ANTaR New South Wales Newsletter Sept 2004 Future of Indigenous nursing degree uncertain The Howard Government has authorised Sydney in 2003. It operates from campuses in Sydney and University to shed its Indigenous nursing degree. Orange. The Orange-based course offers short Undergraduate nursing may be closed down intensive blocks of study that enable students to altogether at Sydney, with students transferred to continue to live in their communities and overcome other institutions. The Commonwealth Minister for some barriers they typically face in gaining tertiary Education, Brendan Nelson, claims that the qualifications. There is preferred entry for Indigenous nursing program will continue at other Indigenous applicants, Indigenous staff institutions, but has not explained the details of how that will happen. continued back page Indigenous health is a national crisis in Australia. It is widely agreed that better access to primary health care and a larger health workforce, particularly well-trained Indigenous health care workers, are essential to tackle this crisis. This was recently reinforced by the publication of the Australian Medical Association’s (AMA) third Report Card on Indigenous health, based on research by Access Economics, which estimates that there is a funding shortfall of $452.5 million per year in funding for Indigenous primary health care and health workforce. Only an additional $40 million over the next four years was offered in the 2004 Federal budget. A trained Indigenous health workforce is especially important and the AMA estimates that an additional The National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance 2,570 Indigenous nurses need to be trained. News Committee (NAIDOC) recently named Senator Aden that a specialist Indigenous nursing course faces an Ridgeway as its Indigenous Person of the Year. An uncertain future is therefore very worrying. Australian Democrat Senator for NSW, Aden Ridgeway is currently the only Indigenous person in the Federal The move has been criticised by many, including the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Parliament and is standing for re-election as leader of the NSW Nurses Association and the non- the Democrat NSW candidates team for the Senate. government parties in the Senate. ANTaR NSW The National NAIDOC Committee grants this award urges its supporters to inform themselves about this yearly from nominations by the Indigenous community. issue and fight to protect specialist nursing training Those previously honoured include Cathy Freeman, in Indigenous health. Jimmy Little, Deborah Mailman and Evonne Goolagong-Cawley. The Bachelor of Nursing (Indigenous Australian Health) was introduced at Sydney University only >> Get your Federal Election Kit! www.antar.org.au >> ANTaR NSW President’s Report The period since the April newsletter New Staff Member for ANTaR has been so busy that we are surprised Janene Collins is a welcome new face in the ANTaR Office, working from Monday to to be already planning the 2004 Wednesday – part-time for ANTaR NSW Annual General Meeting, scheduled for and part-time for ANTaR National. 20 November (see insert for details). Janene comes with extensive experience in both paid and voluntary positions for com- munity organisations. Working with Radio As we go to press the date of the federal Skid Row, with its commitment to election has just been announced. The National Aboriginal content, put her in touch with Office has produced the ANTaR Federal Aboriginal people, their issues and music. Election Kit 2004. This can be downloaded The experience of working with Aboriginal from the ANTaR website (www.antar.org.au) people helped her appreciate the urgent need and printed copies are available from the for justice for Indigenous peoples and the ANTaR office (9555 6138). A federal election importance of organisations such as ANTaR. insert with this newsletter includes extracts from the election kit and details about Indigenous candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives in NSW. We ANTaR NSW Newsletter encourage our members to follow up is published by Australians for Native candidates in their electorates and ask their Title and Reconciliation views on issues of justice for Indigenous (New South Wales) Inc., people, and to support the campaigns of Indigenous candidates wherever they can. PO Box 1176, Rozelle NSW 2039; ph 02 9555 6138, In August, ANTaR NSW convened a second email [email protected], meeting of individuals and organisations on the website www.antar.org.au issue of Stolen Wages (see report page 4) and has prepared a submission for the Aboriginal This issue was produced by:Anne, Claire, Trust Funds Reparation Scheme Panel, Sally, Sean, Bob, Hugh. available on the NSW ANTaR website. Thanks also for help with writing, Margaret Brennan, Sea of Hands Coordinator, research and production to: Janene, reports there were so many requests for Elizabeth,Tony, Sylvie, Kathleen, Liz, displays during Reconciliation and NAIDOC David, and Hilary. Weeks that a school that missed out has already booked for 2005. If you want a Sea of We welcome volunteer