First Nations leaders have the answers

22 January 2025

Since the rejection of the referendum there seems to have been creeping back of First Nations justice. We have seen opportunistic political attacks on the issue of Indigenous flags and a growing backlash against Welcomes and Acknowledgements to Country.

State politics across the nation has been dominated by crime wave panics where the solution has been to act in contradiction to evidence and lock up young Indigenous kids in adult jails. The absolute worst policy response.

This is all part of a global shift reverting to free speech as the overriding lens. It seems that anything that addresses the needs of a minority is portrayed as an attack on freedom, which is a flawed zero-sum game view of power.

This is the point that was missed when Australians voted down the Voice. Unless you enable Indigenous communities to identify their needs and design their solutions, external interventions are unlikely to deliver the desired outcomes.

This should be an uncontroversial proposition. Here are just some examples of effective programs being carried out by First Nations NCOSS members:

The Dharriwaa Elders Group in Walgett in partnership with Charles Sturt University have developed a program to test water quality and toxicity in the Namoi River.
Waminda has opened a social enterprise café in Nowra where young people are completing traineeships in hospitality and gaining valuable work experience.
In Bourke, the Maranguka model is a community-led initiative that is providing support to young people, reducing crime and addressing the underlying causes of crime.

Aboriginal reconciliation has been fraught by politics, but we must remember that historically there has been support from both major parties and most minor parties.

Corporate Australia donations during the Voice referendum showed its support for reconciliation backing in some groundbreaking employment and inclusion policies.

Despite the genuine injury of the Voice referendum outcome, it feels like progress is more possible now than one decade ago. 

However, the further we progress and learn, the more vulnerable we are to divisive racism and bigotry against First Nations people.

I have seen this as CEO of NCOSS. Aboriginal people condemned to an unwinnable spiral of paperwork and meetings as they try to navigate support for their family but are thwarted because of nonsensical eligibility loops that create burden, shame or both. 

There seems to be a level of comfort in discussing the gender lens to understand how laws, policies, processes and funding can inadvertently disadvantage women. A similar approach for First Nations communities will be necessary to achieve structural change.  

It’s here where I think Acknowledgements of Country can play an important role in anchoring our collective understanding of our responsibility; not just the rote repeating of words of respect but a personal reflection on what it means to be Australian.

I must admit as I’ve been called on to talk at more public events, I have found it challenging to find the right words to embody the respect I feel for the people who held custodianship of our nation for so many millennia.

But it is only in the grappling with this discomfort that we can find the humility to address the systemic challenges that too many indigenous Australians face.

This is not about signalling virtue or attributing blame, it's about starting with a common understanding of the challenges we continue to face as a nation backed by a determination to lead by being led.

Words and symbols are important, but they are not enough. We need every decision maker to share power and have the humility to step aside and allow First Nations leaders to design and lead us so that we can close the gap in life outcomes for Aboriginal Australians.

NCOSS spoke to Hayley Longbottom, Chief Executive Leader at Waminda - Health & Wellbeing.

Tell us a bit about the services Waminda provides.

Waminda basically does the whole of life cycle in our services, so we can do everything from prenatal to end of life care and everything in between that. We got a primary healthcare and wellbeing team. We've got practitioners, nurses, midwives, domestic violence services, and massive youth programs that we do as well.

We have a holistic approach. We've got a lot of allied health, massage therapy, counselling, and a garden space. We've just opened our own cafe, which is a social enterprise. We've got some school-based traineeships coming through there.

We’ve got an online store where we sell our products that we have in the Black Cede Gunyah space and merch as well.

You’ve recently celebrated 40 years, what are you looking forward to in 2025?

This year we've got our birth centre build starting to happen. We're opening our own women and children's refuge, and also a women and children's rehab, so we'll be focusing on those builds over the next couple of years.

It's pretty exciting for us. And I suppose that's what Waminda is about — reclaiming the spaces that we haven't been able to have control of.

What are your reflections on the referendum and what do you want to see happen next?

We were very much for the Yes campaign. It was a big time for us, you know, we organised marches and speakers in the area and got constitutional lawyers to come in and talk to community.

I feel like it was a very big, missed opportunity for our people. I know that a lot of people will say Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people weren’t for it, which is not true. If Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were the only ones to vote for that, we would have got it across the line. It wasn't the sovereign No that got a no. It was the racist No, and people need to know that.

What do I want to see happen next? Look, I think it is happening. I think our imperfect allies, as we call them, should not jump off the bandwagon. They need to keep going and amplify the rights and reclamation for our people, particularly coming up to Invasion Day. Keep moving and pushing forward, because we don't get to jump off the bandwagon.

What are the things that give young First Nations people hope for the future?

I know from listening to the young people that learning their language, participating in ceremony and having opportunities is what they look forward to.

Knowing that they've got a future, knowing that they can achieve things. Like the hospitality space we've branched into, reclaiming our languages, being midwives and nurses and all those sorts of things that Waminda does. They have that vision where they think, “Oh, that's for me.”

We actually have a youth governance committee here at Waminda, and a youth leadership space. We know how important it is for us to learn and listen from them. They teach us a lot, these young people. I'm learning from them every single day.

What’s your message for the NSW Premier in the lead up to Invasion Day?

I would tell him to not to forget that we know the answers. And nothing about us, without us.

In our Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations, we know what we're doing. That's why Waminda, for example, is so successful, because we know that we have the answers, and we practice that.

