MATTERS OF INTEREST

INDIGENOUS SUCCESS STORIES

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:27): We often read of the many challenges and issues facing indigenous communities, but today I want to inform the council of three indigenous success stories. The first is Bookyana at Port Victoria, a flourishing bush food industry run by indigenous Port Victoria couple, Liz and Ron Newchurch. Bookyana, under the commercial label of Outback Pride, grows and markets native and conventional herbs, cultivates quandong trees and produces lillipillies and muntries for a growing market.

The bush tucker grown and sold includes native sea parsley, saltbush and river mint, together with value-added products such as Desert Passion Syrup and Wild Lime Marmalade, joining the production of conventional herbs such as rosemary, chives, oregano, thyme, sage and basil. Pleasingly, Bookyana has signed a five-year contract to further supply bush foods to Reedy Creek Nursery, in addition to selling produce from a shop on the Port Victoria property and providing fresh produce to markets in Adelaide twice a week.

Recognition of the growing market in bush foods is seen in the Newchurch's recent participation in the Festival of Garden Living in Veale Gardens and Mr Newchurch's recent appointment to the Australian Native Food Industry Council Board which is looking to develop export markets.

There are other positive spin-offs. Bookyana currently employs four indigenous workers who complement their on-the-job knowledge with training in horticulture through Salisbury TAFE. Mrs Newchurch, a teacher by profession, helps with staff tutoring, and staff numbers will probably be increased next year, while Mr Newchurch is keen to work with indigenous groups in developing further economic growth in native foods. I am sure we all wish them well in what is an exciting and quickly growing field.

Another promising development is the success of the Dare to Lead national education campaign for excellence in leadership in indigenous education. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, the Hon. Julia Gillard, recently recognised the outstanding efforts of 16 schools across Australia in improving educational outcomes for indigenous students. The awards are given to schools that show excellence in achieving education targets, effectively engage with their local indigenous community and for improving attendance, enrolment, graduation and retention rates.

Some statistics are useful in appreciating the importance of this national program. Four in 10 indigenous students continue to year 12—35 per cent lower than non-indigenous students. According to 2006 census figures, 47 per cent of indigenous South Australians are 19 or under, so efforts to improve the wellbeing, education and ultimately the health of the most marginalised group in our society are paramount. The future importance of the program is highlighted by the comments of Grant Feary, President of the Law Society, on career paths in Law for Indigenous Students.

I use information from Mr Feary's recent article in the media. He notes that only eight indigenous students, a miserable 0.002 per cent of all South Australian law graduates, have graduated. To assist indigenous law students the Law Society, in conjunction with the three major South Australian universities, has set up a mentoring program to provide individual assistance to each indigenous law student.

Out of this mentoring program, which was set up in response to the worrying concern of no new indigenous enrolments in 2007, a forum was realised involving a broad coalition of teachers, counsellors, social workers and students to redress this. I use this information to point out that things are happening; that the Dare to Lead program is also an important cog in developing momentum and continuity for indigenous career paths.

To return to the Dare to Lead Awards for 2007, it is pleasing to note the following successful South Australian schools: Cowandilla Primary School and Glossop High School for achievement awards; the Wiltja Program at Woodville High School for a high achievement award; and last, but not least, Point Pearce Aboriginal School for its achievement award. I wish the recipient schools, the Law Society mentoring program and Bookyana all the best in their wonderful work to close the gap.

Time expired.