NAIDOC Week

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Will the minister inform the council about this year's NAIDOC Week events in Port Augusta?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is a great pleasure to visit regions at any time of the year, but particularly during NAIDOC Week, which I only get to do every few years because there are so many events in Adelaide during NAIDOC Week. It was great this year to have a chance to get up to Port Augusta and join in many of their celebrations, including the Culture Fest day of celebration and sharing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Events for the week kicked off in Port Augusta with a smoking ceremony and corporate breakfast, followed by an opening ceremony. Held at 50 Wharflands on the Esplanade in the centre of Port Augusta, Culture Fest was very well attended both by locals and visitors, young and old, who enjoyed a day of performances, talks and the many stalls that were on offer.

One of those stalls was preparing a well-known bush tucker food with a twist, a creation called damper twisties, where damper was cut into thin strips and wound around wooden sticks, sealing off one end before cooking them over coals and filling them with butter and any other fillings you might like. Sir, I would highly recommend next time you are in Port Augusta—you visit that part of the world often—trying a damper twisty.

Other stalls had activities for the many kids who were in attendance, such as cupcake decorating and colouring of Dreamtime stories and animations, and a stall from Umeewarra Media was handing out T-shirts with the fantastic local Port Augusta NAIDOC design. It was a pleasure to spend most of the day with locals, chatting with many community members, who were treated to a fabulous line-up of performers during the day, including some internationally renowned dancers and singers.

There were performances from Kungkra, Dem Mob, JKLMS, Eddie Peters and Nancy Bates. Traditional dancing was also a significant part of the event, with a special feature from the Umeewarra dancers, the Yankunytjatjara men, the Meuram Mer dancers and a group of 13 performers from the Torres Strait Islands who travelled a long distance to share their talents and their culture with the local Port Augusta community.

The NAIDOC Week included many other events, including a Colour Run, a scarf workshop and the annual tradition of Port Augusta's NAIDOC Week quiz night, which is hosted by the winner of the previous year's quiz. After an enjoyable night, I was very pleased to be on the table that won the quiz night, but now have, I am told, a commitment to help host the quiz night next year in Port Augusta.

This week's NAIDOC events provided a great opportunity for community members to engage and celebrate Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements. I thank Port Augusta for putting on a fantastic NAIDOC Week. I look forward to returning next year to the NAIDOC Week quiz night, and invite any members of the council who wish to do so to join us.