Partnerships: not a political quick fix

On the 13th February 2008 former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd addressed the Nation in a powerful and emotional acknowledgment and apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generations. Apologising for the pain, suffering and the degradation of the longest living Culture through past Government and Parliamentary policies. On this day, which has gone down in the history books and the hearts of many Australians both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, there was a sense of National pride and the almost unspoken desire to become a reconciled Nation regardless of Race, Religion or Creed.

Kevin Rudd called for a “future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility for all Australians”. Like many young Australians both Indigenous and Non- Indigenous throughout Australia, I viewed this special event with excitement and pride. Watching the events unfold on the giant screen in Martin Place, Sydney, the energy of the crowd was evident though it was silent, hanging on every word.

Whilst standing shoulder to shoulder next to a complete stranger I couldn’t help but reflect on the stories I’d heard about Charles Perkins and the 1965 Freedom Ride. The excitement and unfamiliar sense of accomplishment as they travelled throughout country NSW, exposing on a National level the inequality and divide in Australian society. Building momentum and awareness on the road to the 1967 Referendum, in which more than ninety percent of Australians voted in favor to grant Indigenous Australians the right to be recognised as Australian citizens and for the Government to introduce legislation relating to Indigenous Affairs.

33 years following the Referendum the 2000 Bridge Walk, attracting over 300,000 participants from all ages and backgrounds from politicians, Indigenous leaders, mothers and fathers, marched in the name of National Reconciliation. Another milestone for Australian society, another symbol for social inclusion and progress, yet 12 years after the momentous Bridge Walk and 3 years following the Apology Speech this sense of progress and reform at the highest level of Government is beginning to fade.

The same factors continue to plague the progress of Reconciliation in Australia; Education, Employment and Health, particularly in Remote Communities. These are factors that should not be identifiers for the divide between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians, but rather be a uniting factor in the push for social inclusion regardless of heritage.

But does the ideology of sustainable change and positive outcomes fit within the life cycle of a Government? Or is it something that should be pursued outside of the political point scoring rhetoric of the current and past Governments?

In a recent article featured in The Age, the CEO of Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation, Ms Pat Brahim highlighted this issue when interviewed on the recent article focused on Tennant Creek: Teens roam Territory streets looking for sex, alcohol and trouble as quick fix policy fails by Lindsay Murdoch (28th March 2011)

“the town’s problems a symptom of policy and program failures over many years – programs imposed by often untrained, uninformed bureaucrats living far away who seek quick fixes that suit the electoral cycles of successive territory and federal governments “

The idea of self-determination and self-governance has been marred with Indigenous people being setup to fail, through lack of infrastructure to grow success at the grass roots stage of business and short sighted Parliamentary targets set on monetary injections with no longitudinal view for building a successful community. Followed by intergenerational view of ‘nothing works’ and ‘we’ve done everything for these people’ being the ultimate fall out and hopelessness as the inherent outcome.

It is clear that before we can effectively close the gaps in Education, Employment and Health we need to remove the ability of the Federal Government to use Aboriginal Australia as an election tool and place it into the hands of a bi-partisan task-force with a 7 to 10year life span to include and pro-actively consulate with Indigenous community members to implement effective community strategies. Effective strategies in areas of:

• Alternate learning styles within the public school system
• Cross-Generational Relationships throughout society
• Health and Well-being including traditional medicines and dietary education
• Financial Literacy at school level and beyond
• Drug and Alcohol education and rehabilitation
• Attracting graduating students to remote areas to build on teaching skills
• Governance training and small business management run through Corporate and Organisations
• Land management and tourism opportunities.

These are just some of the basic and broad areas that should not continue to be controlled at a Government Level but rather on the ground with frameworks and resources in place to enable organisations to engage and promote community participation identified and supported by and through the bi-partisan task-force.

You may look at these ‘Effective Strategy Areas’ and think these ‘strategies’ exist already, organisations are out there doing these things everyday. This is true. Alternate learning styles and drug and alcohol education aren’t new ideas, these are areas with proven positive outcomes yet why does a $4 million drug centre in the APY Lands of SA go under-utilised in a community that has been identified as a community ‘at risk’ by the Federal Government.

