Recognising First Nations Peoples – Australia’s date with history

Reconciliation Australia welcomes the announcement today that the Voice to Parliament referendum will be held on Saturday 14 October.

The question the Australian people will decide in the referendum is a simple proposition, a matter from the heart.

The question reads “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

The Voice is not Anthony Albanese’s idea. The Voice did not come from any politician. It is the result of many years of deep thinking and consultation within widely diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from across this continent.

It is, as many have described it, a modest proposal from First Nations people to improve their circumstances by providing input into policy and other deliberations in Parliament and by the Australian Government.

The need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a say in their own lives has been at the heart of reconciliation for decades.

A recent report from the Productivity Commission found that the gap in social and economic indicators between First Nations and other Australians is not closing, with only four of the 19 targets on track to be met.

The Commission identified Governments appearing to have not “grasped the nature and scale of change required to accelerate improvements in life outcomes” as a key reason for the lack of success.

A Voice to Parliament would alter this equation and allow for the opinions of ordinary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities to be properly heard, resulting in better policies and better outcomes.

Listening to those on the ground, in the cities, the towns and remote communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia as Governments formulate laws and policies that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia is a matter of common sense.

We can no longer have business as usual because the business is not working.

With a Voice the conversation between First Nations peoples and the rest of the country continues.

Reconciliation Australia urges all Australians of goodwill to inform themselves, to find out the facts and not be swayed by the misinformation and lies being spread in the lead up to 14 October.

We urge supporters of the Voice to get active, speak to your neighbours, your family, friends and work colleagues. Call out misinformation and racism when you see it.

We call on all community leaders, including politicians, to approach the debate in a respectful and truthful way, and above all else avoid stoking the sort of vitriolic racism that has defined much of the debate thus far.

The reemergence, in this debate, of racist stereotypes about First Nations peoples is causing damage to Australia’s fabric.

Over the next few weeks of the campaign, we urge unity before division, respect before abuse and truth above misinformation.

This is a chance to uplift Australia, a chance for Australians to feel proud that we are a nation ready for reconciliation and justice for the First Peoples of this land.

Vote Yes for Australia’s future.

Source: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/referendum-2023-australias-date-with-history/

JOB OPPORTUNITY
AH&MRC are seeking an Adminstration Officer and Health Educators to be part of their new ‘Our Healthy Kids Program’. More information is below:

– Administration Officer – Western Region
https://www.seek.com.au/job/68780423?type=standout…
– Health Educators – Metropolitan Region
https://www.seek.com.au/job/68784712?type=standout

Expression of Interest
Project Officer – PIRRU THANGKURAY
Location: Bateman’s Bay

The NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. (NSW AECG Inc.) is seeking expressions of interest for a Project Officer to join the Pirru Thangkuray (PT) team, with the aim to meet the Premiers Priority to Increase the proportion of Aboriginal students attaining year 12 by 50% by 2023, while maintaining their cultural identity.

Type of Employment: Full time – 35 hours per week
Annual Salary: $72,800 Gross plus Superannuation

Position criteria:

• Confirmation of Aboriginality
• A paid Working with Children’s Check and National Police Check (Probity)
• Current Driver’s License
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Skills to engage and work across a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to facilitate and deliver Cultural Engagement programs
• Knowledge of Local Aboriginal Communities, individuals and organisations
• Ability to deliver goal setting strategies
• Understanding of current education policies and practices focusing on working with Aboriginal students in High School
• Understanding and knowledge of community, government and non-government service providers and support programs

The successful applicant will work across a number of targeted schools within the South Coast Network. The Project Officer will be an employee of the NSW AECG Inc. and will work in collaboration with the Pirru Thangkuray Cultural Engagement and Goal Setting Team.

Note: NSW AECG Inc. considers that being Aboriginal is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

For further information contact: Sonia Makings, Pirru Thangkuray Program Manager at ">

Applications due: 5pm Friday 11th August 2023

Download: EOI Pirru Thangkuray Project Officer Bateman’s Bay

Expression of Interest
Project Officer – PIRRU THANGKURAY
Location: Mount Druitt

The NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. (NSW AECG Inc.) is seeking expressions of interest for a Project Officer to join the Pirru Thangkuray (PT) team, with the aim to meet the Premiers Priority to Increase the proportion of Aboriginal students attaining year 12 by 50% by 2023, while maintaining their cultural identity.