assistance with Hands in your area contact Margaret through this newsletter and all other aspects of the ANTaR Office (9555 6138). ANTaR’s work – please contact us as Please put our AGM meeting date, 20 above. November, in your diary. We look forward to seeing you there! Claire Colyer, President,ANTaR NSW 2 ANTaR NSW Newsletter | September 2004 LOCAL GROUP PROFILE The Eurobodalla Walking Together Group ‘Eurobodalla’, Land of Many Waters, is a beautiful coastal strip of forest and lakes on the NSW South Coast, from the middens of Murramarang, north of Batemans Bay, to the sacred mountain Gulaga, and Wallaga Lake near Narooma. ‘Walking Together’ signifies Koori and non-Indigenous people working for social justice and Reconciliation. Eurobodalla Walking Together Group started in to Uluru and elsewhere in the Northern Territory 1993, inspired by the Council for Aboriginal and Western Australia. Reconciliation’s Learning Circle kit of materials for studying Aboriginal history, culture, and the Cooperation with Eurobodalla Shire Council was need for social justice. greatly assisted by their decisions to set up an Aboriginal Consultative Committee, and to fly the From the beginning, relations with the Koori Koori flag each day at the Council chambers with community were good. For several years, earlier the Australian and New South Wales flags. members had joined in Yuin Elder Anne Thomas’s Council also supported an Aboriginal Art women’s dreaming camps. This connection led to exhibition over a number of years, to which the a special focus at the Women’s Spirit Event at Walking Together Group contributed one of the Murramarang in 1999. As well, members have prizes. Council has also helped the Walking been invited to attend several of the Yuin Elder Together Group with distribution, postage, and Council Conferences. meeting places. The Walking Together Group has organized or A week after the historic Sydney Harbour Bridge participated in National Reconciliation Week Walk on 28 May 2000, Eurobodalla had its own events and NAIDOC Week celebrations, in co- Walk across the Moruya River Bridge, with an operation with the Cobowra Land Council at estimated 3000 people, a remarkable result for a Moruya and other local land councils. small regional area. Events such as elder story telling under the trees We also work with the Tribal Warrior boat group, in Moruya during school holidays became a very and on health issues and camping site campaigns. popular way to teach children (and their parents) about Koori history, culture and customs. With Contact: Hugh Southon, support from Eurobodalla Shire Council and the 54 Burri Point Road, NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Guerilla Bay, NSW 2536 project continued for a number of years. email: [email protected] phone/fax: 02 4471 7624 Sea of Hands installations with their strong mobile: 0418 388 670 message of Reconciliation and social justice have been the focus of Reconciliation Week events in Batemans Bay, Moruya, Narooma, and Bermagui. Four of our members took part in ANTaR’s ‘Round Australia Tour’ taking the Sea of Hands ANTaR NSW Newsletter | September 2004 3 NSW Aboriginal trust funds: panel looks at repayment scheme Participants at the Redfern meeting, August 2004, including representatives from: ANTaR, Trade Union Committee on Aboriginal Rights, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Link-Up, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, NSW Reconciliation Council, Indigenous Law Centre, Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries, Kinchela Boys’ Home Inc and NSW Sorry Day Committee n February 2004, the NSW Government’s met with potential claimants. It is due to report to liability on Aboriginal trust funds was the Government in October 2004. Idramatically exposed via a leaked draft cabinet minute in the National Indigenous Times. In Meanwhile, since January 2004 ANTaR NSW has response, Premier Bob Carr apologised to the hosted meetings and conferred with potential Aboriginal people of NSW, publicly admitting claimants and other individuals and organisations that from 1900 to 1969 many people had their to canvass views and offer support. These wages, pensions, family endowments, inheritances included Senator Aden Ridgeway, the NSW and lump sum payments paid into trust accounts. Aboriginal Land Council, the NSW Reconciliation “Those funds were held in trust, and our Council, the Federation of Traditional Owners predecessors failed that trust,” Mr Carr said. Council of NSW, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Link-Up (NSW), the NSW Sorry Since then, Premier Carr has committed the Day Committee, the Indigenous Law Centre (ILC) present NSW government to make amends and at UNSW, the Trade Union Committee on announced the creation of the Aboriginal Trust Aboriginal Rights (TUCAR) and the Labor Funds Reparation Scheme (ATFRS). Council of NSW. These consultations have assisted with the research and drafting of a fact Announcing the scheme, Carr emphasised that sheet on Aboriginal trust funds by the ILC, which payments will not be capped, that claimants will is available at www.ilc.unsw.edu.au.