Jonathon Nicholls from Uniting Care Wesley, in response to a SA State Government report to the Federal Government on the utilisation of the Facility, said;

“The report un-categorically says that those services don’t need a $4 million facility to operate”.

“It doesn’t need a collection of six buildings to meet the needs in remote Aboriginal communities”.

An un-targeted, short sighted, large financial injection political nightmare. A plain example of the lack of community and community based organisation consultation on the part of Government. SA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Grace Portolesi advised the decision on the centres future will be made shortly and that:

“I’d be more concerned about throwing good money after bad money in, insisting for the sake of pride that we maintain the service that does no longer resonate with community it’s seeking to service.”

Yet another service or facility wound back to save face with voters and the public, yet another Indigenous community falling into the “nothing works” category of Indigenous affairs.

It is time to move away from government controlled initiatives relating to the serious issues in Indigenous Affairs and our put faith back into our community through the long term support from a bi-partisan task-force working independently from the Government electoral cycles and working inclusive with Indigenous communities and organisations to develop and implement sustainable outcomes for Indigenous people right across Australia. This is the “future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility for all Australians” that Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spoke of.

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And like always I encourage you to reply if you agree or disagree with any of my thoughts, debates on these kinds of topics are important and I am always very open to others opinions and feed back!

Advocating Change Through the Productivity Commission.

Submission to the Productivity Commission:

Vocational Education Training Workforce

Indigenous Participation in the Vocational Education and Training Workforce.

“The focus on the maintenance and promotion of culture and identity are compromised in the delivery of a one-size fits all approach to curriculum. We know from experience that a one-size fits all approach will not achieve the same results in different environments so it is essential that our education system is tailored to meet the diversity of needs of our students.”

Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Social Justice Commissioner, 2010*

I am one of the 40% of Indigenous Australian’s under the age of 25 years who is determined to promote positive messages about Aboriginal Australia, in an effort to counterbalance the negative images reinforced in mainstream media across Australia.

I am 22 years old and live in Melbourne – my Grandmother is Wemba Wemba (Swan Hill) and Grandfather is Gunditjmara (Warrnambool). I grew up in Tamworth (Gomileroi Country) and began working at ANZ when I was 15 years old through the Indigenous Traineeships Program, which I completed in 2005.

Upon completion of my traineeship and after obtaining my HSC, I moved to Sydney to study a Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology of Sydney and worked in Business Banking as an Assistant Manager. I currently work as a Business Analyst within an Indigenous Employment and Training Team at a ‘big four bank’.

I currently sit on three advisory boards: Reconciliation Victoria, the Aboriginal Advisory Board to the Victorian Electoral Commission and EastWeb (a youth lead philanthropic funding board focused on Indigenous, Refugee and Asylum Seeker community initiatives).

Towards Positive Indigenous Outcomes in Vocational Education and Training.

I am writing this submission directly to the Commission because I believe it is vitally important for young Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to have direct input into important inquiries such as this Productivity Commission report on Vocational Education and Training.

Upon review of the overall submissions to the Productivity Commission it was concerning to discover very few recommendations in the draft report relating or referring specifically to Indigenous VET work force needs and Indigenous educational needs.

As a former Indigenous student who benefited from a VET education I can affirm the importance of these opportunities in rural Australia and particularly in the Aboriginal community. I am currently working for a large corporate in the banking sector within  an Indigenous employment program. This program has been operating since 2003 and the ongoing success can be attributed to 3 key factors:

1. A workplace dedicated Indigenous Employment and Training Team
2. Indigenous mentoring, provided through Group Training Organisations (GTOs)
3. Encouraging a strong support base through the school, family and work place.

When all three key factors are working together with a committed trainee/student successful outcomes are achieved. The evidence of this program’s success is in the high retention rates and transition rates to permanent employment which we, as a Business unit, have witnessed over the recent years. The VET providers and students would benefit greatly if these three factors could be embedded in the VET workforce capabilities.

Large organisations and corporates are advantaged by the ability to employ a dedicated Indigenous Employment Teams to specifically target Indigenous traineeships and employment. It is understandable that this luxury is not always possible in smaller organisations looking to support vocational education. It can, however, be substituted by Indigenous mentoring services which some RTOs and GTOs offer.

