Issue 174: 12 March 2015

WARNING! Some images in this Issue may contain deceased persons that may cause distress to some people. Coolgaree Aboriginal Corporation shut down

Coolgaree Aboriginal Corporation - a community-owned company - is in liquidation after experiencing one break-in after another, the most recent two days after the organisation closed it’s doors, and too many incidents of vandalism to count.

Acting-Operations Manager, the airport, post office, fish “I don’t know what will now caretaker Ray Roberts shop, PCYC, Pub - what is happen to our services says they have been the the total for this community?” now, someone will probably stick which has “broken our he said. come in and take them back” at a cost of more than “I don’t know what my over once they start $70,000. position is now because selling them off.” “$70,000 in stock loss at I’ve just been asked to Coolgaree, thousands more at stay on as caretaker. Continued p 2...

AFL player Nick Malceski enjoying the water off Palm Island. Pic courtesy GC Suns videographer Josh Hamilton In this Issue... • AFL players kick for long term goals at schools Coolgaree closure ‘disappointing’ Council says ...From p 1...

“Services lost to that area of the Island include power card sales, which is a big important thing, the yard maintenance crew plus the - well it wasn’t CDEP anymore, but it was a place for those workers to go, you know, get up in the morning and come down and do something; now I suppose they don’t have anything to do now,” Mr Roberts said.

“I also don’t know about pays run organisation which took on “This is why it’s so important in terms yet, staff got their fortnightly Remote Jobs on Community of economic opportunities for Palm, this wages but as for redundancy, they Program contracts but also had is what happens when you just rely on have to wait for everything to be to make it’s own profit through welfare because government programs signed off on. the cafe, mechanic shop and other change and they change every time “We had three managers and enterprises. you get a new government. What we about seven staff.” “They turned CDEP around to have to understand for Palm is that Mayor Alf Lacey said there was make it into a business enterprise we really have to round up economic nothing Council could do. but it hasn’t worked out. opportunities to sustain ourselves “We are disappointed and feel “To be fair to the Board, the because this is what it’s going to for those families who have lost an Board had to make a decision. be about.” income,” he said. “It was going to be their heads Mr Roberts said he wanted to “Unfortunately, Council hands are on the block if they kept on thank the wider community for tied because Coolgaree is a legal trading insolvent. their support. community identity which made its “The whole loss of Coolgaree “You can thank the community for own decisions through its Board. itself is certainly another dent into their support of Coolgaree over the “Coolgaree was a community- the community. years,” he said.

A profile of Coolgaree published in the Palm Island Voice, Issue 150, March 2014

2 ...Out & About...... on their way home...

It was a crowded ferry heading back to Palm Island on Friday afternoon, Palm Island Voice was there, more pics on page 8! First up we have Todd Pearson & Arona Miller on the left and Wayne Prior on the right... Family skills support program launched for 2015 ’s Red Cross 2015 Family Support Program (FSP) was launched late last month.

Red Cross Indigenous Team specifically on the needs of the providing clients with access Member and Case Manager child, the family and the family to other specialised services in Bonny Hoey said the Family within the community. their community. Support and Referral for Ms Hoey said the model was “The Family Support Active Intervention programs an intensive, holistic case Program’s staff is also worked at developing additional management model based on available to support children parenting, communication and the needs and strengths of and families in other community support skills for families and the individual client and their locations including Day Care children. families. Centres, Kindergartens or any “A lot of the families we “Our approach needs to be other community groups or work with have large extended flexible as our clients have a services,” he said. families often from Palm wide range of needs,” she said. Anyone looking for more Island that come to Townsville “Across all our programs information on the program for a whole range of issues; we have a strong focus on should visit http://www. education, the justice system, ensuring we support individuals redcross.org.au/families.aspx and medical,” she said. and families in a culturally “When these families are appropriate manner, including referred to us and they utilising our deadly Aboriginal become part of our programs and Torres Strait Islander we develop a plan that’s workers to guide our practice.” achievable by the parent and Red Cross Senior Regional support them every step of the Services Manager Gerard Byrne way.” says the event was focused on The free Family Support Red Cross supporting healthy Bonny Hoey, Hannah Program was available to family development and strong Roberts, Holly Mallardi & families with children under relationships for local families Christine Krompci five years of age, focusing in Townsville, as well as

Don’t forget...BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES AND OTHER PUBLIC/COMMUNITY MESSAGES ARE FREE IN YOUR PALM ISLAND VOICE (subject to space)! For more information see page 6! 3 Gold Coast Suns kick for long term goals at schools Gold Coast Suns AFL players Jarrod Harbrow and Nick Malceski travelled to Palm Island last week, as part of the Post Community Camp.

