Traditional Owners not Acknowledged.

"It is customary to acknowledge country and I do so by paying our respects to elders past and present and acknowledge all people who have made Australia this great country we live in"

These are the words written and spoken at the beginning of Councils main meeting "the Ordinary meeting of Council".

This Council has been sitting now for six months and I have become increasingly bothered by this so called acknowledgement- I find it offensive.

I've worked with Council's Aboriginal Advisory Group over the last four years and believed that Council was really working in a spirit of reconciliation and with a view of improving its relationship with our Aboriginal people.

Council in the last four years introduced the Acknowledgement, Raised the Aboriginal flag in the chamber and on Councils flagpoles and importantly signed a memorandum of understanding in respect to employment and relationship obligations that the city has.

I understand that there are varying views on things like Acknowledging Aboriginal people and when I had this conversation with a local Elder, her wise words were to 'speak from the heart- Aboriginal people don't want you to say hollow words but ones with meaning'. I have always done that and perhaps that's why I find the current acknowledgement a bit off.

For the current acknowledgement doesn't even have the words Aboriginal People in it. It premises the statement with "it is customary' well no its not- some places still refuse to acknowledge Aboriginal People. There is no welcome to Aboriginal people who may be attending the meeting. I think the acknowledgement is trite and shows no personality, and no real acknowledgement of the suffering that Australia's first people have endured

In my question on notice to the General manager in the business paper for 23 April- you can see that the Mayor has made no effort to consult with Shoalhaven's Aboriginal community ( via the Aboriginal Advisory Committee or any other source) to formulate what has essentially now become Councils Acknowledgement- poor form indeed.

Councillors Snub Wreck Bay on its 25th Anniversary of Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986

Image courtesy of Australian Birdlife Photo Library
http://www.birdphotos.com.au/White%20bellied%20Sea%20Eagle/slides/BF8C7941%20copy.html

Thursday 8 March is significant for many as International Women's Day- but here in Shoalhaven on the 8th March we should stop and celebrate the significant granting of land back to the Aboriginal People of Wreck Bay known as the Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986 or locally and internationally know as Booderee National Park and surrounds.

I'm no expert on this issue and can only offer my comments on what Ive learned along the way.

The land grant was given in 1986 - a time of slightly more progressive politics than those experienced under John Howard. ATSIC had yet to be created and  Bob Hawke was Prime Minister of Australia- It was still six years away from Paul Keatings famous Redfern Speech. Personally I had only been in the Country for 4 years and had no idea of the struggles and oppression of Aboriginal people- Australia's Black History certainly wasn't being taught in high school back then.

Later on in life I took a keen interest in Aboriginal history reading Blood on the Wattle, Henry Reynolds, Oodgeroo and a swag of other titles that in many ways changed my life as I was completely and utterly challenged by the injustices and inequalities that had been dealt out to the original occupants of the land.

My first introduction to Booderee was through my interest in Australian plants and an excursion with my Landcare nursery companions to the nursery facility at Booderee-we were guided on the bush tucker walk and given some explanations of the plants and animals around us- I still didn't grasp the importance on what was going there.

It wasn't until I met Auntie Julie Freeman which was organised by Jenny Tillet my university tutor that the stars lined up and I had the aha moment and realised the historic importance around a) the campaign to achieve the land claim and b) the claim granting itself. I felt privileged to be there- listening to Auntie Julies emotional story and wondered at the resilience of Aboriginal people-the ability to push through the personal traumas and work together to achieve the terrific outcome that is Booderee today.The land management of the park in Aboriginal hands is a part of a broader study on Indigenous knowledge and land management practices world wide and my understanding of that is Booderee is a first class operation.

So with that little amount of knowledge when the Mayor Paul Green's secretary asked if I would like to attend the celebration of 25yrs I leapt at the chance and cancelled all other diary entries ( I was supposed to be receiving an International Women's Day Award). In my mind nothing is more important than standing shoulder to shoulder with our community in recognising this significant milestone and as a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee it would be poor form if Shoalhaven City Council was not represented.

I was surprised  that the Mayor couldn't organise to spend the morning away from State Parliament to give the people of Wreck Bay the recognition they deserve and at the time of writing Cl Andrew Guile hadn't bothered to respond to the request as deputy mayor. In the pecking order of Council these two fellas think I rank at the very bottom! Hopefully the community will at least know that I understand and value the occasion even though I don't carry a high title of office- I carry in my heart empathy, compassion and a little understanding of the past injustices

Aboriginal Advisory Committee of to a great start.

After a three year break Shoalhaven Council's Aboriginal Advisory Committee reconvened for the first time.

To me it was an important occasion, and a privilege to be part off.

Our region has a high percentage of Aboriginal people, who come from diverse backgrounds and recognise different clan groups, the committee should be an important link from Council to the Aboriginal Community.

Business addressed by this gathering included rewriting of the committee guidelines to reflect the spirit of a revised group. The development of Aboriginal Cultural Protocols for use by Councillors and Staff. Renaming and reaffirming of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, offer of Support for NAIDOC art week and flag raising protocol.

The minutes of the last meeting held (in May 2006) were presented to the meeting, and I was surprised to find the item of business that recommended an acknowledgement to traditional owners be included in every ordinary meeting- this had never been acted upon and I was able to have it reintroduced as an item of business.

Our Aboriginal members stayed after the meeting to discuss issues and to bring forward some words for the acknowledgement. I hope they will join us at the next ordinary meeting that will ratify the recommendations from the committee.

During my 13 years on the coast, I have at times been disgusted with the level of racism shown towards Aboriginal people and a general lack of or will to understand culture and community. I hold high hopes that as a leading organisation within the community Council can show true leadership in regards to cultural and social change.

I asked the question : Could Council request that its large infrastructure contracts ( i,e, around $1Mill) demand an Aboriginal employment portion of 5%- maybe one day this could be a reality !