I am a strong believer that Indigenous mentoring services should be offered in conjunction with employment opportunities, especially when related to Indigenous educational outcomes. While there has been a major push for positive role models in our community the supply of Indigenous mentors from RTOs and GTOs does not, at this stage, meet the demand coming from the Indigenous trainees/students undertaking VET courses in urban and regional centres across Australia. The VET workforce needs improved capacity, training and infrastructure to support the provision for RTO/GTOs to implement a specific Indigenous mentoring service, if they have identified on their books Indigenous students undertaking VET courses.

VET courses are shown to encourage school retention and completion rates. Indigenous mentoring would encourage Indigenous VET retention and completion rates when offered in conjunction with VET courses and if it was provided through the RTO/GTO. Improving the VET workforce’s capabilities to deliver quality education and relevant training would have a direct impact in improving Indigenous student outcomes.

Encouraging a strong support base (Point 3 – above) begins in the workplace. The workplace offers a stable, routine based environment, which may or may not be available at home while providing a relevant educational experience (i.e. on the job training).

Obstacles in the workplace, which we have encountered on a varying scale, range from preconceived and misinformed ideas of Indigenous employment and the Aboriginal community, unconscious biases in regards to employment and a lack of cultural awareness and understanding. To combat and overcome these detrimental obstacles, which at the core relate to understanding and awareness, our organisation approached various Indigenous cultural awareness facilitators to hold workshops with over 100 districts (avg. 7-9 Branches within each District) across Australia. Each facilitator represented their various regions as Indigenous culture is diverse and thus, cultural awareness workshops should be location/region specific. I would recommend all members of the VET workforce under go cultural awareness training, as cultural awareness of Indigenous culture improves understanding of cultural appropriateness with the flow-on effect of positive student and workforce relations.

I believe setting organisational goals, both in the workforce and at a RTO/GTO level, will encourage a quality approach when seeking a potential VET student and providing a supportive workplace.

Suggested goals for a RTO/GTO and workplace are:

RTO/GTO:

• Engaging an Indigenous mentoring service if RTO/GTO take on an identified Indigenous student.
• Supporting cultural awareness sessions in workplaces where Indigenous trainees will be completing their VET course.
• Where possible, RTO/GTO trainee numbers should reflect the wider community (i.e. that 3% of trainees are Indigenous)
• Retention rates need to be reflective of the VET non-Indigenous retention rate.
• Quarterly review/evaluation

Workplace:

• Undertake cultural awareness training
• Perform a review on workplace cultural appropriateness
• Offer additional workplace mentoring (i.e. buddy system)
• Regular discussions with RTO/GTO, student and mentor

I recommend goals to be formalised within a public Reconciliation Action Plan documented through Reconciliation Australia and managed or facilitated through its state-based sub-bodies, providing accessibility to appropriate resources and capacity to report and track RTO/GTOs and workplaces against goals set out by the organisation within the document.

I believe the main challenge will be changing perceptions of Indigenous Australia to reflect the positivity and hope within our communities when these opportunities are available. Unlike the past, onus should be placed on the RTO/GTO and the workforce to ensure at least 2 of the 3 ‘key factors’ mentioned above are in place prior to claiming they are the leaders in the Indigenous VET space.

We are at a critical time in Australia where employment and education related key indicators need to be addressed at all levels of society through an inclusive and longitudinal view, to ensure that sustainable outcomes are attained and the error of short-sighted, quick fix policies of the past are not repeated.

I am happy to meet with the Commission to discuss this further and to assist in maximising the ability of the VET workforce to have a direct and significant impact upon the ongoing prosperity of Indigenous Australians.

* Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Commissioner. Speech at the NSW Teachers Federation Council Meeting 20th November 2010. (Retrieved from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/speeches/social_justice/2010/20101120_education.html)

The Productivity Commission (PC) is the Australian Government’s independent research and advisory body on a range of economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians. Submissions are open to all interested parties, all submission remain on the public record indefinitely.

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On Stage with Don Bemrose: Opera Singer – Gungarri Man

 

Following the positive responses to my recent blog ‘Music Minded? Where’s the heart’.