Kathleen Newman, AFL the people they met,” she said. were involved in a number Townsville Regional Manager “AFL is happy the of AFL carnival days in 2014 said both players were very players were able to make the including the Garbutt Magpies keen to visit to spend some journey across to Palm Island Cup. time with the kids and staff at as last time we planned the “We hope that this visit the local schools. trip the flight unfortunately sparks a bit of interest in “They were awe struck by the was cancelled due to bad playing AFL as there is an beauty of the island and the weather. abundance of talented boys friendliness and generosity of “The children on Palm Island and girls on the island.” Their visit was not long after the Suns defeated the Geelong Cats in a NAB pre season game at Townsville’s Tony Ireland Stadium. Suns players have travelled across Queensland and northern New South Wales as part of the 2015 Australia Post AFL Community Camp program. “When we went through the classrooms, we spoke to the kids about healthy eating and

4 Pics courtesy GC Suns videographerJosh Hamilton how important education was,” it is important for life skills sentiments on spreading the Malceski told Suns TV. when we finish school. word on the game of AFL. “We went through the diet we “It was important for us to “It’s obviously rugby league have and how important it is to share our knowledge with that. dominated up here so its good eat healthy and drink healthy. Hopefully they took a little bit to spread the AFL code on the “We also explained how we out of it.” back of the game we played on had to have education before Harbrow, a product of North Sunday against Geelong,” he we got to where we were and Queensland, echoed Malceski’s said.

5 Operating Hours for Council are Monday – Friday Palm Island Aboriginal Shire 8:00am – 5:00pm Council has If you have any questions please 529 ‘likes’ on contact Reception on 4770 1177 Facebook!!! 2015 Rates & Dates Issue No. Deadline / Publication Issue No. Deadline / Publication 175 Thursday 19 March / 26 March 182 Thursday 25 June / 2 July 176 Thursday 2 April / 9 April 183 Thursday 9 July / 16 July 177 Thursday 16 April / 23 April 184 Thursday 23 July / 30 July 178 Thursday 30 April / 7 May 185 Thursday 6 August / 13 August 179 Thursday 14 May / 21 May 186 Thursday 20 August / 27 August 180 Thursday 28 May / 4 June 187 Thursday 3 September/ 10 September 181 Thursday 11 June / 18 June 188 Thursday 17 September / 24 September

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Don’t forget... BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES AND OTHER PUBLIC/COMMUNITY MESSAGES ARE FREE (subject to space!) PLEASE SUPPORT US SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU! Footy calendar offers tons of opportunity

PALM Island may have missed out on hosting the Northern United versus Queensland Outback rugby league game in June, but local footballers will still have a host of football action to attend to in 2015.

The first carnival Palm players will A Northern United side of Origin on Badu Island get to compete in is the Central will be picked to meet from 5th to 7th June and Queensland Reconciliation event at Outback after the FNQ Murri Knockout in southern Rockhampton in early April. Remote Area Regional Queensland from 24th to Skipjacks will play Australian Army Challenge at in late 27th September. Thunder at Palm later in April for the June. That will be followed by Bill Coolburra Memorial Shield. Palm Island will field a the Mareeba PCYC under side against last year’s 17 Cup on 2nd and 3rd champion side Torres October. Stingers, Bowen, Northern Townsville’s Bindal Cape York and Southern Allblacks carnival is on Cape. 10th and 11th October Whilst Palm Island was followed by Zenadth Kes given a strong chance of carnival on TI from 16th to hosting the 2015 United 18th October. A clerical hold up forced Palm versus Outback clash the The Gindaja Cup at Island boxers to withdraw from QRL Northern Division has Cairns is from 23rd to a tournament in Home Hill last again given the game to 25th October and the Dan weekend. Thursday Island on July 4. Ropeyarn Memorial NPA Two weeks previously trainer Last year United, Cup at Bamaga from 29th Ray Dennis (pictured right including Palm’s Lincoln to 31st October. below) travelled to Townsville Poynter jnr, won 30-24 at The Gordonvale Indigenous to register boxers with the TI’s Ken Brown Memorial carnival is on 7th and 8th Sunstate Amateur Boxing Oval. November and the season League. Red tape between There are many other QRL will officially end on 14th officials resulted in the sanctioned carnivals which and 15th November with registrations not being processed Palm players will compete in. the John Bowen Memorial in time for the event. These include the Island carnival at Hope Vale. Club boxers Brayden Nallajar, Fred Ross, Darryl Richardson, Arona Miller, Leelan Sibley, Leroy Baira and Marcus Ketchup along with females Natalie

David, Kathleen Haines and Josie Nallajar are now looking forward to a tournament at Mackay on 21st March. “We should do well,” Mr Dennis said. ...Out & About...... on their way home...

On their way home on the Palm Island ferry last Friday were: (top left) Caleb Geia at the ferry luggage desk; (top right) Candy Walsh, left, holding Jarramarli Doolan, 3, with Karen Doolan holding baby Eli Doolan; (middle left) Detective Paul Enders; (middle right) Costa Sam and Tabua Oui at the ferry and (bottom right) Patricia Seaton, second from right, with friends. And, finally, (bottom left) getting amongst it for Clean Up Australia day on Palm Island.