This Newsletter Is Supported by a Community Grant from the City of Port Phillip

Mungo…

This newsletter is supported by a Community Grant from the City of Port Phillip

and printed with the assistance of the Member for Albert Park, Martin Foley, MP.

April, 2010

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FROM THE CO-CHAIR

Congratulations: To Aunty Maria Starcevic, one of 20 “inspirational Victorian women inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in the lead up to International Women’s Day celebrations on 8 March. Minister for Women's Affairs, Maxine Morand, noted that in the 10th year of the Honour Roll there were some exceptional additions including the Aboriginal rights champions Eleanor Bourke and ‘Aunty’ Maria Starcevic. “This year we celebrate a remarkable group of women who have used their tenacity, vision, outstanding leadership, commitment and just plain hard work to succeed in their chosen field and have a lasting impact on their community,” she said. Aunty Maria, a former City of Port Phillip Citizen of the Year and wonderful PPCfR friend, is actively involved with the local community.

Farewell: Bo Svoronos, the City of Port Phillip’s Indigenous Arts Officer who left his job at the end of the month. Hecame along to our last meeting to give us a snapshot overview of some of the activities he’s been involved with over the past four years. We wish Bo all the best for his future endeavours and suspect our paths will cross again.

Architects for Peace: Helen Bennett, Gael Wilson and I were among those who privileged to hear about some of the issues relating to providing suitable housing for Indigenous people and communities in remote areas during a presentation organized by Architects for Peace. The talk and accompany slide show was presented by Dr David O'Brien from the University of Melbourne’s School of Architecture Design and Technology. One of the other speakers was student and PPCfR member Allison Stout. She’s working with communities to design houses that the people actually want to live in, something that successive governments seem unable to come to grips with. We heard about some housing solutions that seemed to be inspiring, practical and very cost-effective, so why aren’t more of these types of houses being built?

Letter campaign: Members Noelleen Ward and Vivienne McCutcheon have begun a campaign to write ‘letters to editors’ about specific subjects. The Port Phillip Leader recently ran a letter from Noelleen about the plight of bi-language Indigenous language programs in NT schools.

Guest speaker: You are warmly invited to come along to our April meeting and meet guest speaker, Judith Hanley who will talk about her role of Indigenous Access Worker at the St Kilda Health Access Centre.

Rosemary Rule

Next meeting:

Other items:

Bo leaves Council

Bo Svoronos has left his position as Indigenous Arts Officerwith the City of Port Phillip. He told colleagues: “My time within the role has greatly developed my professional skills, influenced my artistic vision and expanded my spiritual being. My pursuit post COPP will be the finalisation of a PhD based on the Yalukit Willam Ngargee: People Place Gathering and Reciprocity and the practice of my own artistic and writing ventures. During my period working for the COPP I have observed the growth and maintenance of relationships between the organisation and community and I believe the City of Port Phillip is at an innovative point where it can assist in shaping a safe, just and harmonious community through genuine acts of reciprocity and open communication. I would like to thank you for your assistance over the past four and a half years having deeply enjoyed my time working as the Indigenous Arts Officer.” When asked what he was most proud of, Bo said it was initiating the Yalukit Willam Ngargee Indigenous festivals held annually in St Kilda. He said he believes the Council intends to reinstate the role of Indigenous Inclusion officer, something our group would definitely support, and encouraged us to do what we could to introduce more relevant signage around the City and to continue to connect with the local community. Among other things, Bo will be completing a PhD based on the Yalukit Willam Ngargee. Bo’s work has had a significant impact within the City of Port Phillip, as various Council staffers and community members testified at a BBQ farewell held for him at the Peanut Farm where those present also discovered how well he can sing!