 

I recently had the absolute pleasure of meeting and interviewing Australia’s foremost Male Aboriginal Classical Artist, Don Bemrose. Don is a classically trained Opera Singer with amazing talent and aspirations of becoming Australia’s leading Opera Singer on the World Stage. Don grew up in a small Hinterland town on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a proud Gungarri man whose family hail from the Cherbourg Aboriginal community.

An easy going young man with a mischievous smile and great sense of humor which is common when growing up around the Aboriginal Community. It was immediately obvious that Don is a man who likes to tell a story when he broke into immediate laughter after I sat down and asked about his early days and particularly how a young Aboriginal man becomes an Opera singer.

“In Music class at high school” he began in his warm baritone voice, “we had to sing a song for an assessment, in those days I was unable to read music but fortunately I was able to receive some musical coaching from my very first and longest fan, Mrs Cruickshank. I sang “Sunrise, Sunset” from 1964 Broadway musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and received one of the top marks in the grade.”

“My teachers colluded and within months I was selected, along with two other students from my school to audition and be accepted into a Sunshine Coast Regional Youth Choir that toured to Osaka, Japan for an International Chorus Festival.”

From the age of 12, Don had said with conviction he will be an International Superstar, which early on was heard as a child’s flippant remark by his family but with his talent and drive it was something they couldn’t over look.

“I think I have the best family in the world. They are VERY proud, though I am not sure it was always that way. I would have forgiven them for thinking I was just a dreamer.” He laughs. “In fact they may have been happier at first had I chosen to play guitar and sing country. But since singing the National Anthem at the 2008 State of Origin match, Game 2 at Lang Park, I noticed a huge difference in their support and encouragement. Mum and Dad regularly cry when they hear me sing so I can’t have them in the front row because it always gets me started.”

In the Aboriginal community there has always been a push for role models and positive influences. Today, Indigenous mentoring and mentors are a common thing in Schools and the workforce as the work to encourage participant and retention rates whiles offering support to the students or workers. I noticed Don’s position shift slightly in his chair, I think he was anticipating my following question about his role models in an area that traditional wasn’t an area excelled in by Indigenous Australians.

His eyes lifted as taking a second to recount a fond memory. “My inspirational Nana Ruth Hegarty, is a fabulous soprano in her church ensemble. Though never having learnt how to read music, she shared with our family a documentary on a fellow called Harold Blair. I watched with awe, amazement and pride as the story of this proud fellow Gungarri man unfolded.”

“Harold Blair was an amazing Tenor discovered in the cane fields of Queensland who went on to study at the Melba Conservatory and sing around Australia as well as training and performing in New York in the 50s-60′s. Harold was the first ever Aboriginal Singer on ABC Radio”. Don’s face light up with his mischievous grin, “The documentary told of how the Aboriginal prisoners rioted with joy after hearing his first live radio performance.”

“I was struck by the magnificence of his voice and the operatic voice in general, I knew at that moment that I wanted to be an ABORIGINAL Opera singer. I wanted to learn to sing like that, I thought it was incredible.” Upon reflection of the story, Don is amazed at the certainty of his aspirations at that point in time. To be an Opera Singer is what he wanted to be more than anything in the world. And the stardom he jokingly added.

“Life is not about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself” - George Bernard Shaw

“In 2003, I walked away from the music industry because my culture was not being supported or highlighted in anyway. It tore at me for years”. “Did I make the right decision in walking away, in choosing my culture over my career?” Don contemplated. “I wanted to have both my culture and the stage but at that stage I didn’t know how I could.”

“In March 2008 it was all brought together when a phone call from Yorta Yorta descendant Deborah Cheetham, an incredible Indigenous Soprano and Composer, offered me a lead role in Australia’s first Indigenous Opera, Pecan Summer.” With pride swelling in his voice Don acknowledged, “I will never be able to thank Deborah enough for giving me an avenue for my dream to come true to be an ABORIGINAL Opera Singer! And for the past two year I have been living that dream and am so happy.”

