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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-16 Daily Xml
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NAIDOC WEEK

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (14:39): Will the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation inform the house of activities held to celebrate NAIDOC Week this year?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management) (14:40): NAIDOC Week is a time when Australians come together to celebrate the culture, heritage and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is an event that the member for Morialta and other members, including the member for Florey and the member for Norwood, often attend. I know other members of this place also participate in these events.

Since 1957, when it was known as the National Aborigines Day Observance Committee, NAIDOC Week has played an important part in promoting reconciliation among Australians. We often speak of the importance of reconciliation, and one of the most important aspects of reconciliation is to understand and value the heritage, culture and achievements of Aboriginal Australians.

Many activities took place this year, ranging from art and craft sessions to blue light discos and more formal events such as the annual flag raising. All this shone a light on the richness and diversity of Aboriginal culture in this state. A number of people braved the rain last Friday to have a family fun day near the cathedral. It was a wonderful day, which showcased a range of Aboriginal services and cultural activities.

The theme of this year's NAIDOC Week was 'Honouring our elders, nurturing our youth', and we remembered generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who devoted their lives to the service of their people. In so doing they have made South Australia a stronger and better place.

Of course, we must also look to the future and our youth, because it is the future lives of young Aboriginal people in this state that will be the measure of our success in closing the gap. One person, who has dedicated her life to this particular endeavour, is the winner of the 2009 Premier's NAIDOC Week Award. This award each year goes to an indigenous person who has shown exceptional leadership and dedication to their community, and the 2009 winner, Sharon Gollan, certainly displays these qualities. Sharon is a descendent of the Ngarrindjeri nation and has strong connections to many communities within and outside of South Australia.

She has worked for over 25 years to help Aboriginal children, young people and families in this state. Sharon has dedicated her career to tackling the problems that too many Aboriginal people face in their lives. Her groundbreaking work includes a range of programs she implemented while employed by the Department for Families and Communities to ensure that services were designed and delivered so that Aboriginal people could access them more easily.

These programs were considered cutting edge at the time and they are now incorporated into the everyday practices of the department. Sharon now works for the University of South Australia, helping both the university and its students to support Aboriginal people, furthering her strong belief—and one that I share—that education is the key to a better life for Aboriginal Australians.

I am also very proud to have her as deputy chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Committee and she is a very worthy winner of the 2009 Premier's NAIDOC Week Award. I am sure all members of the house would join me in congratulating her on her many achievements.

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