So, the Premier needs to continue to be an ally for the rights of our people and to not forget that.

When we bring together a wide range of voices around the issues affecting our communities, we’re able to better advocate for the policy changes our communities need.

The Forum of Non-Government Agencies (FONGA) is one way that NCOSS brings together our organisational members, along with key stakeholders and the broader community services sector. FONGA’s bi-monthly online meetings are a place to collaborate on shared challenges and solutions, to help the people in our community doing it toughest in areas such as ageing, disability, youth, women, families, domestic violence, housing, poverty and justice.

The next FONGA meeting will be on Tuesday 18 February 2025, 10am – 12pm AEDT on Zoom.

If you would like to be involved in FONGA, contact Sector and Community Engagement Officer, Michelle Shackleton at michelle@ncoss.org.au.

The NSW Parliament passed changes to rental laws in October. Most of the new laws will go into effect early this year.

The NSW Department of Fair Trading has created a summary of the changes.

One of the changes that has already started is that rent increases are now limited to once every 12 months for all rental agreements, no matter the lease type.

A new Rental Taskforce has been created within Fair Trading with dedicated inspectors and compliance officers who will focus on preventing and responding to breaches of rental laws.

Read the summary of the new rental laws here.

The local government areas of Maitland, Port Stephens and Snowy Valleys have been declared a disaster zone after last week's storms.

There is government assistance available for individuals including:

Immediate assistance such as emergency accommodation.
Grants for low income, uninsured residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain basic standard of living.
Grants for low income, uninsured residents to undertake essential structural repairs to homes damaged by the disaster event.

Not-for-profit organisations can apply for concessional loans up to $25,000.

For more information, visit the NSW Government website.

This project aims to build understanding of the extent to which young people’s use of intimate partner violence can be understood as distinct from adult-perpetrated violence.

It will also explore how services and agencies across Australia are currently responding to this cohort.

Part of this research involves a national survey of service providers working in services and/or agencies across Australia that deliver or refer to services to young people.

The survey has been developed by AIFS. The survey is live now until early 2025.

Please access the survey here (updated link).

Invasion Day Rally and March
26 January, Belmore Park, Gadigal Land
Free | More info here

Organised by the Blak Caucus with guidance from Gadigal Elders, this protest is a space for truth-telling, resistance, mourning and solidarity.

Join us to honor our survival, demand justice, and fight for the liberation of all First Nations.

January 26 marks the beginning of colonisation on our lands, leading to the violent dispossession of our ancestors and the continued oppression of our people today.

Regional Community Leaders Forum
Resilient Villages Blue Mountains
8 March, Kurrajong Heights
Free | Register here

Join us for a day of networking, collaboration, and learning with other community leaders in your region. This in-person event will be held at the Kurrajong Heights Bowling and Recreation Club.

Come together with like-minded individuals to discuss local issues, share best practices, and build relationships that will benefit your community. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about making a difference!

NAIDOC Local Grants
Closing Date: 20 February 2025

The NAIDOC Local Grants provide a co-contribution to the cost of activities and events being held around National NAIDOC Week (6 to 13 July 2025) that celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, achievements and continuing contributions to our country and Australian society. Activities and events should align with the annual National NAIDOC Week theme The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.

Gambling Research Capacity Grants 2025
Closing Date: 28 February 2025

Gambling Research Capacity Grants aim to improve the quality, diversity and impact of Australian gambling research by supporting talented and committed researchers.

In 2025, the Responsible Gambling Fund is offering two PhD scholarships and a post-doctoral fellowship. Each PhD scholarship is for up to $60,000 per annum for three years. Top-up scholarships of up to $30,000 per annum will be considered for students receiving other stipend funding, such as Commonwealth Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships. The post-doctoral fellowship is for up to $160,000 per annum for three years.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.

National Disability Conference Initiative
Closing Date: 28 January 2025

This opportunity provides grants to conference organisers to assist people with disability to participate in nationally focused, disability-related, conferences held in Australia. Grants will support eligible conference organisers to provide accessibility measures that maximise the inclusion and participation of people living with disability at their conference. This in turn supports the vision of Australia’s Disability Strategy.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.

Some of the latest from our Jobs Board:

Clinical Lead, Mental Health & Peer Support (Sydney CBD) - Kaleido Health - VIEW JOB

Team Leader, Peer Education Programs (Sydney CBD) - ACON - VIEW JOB

Project Coordinator, Proud and Ready (Sydney CBD) - ACON - VIEW JOB

Head of Implementation and Lived Expertise (Illawarra) - Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre- VIEW JOB

Intake Officer (Sydney CBD) - Welfare Rights Centre - VIEW JOB

Paralegal Homeless Persons' Legal Service (Sydney CBD) - Justice and Equity Centre - VIEW JOB

Alcohol & Other Drugs Part Time Position (Inner West Sydney) - WHOS - VIEW JOB

Youth Engagement Worker (Inner City Sydney) - WEAVE - VIEW JOB

NCOSS gives its members the opportunity to share their stories, research, resources, events and more through NCOSS eNews. If you have something to share with the sector, send through a short blurb (50-70 words), image (250 x 250px) and relevant links to info@ncoss.org.au.

We will endeavour to add it to an edition of NCOSS e-News (goes out every fortnight on Wednesday morning). Deadline for content is 5:00pm on Monday, the week of publication. The next deadline is Monday, 3 February 2025.