bombshell racism scandal. Senior executives at the AFL club have been accused of highly offensive racial slurs towards Indigenous players and a Jewish colleague. According to reports from The Herald Sun, Collingwood Football Club Chief Executive Craig Kelly has been accused of joking about putting a ‘live possum’ in a special room for Indigenous players and calling an Aboriginal elder a ‘dumb' and 'old’. The paper has obtained explosive court documents which also claim Mr Kelly joked about sending a photograph of a sign in an offensive manner to a Jewish colleague to wind her up.
Australian beach volleyballer Taliqua Clancy and her teammate Mariafe Artacho del Solar are one win away from a possible gold medal match. They defeated the previously undefeated Swiss team Esmée Böbner and Zoé Vergé-Dépré in the quarterfinals. Their next match will be against either Latvia or Brazil to determine their spot in the finals. Suncorp Super Netball is being criticised for a lack of Indigenous representation despite having an "Indigenous Round". There is only one Indigenous player (Jemma Mi Mi) across all eight teams and only two Indigenous Diamonds in the past 20 years (Marcia Ella-Duncan and Sharon Finnan-White). Cultural barriers and a lack of support programs might be hindering the development of Indigenous talent.
https://www.news.com.au/national/bombshell-racism-scandal-hits-collingwood-football-club/video/e1997bfd6e42c78e81914284a53aee20https://nit.com.au/07-08-2024/12949/paris-2024-clancy-moves-into-semis-after-three-set-victory-over-undefeated-swiss-pair
Didge ya know?
Every year on the 1st of July, Torres Strait Islanders celebrate the Coming of the Light which commemorates the adoption of Christianity across the islands. This began on 1st July 1871 when the Reverend Samuel Macfarlane of the London Missionary Society anchored at Erub Island and was welcomed on the island. Coming of the Light is an island-specific public holiday and many Torres Strait Islanders, whether they live on the islands or the mainland, will come together every year to celebrate this day.
On a side note, storytelling and performance are such important aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Dance and theatre companies such as ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Djirri Djirri Dancers, and Bangarra Dance Theatre have regular performances that are great to check out!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Koorie Group Leaders.
Rachel Aden (Koorie Group Leader) – ADE0010@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Jamie Humphries (Koorie Group Leader) – HUM0004@sthelena.vic.edu.au
For any other support needed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples please visit: https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/