Ministerial Statement

NAIDOC Week

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:18): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement about NAIDOC Week.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I rise today to speak about NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week is a chance for all Australians to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in recognition of their culture, history and achievements. It has been a celebrated week on the national calendar for close to 80 years and can be traced back to the trailblazers of the Aboriginal Rights Movement in 1938.

The theme of 2016 NAIDOC Week is Songlines: The Living Narrative of our Nation. Songlines are an incredibly important part of Aboriginal culture; they recall the travels of ancestral spirits who 'sung' the land into life and have been recorded through traditional songs, stories, dance and art.

The world's oldest living culture has thrived for tens of thousands of years through the sharing of Songlines from one generation to the next. Preserving Aboriginal culture is an exceptionally important part of continuing Songlines, as is celebrating the many achievements of individuals who do so much for their community.

I would like to acknowledge some of the hardworking South Australian people who have received NAIDOC awards this week. The 10^th year of the Premier's NAIDOC Award saw an amazing field of finalists, including Mia Fantasia-Copley, Paul Vandenbergh, Zaaheer McKenzie, Aunty Ellen Trevorrow and Associate Professor Wendy Edmondson. The outstanding contributions that these finalists make not just in the Aboriginal community but in the whole South Australian community in the fields of health, education, sport, and youth work is truly inspiring. I certainly do not envy the selection panel who had to decide on just one winner.

Last night, I was proud to present the 2016 Premier's NAIDOC Award to an outstanding woman who has dedicated 38 years to Aboriginal health and education, Associate Professor Wendy Edmondson. Also, in my home town of Mount Gambier, the Pangula Mannamurna South's NAIDOC Awards again fielded individuals of the highest calibre. The Female Elder of the Year was awarded to Aunty Val Brennan, and the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Viv Maher.

I know that many other regions across the state have recognised people in their local community with NAIDOC Week awards, and I congratulate all winners and finalists for the work they do in their community. Tomorrow is the annual NAIDOC SA March from Victoria Square to Parliament House, and I encourage all those in the chamber to attend if they are able.