“The biggest thing to stand out to me working with Deborah on Pecan Summer was what amazing athletes opera singers are. We all know the stereotypical horned fat lady hitting the high note. But I don’t think anyone who hasn’t trained professionally would know how physically demanding singing is. Many hours are spent training and whilst we don’t see the results as far as superficially muscles, anyone that can effectively scream for 3 hours and still have a voice at the end is doing something brilliant! Standing beside an opera singer whilst they are singing fortissimo is one of the most amazing experiences.”

It is easy to see the passion Don has for his profession and the pride he has for his family and friends and the fact he is so appreciative of the support and hard work that has gone into his budding career. His goal, at the age of 12 was to be the best and this is hasn’t changed.

“I constantly want to improve who I am, how I sound and how I perform. You have to have commitment to yourself and your dream and surround yourself with supportive friends and family that are willing to give you what you need and also hold a mirror to your weaknesses to encourage growth in the pursuit.”

I asked Don if he could list 3 of his future goals and without missing a beat he rattled off:

1. Sing the National Anthem at the AFL Grand Final.
2. Soloist at the Christmas Carols at the Myer Music Bowl on Christmas Eve.
3. Perform at La Scala in Milan, the New York Metropolitan Opera House, Convent Garden in London and our very own Sydney Opera House.

Don is currently writing his first EP with the help of Jessie Lloyd and Songlines Aboriginal Music in Melbourne. He has approached some of Australian’s top classical composers and arrangers to work with him. He new works will speaks of his culture through stories presented in a classical genre with a contemporary Australian Aboriginal edge.

It was a huge honor to interview such an inspirational person who’s passion for music and life is contagious. I recommend keeping an eye out for him because he is going to be one of Australia’s greatest Male Opera Singers.

To contact or stay up-to-date with Don check out the below links:

Website: Don Bemrose: Educate – Inspire – Entertain

Blog: Don Bemrose: Blogspot

Twitter: OperaDon

World Poetry Day: The Dawn is at Hand

I would like to share a special poem to mark World Poetry Day with a very special and famous Indigenous female poet named Kath Walker, her traditional name being Oodgeroo Noonuccal. Oodgeroo Noonuccal was inspirational in her fight for equality both as a woman and an Indigenous Australian and is remembered for her wonderful printed works.

The piece I would like to share is called ‘The Dawn is at Hand’ taken from her amazing book of poetry also named ‘The Dawn is at Hand’ first published in 1966 by Jacaranda Press Pty Ltd. This book was a gift from my mother who had owned it for many years and I feel this piece is timeless but in saying that I do hope the words its speaks becomes in time a reflection on a past journey.

The Dawn is at Hand

By: Oodgeroo Noonuccal

Dark brothers, first Australian race

Soon you will take your rightful place

In the brotherhood long awaited for.

Fringe-dwellers no more.

 

Sore, sore the tears you shed

When hope seemed to folly and justice dead.

Was the long night weary? Look up, dark band

The Dawn is at Hand

 

Go Forward proudly and unafraid

To your birthright all too long delayed

For soon now the shame of the past

Will be over at last

 

You will be welcomed mateship-wise

In industry and in enterprise;

No profession will bar the door,

Fringe-dwellers no more.

 

Dark and white upon the ground

In club and office and social round,

Yours the feel of a friendly land,

The grip of the hand.

 

Sharing the same equality

In College and University

All ambitions of hand and brain

Yours to attain

 

For ban and bias will soon be gone

The future beckons you bravely on

To art and letters and nation lore,

Fringe-dwellers no more.

 

A powerful piece of hope. Considering the time of its publish 1966 there would have been so much hope in the air for a positive change which rolled into the 1967 Referendum in which over 90% of Australians voted in favour to grant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander the right to be acknowledged as citizens of Australia.

I will leave you with that because I think the piece speaks for itself. Hope and the importance of being Hopeful.

Music Minded? Wheres the Heart…

I won’t talk to you about the music industry as a whole or the decline in CD sales with the increasing online availability of albums. What I would like to discuss, and hear your opinion, are the themes driving our current musicians and the platform that progressive and socially minded bands have built for music to become a positive influence and community activating tool.

The depth of music runs deeper than purely what genre you prefer or matching sounds with your current mood. The Greek philosopher, Plato described music as:

“The movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.”