Type of Employment: Full time – 35 hours per week
Annual Salary: $72,800 Gross plus Superannuation

Position criteria:

• Confirmation of Aboriginality
• A paid Working with Children’s Check and National Police Check (Probity)
• Current Driver’s License
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Skills to engage and work across a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to facilitate and deliver Cultural Engagement programs
• Knowledge of Local Aboriginal Communities, individuals and organisations
• Ability to deliver goal setting strategies
• Understanding of current education policies and practices focusing on working with Aboriginal students in High School
• Understanding and knowledge of community, government and non-government service providers and support programs

The successful applicant will work across a number of targeted schools within the Mount Druitt Network. The Project Officer will be an employee of the NSW AECG Inc. and will work in collaboration with the Pirru Thangkuray Cultural Engagement and Goal Setting Team.

Note: NSW AECG Inc. considers that being Aboriginal is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

For further information contact: Sonia Makings, Pirru Thangkuray Program Manager at ">

Applications due: 5pm Friday 11th August 2023

Download: EOI Pirru Thangkuray Project Officer Mount Druitt

Expression of Interest
Project Officer – PIRRU THANGKURAY
Location: Tuggerah Lakes

The NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. (NSW AECG Inc.) is seeking expressions of interest for a Project Officer to join the Pirru Thangkuray (PT) team, with the aim to meet the Premiers Priority to Increase the proportion of Aboriginal students attaining year 12 by 50% by 2023, while maintaining their cultural identity.

Type of Employment: Full time – 35 hours per week
Annual Salary: $72,800 Gross plus Superannuation

Position criteria:

• Confirmation of Aboriginality
• A paid Working with Children’s Check and National Police Check (Probity)
• Current Driver’s License
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Skills to engage and work across a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to facilitate and deliver Cultural Engagement programs
• Knowledge of Local Aboriginal Communities, individuals and organisations
• Ability to deliver goal setting strategies
• Understanding of current education policies and practices focusing on working with Aboriginal students in High School
• Understanding and knowledge of community, government and non-government service providers and support programs

The successful applicant will work across a number of targeted schools within the Tuggerah Lakes Network. The Project Officer will be an employee of the NSW AECG Inc. and will work in collaboration with the Pirru Thangkuray Cultural Engagement and Goal Setting Team.

Note: NSW AECG Inc. considers that being Aboriginal is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

For further information contact: Sonia Makings, Pirru Thangkuray Program Manager at ">

Applications due: 5pm Friday 11th August 2023

Download: EOI Pirru Thangkuray Project Officer Tuggerah Lakes

To all of our members,

We have the great pleasure of announcing the following changes in the NSW AECG Inc. leadership team:

▪️ Mr. Leigh Ridgeway has been appointed as Interim President until the next AGM.

▪️ Ms. Elizabeth Majoros will take up the position of R/Vice President.

▪️ Ms. Anne Dennis has joined the AMC to fill the casual vacancy

The Association Management team looks forward to working more closely with our Local and Regional AECGs, working together supporting of all of our Aboriginal young people and their communities across NSW.

Please note – the AGM dates will be announced soon. If you have any questions, please email: ">

Reposted from: https://shorturl.at/fvxM6

Hi everyone

It has been a whirlwind first 2 months as the new NSW Government, and I am so proud of all we have achieved for public education.

We are transitioning 16,000 temporary school staff to permanent roles, and negotiations are progressing well with the NSW Teachers Federation to raise teacher salaries so they reflect the critical work you do.

We have slowed down or stopped many activities or initiatives that were overwhelming teachers and school staff, and we have taken the time to listen and learn about how we can improve the status of the teaching profession.

And we have brought our education partners together to commit to work as a group to improve public education.

Key to the ongoing success of achieving our ambitious agenda to truly improve education in this state is having an incredible leader at the helm of the department. From all that has been achieved in the past few weeks, I know we have found that person.

It is my great pleasure to tell you I have appointed Murat Dizdar as the ongoing Secretary for the NSW Department of Education.

Appointing Murat as Acting Secretary was the first decision I made as Minister for Education and Early Learning. I have seen how he is respected and valued in our schools and among Education support teams. And I respect and value his advice.

It’s very important for me as Minister to have a teacher leading the Department of Education. As a student, teacher, principal, executive and parent, Murat has spent most of his life in the NSW public education system. With his commitment to equity and outcomes for all learners, his strategic direction and drive, and his home-grown knowledge of the department as well as the challenges facing the profession, he was the natural choice.

I thank Murat for his invaluable support to me personally as I’ve hit the ground running, and I’m incredibly excited about what we can do together in the future.

Regards

Prue