Visit our website - www.natsiwa.org.au Sandra Creamer A Note from Our interim CEO The year is moving fast, and you will find in this newsletter updates on some of our activity projects. There are two grants available one from IBA and the Women and Leadership Australia, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to attend conferences, you will find further information below. This week on 8 th March 2018 is International Women’s day. Here is a quote to all our women. “Here’s to all strong women May we know them May we be them May we raise them” Our Staff Chief Executive Officer (Interim) Sandra Creamer NEWSLETTER MARCH EDITION 2018 Our Board [email protected]1
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Visit our website - www.natsiwa.org.au
Sandra Creamer
A Note from Our interim CEO
The year is moving fast, and you will find in this newsletter updates on some of our activity projects. There are two grants available one from IBA and the Women and Leadership Australia, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to attend conferences, you will find further information below.
This week on 8th March 2018 is International Women’s day. Here is a quote to all our women.
“Here’s to all strong womenMay we know them
May we be themMay we raise them”
Our Staff Chief Executive Officer (Interim) Sandra CreamerFor operational matters including requests to work collaboratively with NATSIWA, please email [email protected] Project Officer: Wendy AndersFor all enquiries, please contact email NEWSLETTER MARCH EDITION 2018
A message from the Chair-Anna StrzeleckiNATSIWA Directors have been busy attending meetings, workshops and forums, representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women across the country. We endeavour to keep all our members advised by either email or the newsletter. If you have any projects that you would like NATSIWA to promote, or become involved in, please let us know – either via your State/Territory representative or by emailing [email protected]. Expressions of interest are being sought for an interim representative for the Northern Territory (NT), so if you reside in the NT and are interested in working with NATSIWA, please apply. A number of NATSIWA Directors will be participating in a workshop ‘Indigenous women's yarning circle on menstrual hygiene management: Barriers and options’ in Brisbane in March. From this we hope to broaden the partnerships we currently have into other locations. All Directors are actively seeking to grow our membership, to give numbers to our voice. We are always happy to talk to new people about NATSIWA.Cheers
OUR FORMER CHAIRIt was with great sadness that our former Chair Mary Cowley passed away on 26th January 2018.
Our WA Director Christine Ross, attended the funeral of the late Mary Cowley the former Chairperson of NATSIWA on Friday 9 February 2018 in Fremantle WA. We paid tribute to a truly amazing lady who was a trailblazer for Aboriginal women not only in WA but also Australia. It was truly fitting that a huge turnout of people attended (standing room only) to pay their respect to her family and farewell her She is someone we all looked up too and respected as she broke the glass ceiling for Aboriginal woman
around Australia. It is because of her and her incredible leadership, strong political and analytical mind that paved the way for Aboriginal people’s voices to be heard and positive changes to occur. We came together with her amazing family to say goodbye, she would have been so proud of her 22 grandchildren who got up and spoke of emotional and touching tributes to her. What a fantastic legacy she has left behind, we were all blessed to have known her so many beautiful speeches by family and friends. Mary Cowley epitomised the National NAIDOC 2018 Theme ‘Because of Her, We Can’.
Our Directors – Karen Parter (ACT) and Christine Ross (WA) will be partnering with Dress for Success to work with women in their communities. Dress for Success is currently only in WA and ACT.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS PROGRAM
WA Director Christine Ross (below) met with Madeleine Long and other staff from Dress for Success Progam in Perth to discuss their very successful program that delivers programs to empower women to obtain safer and better futures. This Progam already works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in providing clothes for interviews, preparing our women for interviews and referral process to different agencies for support. We are looking forward to continuing to work with this great Program and letting our women know to access it.
For more information if you live in ACT or WA, call (08) 93821003 to book an appointment or take time to look at their website.
Ochre Ribbon Campaign
WA Director Christine Ross joined with the Aboriginal Family Law Service in Perth to acknowledge the Ochre Ribbon Campaign on Monday 12th Feb 2018. This campaign highligts the need to stamp out violence with Aboriginal communities. This service also provided legal representation and eduction to Aboriginal communities in WA in the context of family and sexual violence. Great speeches by Corinna Martin and Gningala Yarran-Mark about the importance of this day and support required. It was a good turnout of cross section of people from Govt/NFP, Aboriginal organistions and community members. Some of our NATSIWA members were in attendance and a beautiful acknowledgement was made to our former Chairperson Mary Cowley who was also the former CEO of AFLS
Visit our website - www.natsiwa.org.au 3
Joint projects with Alliances
The interm CEO, Sandra Creamer travelled to Canberra this year and met with the Office for Women and other alliances. Late last year, Sandra Creamer had been invited by Harmony Alliance to speak at the Judicial Counil on Cultural Diversity. This was to the launches of the National Framework to Improve Accessibility to the Australian Courts for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, mirgrant and Refugee women and the Recommendation National Standards for Working with Interpreters in Courts and Tribunals. The follow up to this, is Sandra has been working with the Migration Council and Harmony Alliance in drafting fact sheets aimed at judicial officers.
