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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-11-12 Daily Xml
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GO Foundation

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Can the minister tell the council about the GO Foundation event that celebrated the foundation's Adelaide class of 2025?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:43): I thank the honourable member for his question and interest in this area. It was an honour to again attend the GO Foundation's event for the Adelaide graduating class of 2025 at the end of last month.

The GO Foundation was formed in 2009 by Sydney Swans players Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin with their longtime friend James Gallichan. Their vision for the foundation is to create opportunities for young Indigenous people through the delivery of their scholarship program, focusing on culture and education.

Importantly, the scholarships offer more than just financial assistance. The foundation's approach ensures that students receive cultural support, mentoring, leadership opportunities, and fosters confidence and resilience. By focusing on education, culture and empowerment, the GO Foundation aims to create a brighter future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

Since the foundation was established, it has grown into an Aboriginal-led and governed organisation that puts culture at the heart of achieving better outcomes for young Aboriginal people. To date, the GO Foundation has awarded over 1,700 scholarships for Indigenous primary, secondary and tertiary students in Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra.

This year, we celebrated 36 graduates across 13 South Australian schools. Graduates comprised of 14 year 6 students graduating from primary school, 19 year 12 students from high school and, very pleasingly, three university graduates this year. It was a pleasure to hear the personal stories and journeys of the students, ranging from year 6 up to the university graduates, and the role the GO Foundation has played in shaping their futures. Some of the aspirations included joining the police force, becoming a teacher and even one young aspirant who had an ambition to look at politics after being Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Torres Strait Islander Nations in the Children's Parliament.

I was particularly pleased to hear a year 6 student speak of his pride in achieving 100 per cent attendance at school for the year. Importantly, each graduate spoke of the impact of education, and spoke to how access to resources such as laptops, school uniforms, Culture Connect Days and leadership programs has made a significant difference to their educational experience.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the GO Foundation—the founders, the members of the board, those who work, those who help the students day in, day out—for their work in creating such opportunities, fostering pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and building a strong support network that extends to all alumni well beyond the years that they are involved while they are at school.

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