Virtue is a powerful word to be linked with Music as it relates to morals and the useful quality of a person, object and/or concept. Music being a form of art is subjective, not everyone enjoys the same music some like a large range of music from chart toppers to world music whilst others enjoy particular genres like metal, punk or techno. Being of the subjective nature and considering Plato’s words; Musics power is its ability to reach the soul of the listener and connect with what is important to them regardless of background.

On the surface this is understandable and something you might consider a simple statement but now I ask you to consider the Music currently playing in the charts and being pumped out of cars, TVs and ipods.

I logged on to my itunes store and looked at the Top Singles being sold on itunes. The top 2 are:

1. On the floor – Jennifer Lopez

“All I need is some vodka and some… coke
And watch… get donkey konged
… if you’re ready for things to get heavy
I get on the floor and act a fool if you let me…”

2. Sweat – Snoop Dogg

“There’s only one way we can stop the drought
Come with me
We can take a trip down south
I can tell she’s thirsty
I’m in the hole like a birdy…”

While these are small selections of the songs I’m sure you can tell the songs theme by these words. A theme that is consistent among a lot of (not all) pop-music. Now I ask you to once again consider Plato’s words. If this music is reflective of our morals (virtue) then the popularity of these songs should be concerning as a reflection on a society that feels these songs connect with what is important to them as individuals.

Today I was reading my twitter feeds as I follow a number of Indigenous Organisations and Individuals who do a great job posting news stories and media coverage on the Aboriginal community. While flicking through some links I came across the great Australian band the Warumpi Band and their legendary song Black Fella White Fella which started me thinking, where the progressive and popular bands like the Warumpi Band, Midnight Oil, Coloured Stone, Yothu Yindi and many more bands with a social message celebrating culture for building an inclusive and equal Australia, have gone in todays society. Powerful lyrics that not only connect with your soul but engage you on an emotional level. Lyrics that educate and evoke a sense of urgency for change, driven by some seriously talented musicians.

• Yothu Yindi – Tribal Voice:

“All the people in the world are dreaming (get up stand up)
Some of us cry for the rights of survival (get up stand up)
Saying c’mon c’mon! Stand up for your rights
While others don’t give a damn
They’re all waiting for a perfect day
So you better get up and fight for your rights
Don’t be afraid of the move you make
You better listen to your tribal voice!”

I realised that the ideology of social change through music hasn’t disappeared but it has faded from the popular music charts and thus out of the minds of the wider society and into an underground scene which is engaging a progressive Australia.

The questions I feel are important to ask are:

1. Has the music scene lost its heart when it comes to seeking and supporting bands that are pushing an agenda and wanting to engage a wider audience. The second question is about the Australian society;
2. Has our virtues fallen to the point that we no longer connect or identify with lyrics that promote positive attitudes of self worth and culture.

I would like to leave you with 3 music videos that I feel connect with me and promote culture and a progressive Australia:

• Coloured Stone – Black Boy
• The Colli Crew – Change the Game
• Yothu Yindi – Mainstream

Enjoy and keep searching cause there is so much amazing talent out there that doesn’t get the airtime it deserves so please share your thoughts and build awareness of bands who are reconnecting with the social minded community to promote a music industry that we can be proud to play everyday.

 

 

Youth Leadership: Not growing out of it anytime soon…

The inclusion of youth participation and representation in the decision making process, either directly or indirectly affecting the direction of Australia and issues relating to youth, is paramount. Engaging and empowering the voice of the growing youth population will ensure the future leaders of Australia are informed and educated in the importance of effective decision-making.

Based on the 2006 Census and age population projections identified by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the total population of Australia in 2010 is 21,991,011 with 11% of the population falling between 18 and 25 years of age. High school leavers and first time voters in 2010, who were born in the 1990’s and who are commonly referred to as Gen Y, are the first Generations of Australians who have never known a world without mobile phones or the internet.

Social norms and ideals have dramatically shifted over the past four decades, increasingly over the past ten years within Australian society. Increased modes of accessing information and engaging networks across cyberspace have bred a generation and subsequent generations who are technologically cultured, well educated and socially minded due to their ability to access information and networks from across the globe.

