Voice. Treaty. Truth. Life Without Barriers partners with Aboriginal and Torres people to work together for a shared future.
In the true Life Without Barriers spirit of respect, we have embraced NAIDOC Week with passion and immersed ourselves in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history at the many events being held across the country.
Setting the scene for NAIDOC Week, Life Without Barriers co-sponsored a vibrant panel discussion in Newcastle on 4 July on the 2019 NAIDOC week themes: Voice, Treaty, Truth and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Several staff and a Board member were privileged to join a crowd of around 250 and listen to panel members Dr Jackie Huggins, Professor John Maynard, and Sean Gordon, chaired by Jill Emberson, local journalist and Newcastle’s Citizen of the Year for 2019.
Regarding what practical things non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait people and organisations can do, the panel encouraged every Australian to
be part of truth telling, to have a conversation with family, friends and in workplaces about the truth of Australia’s history. The time to be brave is now. To allow Australia to heal and move forward, we must have the difficult conversations about our history, as well as celebrate successes.
During the week, we held our banner high and walked with thousands at the Victorian Reconciliation March in Melbourne. We also had a strong presence at special smoking ceremonies, flag raising ceremonies, and a range of community events, including co-organising a cultural sports day in Darwin on Sunday 14 July.
Image: Darwin NAIDOC March
Image: Our Foster Care team at the NAIDOC March in Newcastle
Image: Clients participate in Aboriginal craft to learn more about Aboriginal culture during NAIDOC Week
While NAIDOC Week comes to a close on Sunday 14 July, Life Without Barriers has an ongoing commitment to recognising, respecting and advancing the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. This commitment is evidenced in our Reconciliation Action Plan and work is well underway to develop our next RAP, which we hope to release later this year.
