VIBE ALIVE

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:17): I acknowledge that parliament meets on the traditional land of the Kaurna people and, in this time between Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, I would like to advise the house of a great event recently held in Murray Bridge and a forthcoming event to be held in Port Augusta. Both are the result of a great organisation called Vibe Alive. The Murray Bridge event was a Vibe 3on3 event featuring basketball and a hip hop challenge. It was my pleasure to attend on behalf of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. It was held on 10 and 11 May at Murray Bridge High School. This was the sixth visit to Murray Bridge and a record crowd was on hand for the activities.

Vibe 3on3 has been to many locations in its eight-year history. Communities that have been included are Alice Springs, Broome, Kalgoorlie, Nhulunbuy, Mildura, Coober Pedy, Kununurra and Weipa. All the communities visited have enjoyed the event immensely and all have asked for Vibe to come back to them. Participants register on the day and are provided a healthy breakfast and a barbeque lunch on both days. Local key agencies are involved in getting the word around to the communities so that everyone can come along. Teams are made up of three to four participants and all receive a gift pack on registration.

I was able to meet Vibe Australia's managing director, Gavin Jones, and his fantastic team on the day, after being made aware of Vibe's activities by the producer, Mayrah Butt, who is a dynamic person and who is also involved in the New South Wales Calisthenics Association. I take a moment to congratulate her on her role in that sport's showcase event last weekend.

There is really good news now for Port Augusta because Vibe Alive will be in town between 3 and 4 September, which is not far away now. Vibe Australia is an Aboriginal media, communications and event agency that publishes the magazines Deadly Vibe and In Vibe and produces the Deadly Sounds radio program and the Deadly Awards and also looks after the website vibe.com.au. It also runs Vibe 3on3, which is in its ninth year nationally.

Vibe's objectives are to encourage young indigenous people to participate in healthy team-building activities and encourage young people to express themselves as a means of building self-esteem. It also provides a means for young people from different indigenous communities to come together, learn about each other and to have some fun. It provides a positive forum in which people can discuss health, social and lifestyle issues and encourages the cultural development of young people in the community. It also promotes reconciliation at a local level. Various indigenous role models attend each Vibe event. Their roles are to speak at the opening ceremony, award prizes and also to spend time with the young people of the community and encourage them to reach their full potential.

Previous Vibe role models include Olympic hurdler, Kyle Vander-Kuyp; high profile footballers, Nathan Blacklock and Preston Campbell; former Harlem Globetrotter, Dwayne Cross; and Vibe's very own in-house uber role model, Claude Williams.

Vibe Alive is a festival for young people of all backgrounds, promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures, encouraging tolerance and team work and celebrating what it really means to be a proud Aussie. It is a perfect place to catch up with friends from all over the area and to make new ones.

Vibe Australia involves participants in music, sport, art and dance in a high energy, youthful, friendly setting. Participants have the opportunity to meet their role models, learn about healthy living and career options and boost literacy and numeracy skills. Every Vibe event promotes a healthy lifestyle, free from drug and alcohol abuse and misuse. They are smoke-free and encourage completion of a full secondary education.

Vibe Australia is committed to increasing training and employment opportunities, and encourages all young Australians to reach their full potential. Vibe welcomes everyone— indigenous and non-indigenous, students, teachers, parents, extended family members, community and youth groups, government and non-government organisations—so it will be a packed venue; and I hope the weather is kind for everyone who participates at Port Augusta Central Oval.

Teams of eight boys or girls or teams of four of each gender will compete in three divisions for years 5 to 6, 7 to 8 and 9 to 10. Teams will compete in all areas—sports, dance, singing and art—and take part in healthy workshops, careers expos and spelling bees in order to earn points for the chance of winning great prizes.

I hope all members will do their best to get involved with the Vibe activities this year. It is not something that is local to the city area. Of course, as we know, these sorts of events are held in the city far more regularly but, as someone who has attended events at Port Augusta and Murray Bridge on more than one occasion, I commend it to everyone. I thank all the participants who make it such a successful event, as well as the organisers who have made it possible for so many young Australian children to have the opportunity to grow in both their sport and recreation and career objectives.