ANTaR News

One of ANTaR’s current campaigns is the reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act in relation to the Northern Territory Intervention. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin introduced a Bill to the Parliament to give effect to Labour’s promise to reinstate the RDA. It is called the Social Security and other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of Racial Discrimination Act) Bill 2009. However, the way the Minister intends to reinstate the RDA in the Bill will ensure it is only partially restored, allowing most of the discriminatory measures to continue largely unchanged. This will be achieved by the omission of crucial technical clauses (such as a 'notwithstanding clause') and the unjustified designation of the measures as 'special measures' under the RDA. This will deny communities the ability to effectively challenge the measures under the RDA. The Senate Community Affairs Committee has held an Inquiry into this Bill, to which ANTaR made a submission. Currently, the Minister is pushing for the Government's Bill to be passed so that Labour can keep its promise of reinstating the RDA. In a change of heart, Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has indicated that the Opposition will now support the Bill, ensuring its passage. However, it was not debated in the March 2010 sittings of the Senate and will now have to wait till the May Budget sittings. ANTaR says the Bill must be amended to include a 'notwithstanding clause' to ensure that Aboriginal people have access to the full protection of the Racial Discrimination Act. People are urged write to or contact their local Member of Parliament, urging the full reinstatement of the RDA but raising these concerns with them and asking them to ensure that the legislation is amended in accordance with the points raised above before it is passed.

Also: The majority of ANTaR Vic’s work is done by volunteers. Considering the gains we have made as an organization, this is a tremendous achievement and something to be celebrated and commended! Join us in making a difference; work closely with people dedicated to social justice and gain new skills! Fill in a volunteer application from our website, attach your resume and either post it to 67 Brunswick St Fitzroy, 3056, or email to queries, contact Charlotta Lomas, Office & Volunteer Coordinator, 9419-3613.

University news

Professor Mick Dodson has been appointed as co-chairman of Australian Studies at Harvard University and will be based in the Indigenous Development Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He is currently director the Australian National University’s National Centre for Indigenous Studies. Mr Dodson’s co-chair is Chris McAuliffe, Melbourne University art historian and Ian Potter Gallery Director. There’s more good news. Two Aboriginal students have won scholarships honouring activist Charles Perkins for study at Oxford University. Paul Gray will complete a doctorate in psychology, and Christian Thompson who will pursue doctoral studies in fine arts. Charles Perkins was the first Aboriginal man to graduate from university. There are now 8, 5000 indigenous people studying at universities across Australia.

Noel Tovey Scholarship

This year’s Noel Tovey Achievement Award, made in association with the Flying Fruit fly Circus, went to a young man from Mildura. Eighteen year old Phil Murray was taken from his mother when he was 18 months old. He’s turned his life around and is now a rapper, musician and a community worker.

Billionaires’ mission

A group of billionaires including media moguls Jamie Packer, Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Stokes, chief executives along with actors Cate Blanchett and Russell Crowe are getting ready to officially about launch ‘Generation One’, an ambitious project to help indigenous youth get jobs being

spearheaded by Andrew Forrest, CEO of Fortescue Metals who’s said to be Australia’s richest man. Generation One supporters want to convince big business to get on board and hire Aboriginal Australians, reckoning that if properly trained and equally valued, indigenous employees are economically valuable and inspirational to the other employees and can become mentors. Andrew Forrest grew up in a remote WA station with Aboriginal people and for several years has been trying to galvanise other ‘captains of industry’ to provide more employment and training opportunities as a pragmatic way of helping Indigenous people. The group is keen to stress their project is not about welfare.

Vale Chicka Dixon

Chicka (Charles) Dixon passed away in Sydney last month. A pioneering Aboriginal activist, he co-founded the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972. He was a campaigner before the 1967 Referendum that led to the Commonwealth including Aborigines in the national census and chaired the Aboriginal Arts Board. He was 81.

Indigenous law ban

The Rudd government has decided to leave in place a controversial ban preventing judges from considering Aboriginal customary law when meting out justice. In the review that was carried out by the criminal justice div. Of the Attorney-General’s Department, they also decided to reinstate a rule that forced courts to consider a person’s cultural background when handing out sentences or deciding whether to release the offender without conviction. The Law Council of Australia, who contributed to the review, believes the ban should be overturned, arguing that the courts should, when appropriate, have the right to consider cultural factors in determining sentences.

