An Indigenous 'Voice to Parliament' --- rejected

Indigenous leaders have decried Malcolm Turnbull’s rejection of the Referendum Council’s recommendations as a “real kick in the guts”, having “broken First Nations’ hearts”, and derailed the process and likelihood of Indigenous constitutional recognition.

The council had recommended a referendum be held to change Australia’s Constitution to establish an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament”. While details were to be worked out in discussion with Indigenous communities, it was envisaged that such a body would empower Indigenous people to have a voice on legislation and policy that affects them.

This idea followed an 18-month process of consultation and debate, including six months of regional dialogues with Indigenous people across Australia. At these dialogues, Indigenous people documented their feelings of voicelessness in Australian politics.

The process culminated in a constitutional convention at Uluru, where around 250 delegates agreed to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

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Further reading: Listening to the heart: what now for Indigenous recognition after the Uluru summit? and Towards an indigenous voice.

NAIDOC WEEK 2018 - Because of her we can

Nick Wight, East Coordinator of Indigenous Ministries Australia and coordinator of Indigenous engagement at SURRENDER, celebrates the endurance, perseverance and resilience of Aunty Margaret Little.

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Resilience… this is the current that runs strong and unbroken through Aunty Margaret’s life… endurance, perseverance and incredible resilience.

Aunty Margaret Little is a proud Noongar woman from south-west Western Australia now living and ministering alongside her husband Greg amongst the Indigenous community of WA’s third largest city, Bunbury.

Aunty Margaret was just 16 years old when she first heard about Jesus. Her decision to follow him was almost instantaneous, but only two years later she walked away from her faith. Soon after she married her husband Greg.

It wasn’t until their eldest son Alan was around 14 that Margaret and Greg renewed their faith – in the early 1980's – and immediately jumped straight into a ministry role further north in Port Hedland.

Aunty Margaret and Uncle Greg then faced four years of very dark times. They were tested physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Aunty Margaret can testify to the very real spiritual forces at work during this time. The terror was real. Uncle Greg ended up with an alcohol addiction and it placed untold pressure on their relationship, the community and with God. 

The only consistent thing through this dark time was prayer.

The inner voice of the Spirit would speak to Margaret saying, ‘Jesus Christ is stronger than satan’ over and over, year after year. Margaret’s faith and solidarity with Jesus saw her stand with Greg and believe in God’s goodness and His offer of healing in their lives. In 1998 they experienced God’s enduring grace and strength through it all, as He led them to relocate to the remote community of Warburton in outback WA. Here Greg entered a time of healing from his addictions.

Their faith and ministry journey continued, including time back in Greg’s home community of Pingelly, and eventually God brought them to Bunbury in 2000 where Greg accepted a position as an Indigenous Support Officer in the local prison. It's incredible how God would reveal His heart for young Aboriginal people to Margaret and Greg even in the midst of their own very real struggles. They continued to be faithful to the vocational call of ministry and after the death of Margaret’s pastor, brother Len, they moved into leadership of the Bunbury church. Here Margaret’s infectious spirit and hard work has been a bedrock of the activities of the church – Easter conventions, 12 years of work in the local Djidi Djidi Aboriginal school, mentoring of emerging leaders, young ex-offenders living in their home, and an ongoing tireless ministry of hospitality.

Aunty Margaret Little is an Elder who we can say because of her… her resilience, her faith, her love, we can!

– written by Nick Wight.

Share Aunty Margaret's story:

  

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'One Way'
Shaliece Farmer
Nations: Noongar (WA)
Lives: Perth

Throughout this week we are sharing artworks from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists who are part of The Grasstree Gathering network. These artworks are currently on display at Newtown Mission in Sydney, available for public viewing this coming weekend. These artworks are being shared with permission of the artists, and are not to be copied or reproduced. If you would like to purchase an artwork from the artist please email grasstree.gathering@gmail.com.

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This email is part of our NAIDOC Week series "Because of her, we can!" celebrating Aboriginal Christian women who have shaped our lives, our churches and our nation.

Celebrating MABO DAY in Melbourne

Join us at midday on Sunday 3rd June at Melbourne’s Federation Square to celebrate the 26th Anniversary of Mabo Day.

THEN

Join us from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at the Melbourne Unitarian Peace Memorial Church (110 Grey St, East Melbourne 3002) for an afternoon of music, singing, conversation and afternoon tea to celebrate the 26th Anniversary of Mabo Day.

Bring your family and friends with you to breathe life back into the stalled Reconciliation Process between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by celebrating Mabo Day with us.

