Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

In Reconciliation Week, I wish to share with the chamber a new initiative that took place over the March long weekend in Greta South in my electorate of Indi. Yarku Marnu, which translates to children's camp, was a four-night reunification retreat for First Nations siblings who have been separated by the out-of-care home system.

Bangerang elder Uncle Dozer Atkinson and his wife, Samantha, identified the need to bring siblings together after providing kinship care to a young boy unable to see his brother, who was placed with another family. When children are isolated from their family unit, they lose connection not only to their parents and siblings but to their Indigenous culture. The retreat brought 16 pairs of siblings and one group of three together from across Victoria, their ages ranging from three to 11 years old. The feedback echoed by all the children was that this was the best camp they'd ever been on.

Seventeen adults donated their time to support the camp over the long weekend—nurses, child protection officers, child psychologists and First Nations elders. Uncle Dozer wished to thank and applaud the team at the 15 Mile Creek campus for donating their time, the camp facilities and all equipment—an important demonstration that acts of reconciliation can take many forms. May this program continue and grow for the benefit of First Nations kids in out-of-home care.

See this speech in context