Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next week, the nation will come together to acknowledge and celebrate NAIDOC Week, and the wonderful contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders—a celebration of their culture. NAIDOC stands for the National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee. Its origins have been traced back to the 1920s. It first emerged as a group of Aboriginal people trying to increase awareness amongst the general population about the status and treatment of Aboriginal people. In my electorate in excess of 2,000 people identify themselves as being of Indigenous Australian descent. A majority of these people live in the suburb of Liverpool.

In order to celebrate the contribution of the local Indigenous community, a number of events are being held throughout my electorate, including a march from Augusta Cullen Park to Macquarie Mall and on to the Whitlam Centre in Liverpool. The suburb of Bonnyrigg will host a family friendly day, supporting various cultural and entertainment events and showcasing the activities and cultural performances of Indigenous people. All of this will culminate in a NAIDOC ball, which will be held at the Liverpool Catholic Club. On Tuesday, I will be visiting a local group, the KARI project, which has been in operation since 1999, providing foster care to Indigenous children and young persons in need. We are very fortunate to have exceptional people in our community, people who are genuinely making a difference, and it is only right that we acknowledge their contribution.

I would also like to acknowledge the great work being done by Jack Johnson, Nancy Davis and Rae Stewart from the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, which is based in Liverpool, right in the heart of my electorate. I also pay my respects to Aunty Norma Shelley and Aunty Mae Robinson, both extraordinary women. I would hate to say they are in their mature years, but they are both retired teachers. I get to see firsthand their dedication in providing their time and their passion in supporting the Indigenous youth in my area, particularly with respect to education. In 2010, Aunty Mae Robinson was awarded a woman of the west award by the University of Western Sydney, in recognition of her tireless work in Indigenous education. Both are very good friends. I am so impressed with the commitment they show on an ongoing basis to the Aboriginal community of Western Sydney. For a number of years now, I have also been a very strong advocate against domestic violence, and there are special issues in respect of domestic violence in the Indigenous community. Last year, I had the opportunity of visiting the Aboriginal women against domestic violence program run by the Joan Harrison Support and Outreach Services for Women, in Liverpool. There were matters raised with me that I had not really had the opportunity to consider before. One of those was that Aboriginal women are reluctant to advise authorities of domestic violence, not so much from fear that their partner might be held to account but from fear that the authorities might take their children because the parents are in an abusive relationship. The fear is very real and it is palpable among Aboriginal women. I commend all those involved in that program, trying to work on those issues.

As I said, that visit gave me very clear insight into some of the special needs that apply when considering domestic violence in our community. Through a partnership with TAFE, the local WILMA Women's Health Centre, the Bonnyrigg Public School and Aboriginal mental health workers, this program really gets the message out that violence is never okay in any family. I commend all those people involved. They are making a difference in our community. I feel very humbled by their commitment and I will continue to support their efforts.