Make a Change with Children's Ground and Black Rock Band

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

It is my privilege to invite you to a very special celebration for our friends, family and community of supporters in Melbourne. Join Children's Ground and the Black Rock Band at the Melba Spiegeltent to "Make a Change" in 2018. Stand with Australia's First Nations communities during National Reconciliation Weekwho rise every day to create a better future for their children and families. Inspired by the dynamic and talented Black Rock Band, who will perform on the night, this will be a night for all generations. Share in the journey of Arrernte Elders who are leading the way for the next generation of children in Central Australia and the young Bininj men from the Black Rock Band (Kakadu West Arnhem) who have emerged as champions for social justice, navigating their own personal challenges to bring about change for their communities. We will celebrate all of you who make Children’s Ground possible. All are welcome so please share this invitation with friends, family and anyone you think may be interested as we are inviting new change makers to join us.

Head to our 'Make a Change' event on Facebook, click 'going', invite your friends and stay informed as we get closer to the date.  If you can't make in on the night, but want to stand with us and make a change, donate to Children's Ground via our website.  All proceeds go directly towards the work of Children's Ground - towards honouring the wisdom and talents in First Nations communities and supporting their leaders who are driving the change for their children and their families and future generations. We really hope to see you there.  With Love,  Jane Vadiveloo CEO, Children's Ground  Children's Ground: Make a ChangeatThe Melba Spiegeltent 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066

The out-speakers: Larissa Minniecon, Chris Bedding, and Israel Folau. The last two are served with plenty of hot water.

Holy hot potatoes: 2 holy 2 hot

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Sunday 29 April 2018 6:05AM

Alright everyone, preheat your ovens, pray a blessing on your spuds and break out the sour cream – it’s time for some more holy hot potatoes. This week James Carleton feasts on the spicy issues found in the news, and his dinner guests aren’t afraid of a bit of controversy. Larissa Minniecon is an Aboriginal Christian activist and Rev Chris Bedding is a pirate priest who recently avoided charges of blasphemy.

In this episode:
The Bible has been part of the fabric of Australian culture since 1788, so should it be studied in state schools?

Usury was considered a sin by Christians for over a thousand years, but today the rules are much more lenient. Today, banks are being dragged before a Royal Commission into their conduct, and the findings are not pretty.

Israel Folau’s theological assertions may have ruffled feathers, but he’s still allowed to play. That means his freedom of speech is intact, right? Right?

Further reading on Israel Folau

There’s over a million pieces of rock art on the Burrup Peninsula, but according to the Western Australian government, it’s also a great location for a petrochemical plant.

Supporting Information

Read Professor Katharine Gelber's essay on the Israel Folau controversy: "Israel Folau has failed as a role model with his Instagram comments on gay people"

Read Jeremy Sammut's essay on the Israel Folau controversy: "Mandatory diversity"

Guests:

Larissa Minniecon, former leader of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice team at the Christian advocacy group Common Grace, now studying Christian and Indigenous spirituality at the University of Western Sydney.

Rev Chris Bedding, rector at St Cuthbert's Anglican Church in Darlington, Perth. He is also an actor, activist and one half of the comedy duo, Pirate Church.

Presenter:

James Carleton

Producer:

Rohan Salmond

Mandatory Diversity

from the

Centre for Independent Studies

Aborigines Claim for Citizen Rights (1938) proclaimed by Australian actor, Uncle Jack Charles

On the 80th anniversary of the 'Day of Mourning' 

Uncle Jack Charles performs an adaptation of the 

'Aborigines Claim for Citizen Rights!' (1938). 

#AlwaysWillBe

Australia Day - the great divide?

In Australia, we are moving towards Australia Day on 26 January.  

In my lifetime, this day has gone from barely or spasmodically celebrated to become a matter of great controversy.  It has become, it seems, symbolic of settler relationships with First Nations peoples.  Settler relationships have been murderous in some places and peaceful co-existence in others. In the colonization of Australia, history reveals some very unattractive and venal settlers.  Included among these are some very distinguished citizens. I choose not to name the ones I know because their descendants are still very distinguished citizens. 

However, one of Australia's most distinguished citizens whose regard for Aboriginal people was at the opposite end of the spectrum is Dame Mary Gilmore. Mary's parents were a bit different from the majority. Her Scottish parents allowed her to live with local Aboriginal people.  In the book pictured above, we get some of Gilmore's insights.  For instance, she tells that Aboriginal people could count the stars in the night sky; that they used a complex form of tallying on the fingers of their hands. 

We need to remember that we have

overwhelmed but in no way extinguished

an ancient and complex culture and its nations.

And we have so much to learn.