1000 Cities 1000 Lives Melbourne

This is a World Health Day community event at Albert Park Reserve on Sunday 11th April, an initiative of the World Health Organization and part of a global movement to make our cities healthier, and raise awareness for public health in urbanized environments. This is a FREE community event encouraging people to be active whilst also recognizing our multi-cultural heritage. All participants will be representing their favourite city. The day will include a 5km walk around the lake plus a range of activities to keep everyone active and having fun. The ambassador for the event is personal trainer Michelle Bridges from Channel Ten hit series ‘The Biggest Loser’. Michelle will be onsite to energize participants with some warm up exercisers as well as offering health tips. The walk will commence at 9am with activities taking place between 9.30am and 1.00pm; over 1,000 people are expected to participate in this event. For more event information please visit www.1000cities1000livesmelbourne.com

Homeless Memorial 2010

Ten Year Anniversary

Publicly grieving with marginalised people

to promote health and well being for everyone

Each year many people die who have lived significant parts of their lives without shelter, dislocated from mainstream society. Indigenous and marginalised people’s health is seriously compromised by their living conditions. They may have lived lives of transience with no sense of belonging. They may have had issues of substance abuse and not have been able to maintain their homes. They may have fled domestic violence and have had no family to go to. They may have mental illness and not know where to get help or who to turn to.

People who have died while homeless usually have friends and family who have shared their lives at some point along their journey. They may not hear about funeral services in time to attend, therefore when services do occur they often do not reflect the person’s lived experience nor do they reflect the courage, strength and honour marginalised people demonstrate in surviving in difficult circumstances.

People who are marginalised through homelessness often experience the civil dislocation of being excluded from positive, uplifting events. Once a year we come together as a community in the inner south region of Melbourne to honour and remember. This is remembrance night, the night of the Homeless Memorial. The Homeless Memorial is a ceremony held on the evening of the winter solstice in a local park. It includes indigenous dancing, writing in a memorial book, planting a memorial tree, telling stories and sharing food. It provides an opportunity to honour and respect the lived experience of people who have died while homeless, or because of it.

The site of the event, the Peanut Farm in St Kilda, was chosen because it is place where people go to sleep and a place where people meet. It is also a place where people may be judged and may be asked to move on from; it can be violent, people may be harmed and experience life threatening situations. The broader community and tourists use the park but there is little connection between these groups. The event redefines that public space, connecting people in a different way. The visibility of the event also encourages the mainstream community to ask about it, thereby engaging people in a dialogue about homelessness.

The Homeless Memorial is an event that has over twenty local agencies and community members working collaboratively to develop a sense of shared community and belonging for people who experience civil dislocation.

Remembrance Day is a time each year when we remember those who died in war. The Homeless Memorial is remembrance night, a time each year when we remember those who died without shelter.

We are calling for interested community members to participate in the Homeless Memorial Working party meetings. All welcome.

The meetings will be held at

18 Mitford Street St Kilda in the Cottage.

Following meeting dates:

·  Thursday April 8th 2.00pm to 4.00pm.

·  Thursday April 22nd 2.00pm to 4.00pm

·  Thursday May 6th 2.00pm to 4.00pm

·  Thursday May 20th 2.00pm to 4.00pm

·  Thursday June 3rd 2.00pm to 4.00pm

·  Thursday June 17th 2.00pm to 4.00pm

The 10th Homeless Memorial will be on

Wednesday June 23rd 2010 at the Peanut farm at 4.30 pm.

Any Queries feel free to contact Deb McIntosh Inner South Community health service on 0422372610.

ATTENTION – CINEMA & THEATRE GOERS

Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 24 March to 18 April, Ilbijerri Theatre Company presents Black Sheep –