NATSIWA and AWAVA (The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance) to produce a written framework to guide NATSIWA and AWAVA’s work together on issues relating to violence against women.
WHATS NEWS IN AND AROUND THE COUNTRYThe NAIDOC theme for 2018 is
“Because of her, we can”
If you are looking for any products for NAIDOC week, Bundarra Sportwear have products available, they also supplying promotional gear, car wraps, business banners. You can go to this link and visit their website.
Women & Leadership Australia has pledged $100,000 to support the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wome leaders. In celebration of the 2018 NAIDOC Week theme – Because of her, we can! – Women & Leadership Australia is offering 64 full attendance grants (value at over $100,000) to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to attend the 2018 Women’s Leadership Symposiums.
The purpose of the grants is to ensure the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are represented at the events and help support the development of strong and effective leadership across Australia’s Indigenous communities. The grants will be awarded in consultation with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Indigenous Advisory Council.
For more information and apply, visit:
https://www.wla.edu.au/symposiumgrants.html
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Christine Ross Consultancy and Ngiyani Pty Ltd Ltd
Presents
‘BECAUSE OF HER, WE CAN’
National NAIDOC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Conference
11th -12th July at UNSW Sydney (Kensington Campus)
(National NAIDOC Awards, 13th July 2018, Sydney)
We will be celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women both past and present. It is anticipated that we have approx. 300-500 women from across Australia to attend the conference.
The organisers are actively seeking Sponorship to ensure this exciting Event takes place, so please contact Christine Ross email address:
[email protected] to get a copy of the Sponsorship Package. If you wish to Present a Workshop please register your details to [email protected] application for Workshops close 9th March 2018.
Individuals will need to cover their own cost for airfares and accommodation, the cost to register is $350 for 2 days or $175 for one day.
Official on-line Registration opens end of March 2018.
Day 1: Open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
Day 2: Open to all women to attend.
Go to Christine Ross Consultancy Facebook Page for Weekly updates.
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani project is being led by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO to hear from Indigenous women and girls around the country.
Commissioner Oscar and her team will visit Yalata, Ceduna and Adelaide. You can find more details about times and locations here - http://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/join-conversation/yarn-us
The second round of community visits for the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project will begin in South Australia next week, from Monday March 5.
“This is very much about creating a space for women and girls to raise the issues that are of priority and concern. “I strongly encourage all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls to come along and take part in this important project.
Commissioner Oscar and her team held the first round of talks in the regional city of Mildura and in the city of Melbourne. “I have met some incredible women making enormous contributions to their communities. Women working with young people, working in the courts, in women’s refuges, medical centres, community organisations and more.
“I have met community elders, mothers and grandmothers as well as high school students
who all shared their immense pride of their culture and the history of their community.
“I have also met with some incredibly inspiring young women, starting out in their careers as nurses, doctors and lawyers.
“I heard very clearly that self-determination and including women in decision making is crucial in enabling people to lead full and successful lives,” Commissioner Oscar said.
Throughout the year, Commissioner Oscar and her team will visit more than 30 locations around the country.
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani project will build on the legacy of the Women’s Business report of 1986, which was the first and last time national consultations were held with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
“More than 30 years on, we have a great opportunity to elevate the needs and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls in the national policy landscape.”
Wiyi Yani U Thangani, means Women’s Voices in Commissioner June Oscar’s Bunuba language.
Find out more about the project at http://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au
Pictures on the next pages are of June Oscar in Melbourne and Mildura.
June Oscar with students from the Koorie Girls Academy at Mildura (below)
June Oscar with Aunty Peggy Thomas in Mildura (below)
June Oscar with students from the Yiramalay/Wesley Studio School in Melbourne
June Oscar with women in Melbourne
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Visit our website - www.natsiwa.org.au
IBA is thrilled to announce the launch of Strong Women, Strong Business. A first of its kind conference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are in business or looking to start a business. Held over three days in beautiful Glenelg in Adelaide, this unique event will bring together Indigenous businesswomen from remote, regional and urban Australia, across all stages of business and all industries, to achieve a true cross-section of the strong Indigenous women who are in business today, and will be tomorrow.
IBA will cover the costs of air travel, accommodation, transfers to and from the hotel and meals within the conference program for successful applicants. Spaces for this amazing conference are limited, so please tell us as much as you can about you, your business and why you would like to attend. Applications close 5pm, Friday 23 March so please register today by visiting www.strongwomenstrongbusiness.com.
