First Nations Peoples Concerns Committee

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In the News...

From time to time the First Nations Peoples Concerns Committee will share articles, stories and information related to First Nations Peoples.

June 2023

  • The First Nations Peoples Concerns Committee supports the implementation of the  Uluru statement in full. We therefore support the Yes vote for the Voice as a pivotal step towards the full implementation of the Uluru Statement, so that as a nation we can finally confront the truth of our past and present and make way for justice.”  we would encourage Friends and all Australian people and communities to inform themselves about the Uluru Statement and what it asks of our nation and to create respectful spaces for yarning about the impact a First Nations Voice will make. 

November 2021

  • Support the Kambri Scholarships at ANU

The Kambri Scholarship Fund was set up 2 years ago to assist First Nations Students complete tertiary studies at ANU.The Scholarship had an initial funding of 25 million, with an aim to increase  the fund to $50 million. The scholarship is up to $30, 000 per student, consisting of 2 years on campus accommodation, 2 return trips home and a stipendiary for expenses.  There are 21 scholarship holders in 2021. Since they have begun, the ANU has seen a decrease in First Nations Students dropping out of studies. The Committee believes its an excellent program and would recommend to Regional Meetings, Meetings or individuals to contribute to the Fund, either as part of or supplementary to paying the rent for residing on First Nations People’s land. To get a better understanding of the scholarship program visit  https://www.anu.edu.au/giving/kambri-scholars. The next  round of  scholarships  will be  awarded in in March 2022. Please contact Gwen Horsfield for more information the program, at Gwen.Horsfield@anu.edu.au.  Read the story of Dhani Gilbert, a Kambri Scholar, here.   Dhani Gilbert, 2021 ACT Young Woman of the Year, is the granddaughter of veteran Aboriginal activist Kevin Gilbert, who helped establish Canberra’s Aboriginal Tent Embassy.  

October 2021

  • The Decline and Fall of the NT Legal System:

An article by John B. Lawrence SC about the increasing imprisonment and deteriorating treatment of aboriginal children in the prison system of the Northern Territory can be read here.

  • Indigenous traditional owners win back Daintree rainforest in historic deal

The world’s oldest rainforest will join landmarks like Uluru and Kakadu, where First Nations people are custodians of world heritage sites. To learn more go here.

August 2021

Systematic abuse in NT youth detention "getting worse" according to top lawyer - RN Breakfast - ABC Radio National

Listen here. Most people including Friends are probably not aware that conditions have deteriorated at Don Dale since the Royal Commission. This cruel system is going turn many young detainees into dysfunctional people.  And yet, the country is talking about reconciliation. The lawyer in this interview is confirming what Auntie Christine Palmer told us in our recent FNPP/CORE webinar.

July 2021

To celebrate National NAIDOC Week 2021, the Indigenous Peoples' Organisation and Better Futures Australia hosted a webinar series entitled 'Heal Country, Heal Climate'. You can view the video here. This webinar is the third in the series, Healing our Lands, chaired by Dr Virginia Marshall. Speakers include:

  • Anthony Watson — The impact of resource extraction on the Kimberley
  • Kado Muir — Protecting our Cultural Heritage-Lessons from the Juukan Gorge Caves
  • Adrian Burragubba — Wangan and Jagalingou & Native Title, where are the rights of Traditional Owners?

The discussion explores ways of collectively looking after country and taking ownership of our collective futures. Speakers share insights to the national treasure we share in the world’s oldest living Indigenous culture, and facilitate the exchange of unique Indigenous land and water knowledge systems to inform Australia’s climate change response.

May 2021

Here is an example of a very important article few Friends might be aware of.  The federal government spends one thousand times more on extending part of the war memorial than on protecting aboriginal heritage sites  (half a billion dollars on the war memorial vis-a-vis half a million dollars over two years on aboriginal heritage sites).  That shows what aboriginal heritage sites mean to our government. Read the article here.