The role of young people in decision-making in today’s society has evolved from being a silent by-stander to becoming an influential voice with calculated, articulated conviction. Whether in school, the workforce or in everyday life, young people are encouraged to have an opinion and voice their concerns. This ability to communicate and debate should not be limited to the school yards and street corners of society but encouraged to participate at all levels of decision-making. Diversity in decision-making offers differences of perspective, positive debate and outcomes. Supporting and engaging this young generation is important to the positive growth of society, empowerment through inclusive decision-making.

Australian youth play significant leadership roles throughout Australia, including School Representative Councils at local, state and national levels, national youth forums, mentoring organisations and the continued maintenance of cultural practices including Indigenous culture, supporting and driving community initiatives throughout urban, rural and remote Australia. Encouraging participation in youth leadership and representation in decision-making arenas builds confidence in the individual participants and confidence in decision-making processes, knowing that as an Australian we have the ability to influence the direction of our Nation regardless of heritage, race or age.

Encouraging and supporting youth leadership is a form of succession planning for the future of Australia’s government and future leaders across society. Participation in the decision-making process at the highest level will build awareness of Government processes and policy, which will equip the next generation with the tools to build on the platforms laid by their predecessors. Youth participation limits the influence of short-sighted policy and provides a longitudinal view to the direction of Australia and its place on the world stage. Cross- generational collaboration and direction, provides the opportunity to share knowledge and offer guidance to future leaders.

A Young Indigenous Australian with leadership aspirations, Madeleine Madden has been named 2011 National Youth Week ambassador following her 24th October 2010 Address to the Nation in which she called on all Australians to help end disparity between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous key indicators of Health, Education and Employment.

Could this be the new direction for Australia Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd alluded to in his 2008 Apology Speech:

“A new beginning, a new partnership on closing the gap with sufficient flexibility”

Youth leadership in the pursuit for Equality and Reconciliation.

The importance of youth representation in decision-making is not based on their growing population or their technological understanding but rather based on their continued contribution to Australian society and acknowledgement of the trust we place in them to build on our legacy and the ongoing success of our Nation and future generations.

The End.

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If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything…

Mark Twain once wrote:

“There are only two forces that can carry light to all corners of the globe. The sun in the heavens and the Associated Press down here”.

But what happens when the light no longer shines equally on all Australians, what if the light is simply to highlight disadvantage or cast shadow on injustices in our society.

In 1997 Professor Michael Dodson, the then Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner presented ‘Democracy, the media and human rights‘ in which he discussed the evolution of the role of media and the impact the media has on shaping individual views, influencing outcomes and dictating directions of debate. This powerful discussion is driven by two strong components:

• Professor Michael Dodson’s own passion for advancing Indigenous Australians and;
• that negative perspectives of Indigenous Australians in society can be changed through positive media.

A barrier for such view is summed up by the 1974 Noble Peace Prize recipient and prominent Irish Government Minister Sean MacBride:

“The freedom of a citizen or social group to have access to communication as both recipients and contributors, cannot be compared to the freedom of an investor to derive profit from the media. One protects a fundamental human right, the other permits the commercialisation of a social need.”

In this age of technology and connectivity; media is very much classed as a social need. A social need for staying up-to-date with events as they unfold as well as an increasing social need to be connected with friends and family across the globe.

So where does this leave the fundamental importance of human rights and the participation in media, at the mercy of the times and trends of a commercialised society? Unfortunately this is true.

Trends and conflict dictate the direction media takes because it is what audiences want but what if trends moved towards positive stories on the great successes happening every day in every community across Australia. What if the mindsets of wider Australia became switched on to the powerful stories being told and re-told throughout Aboriginal Communities.

Professor Michael Dodson acknowledges positive steps have been made since the 1960′s, which he states Indigenous Australian’s…

“Presence in the media was characterised by ‘invisibility’.”

And calls for a continuous evaluation of the relationships between the media and Indigenous Australia.

While society continues to grow and small victories continue to advance our participation in mainstream media it is with optimism, the clouds obstructing the view of wider Australia will be swept away and the light that Mark Twain spoke about will flood the hearts and minds of a progressive Australia.

Check out GenerationOne.org.au for some great stories happening around Australia!

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Title Acknowledgement: ”If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything” – Malcolm X