Country, Culture, People, Future

August 2017

Nyangumarta Rangers

Posted: August 25th, 2017

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Indigenous Protected Areas and Working on Country Indigenous Ranger Programme wins Global Future Policy Award

Posted: August 23rd, 2017

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Australia’s commitment to land conservation through Indigenous Protected Areas and the Working on Country Indigenous Ranger programme has been recognised by the World Future Council, confirming that Australia will be awarded the Bronze Future Policy Award 2017 for empowering Indigenous people in the area of land restoration.

Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Hon. Nigel Scullion, said the Coalition Government was providing unprecedented support for Indigenous rangers. “Our record levels of funding for the Indigenous ranger programme has taken our total investment in Indigenous rangers to more than $550 million over seven years through to 2020,” Minister Scullion said. “This investment is not only leading to better environmental outcomes on country, but is providing valuable employment opportunities for more than 2500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Indigenous Ranger Programme is a great example of the traditional knowledge of our First Australians being combined with modern scientific know-how to improve environmental outcomes on country and I am proud that the work being carried out by our Indigenous rangers has been recognised on the world stage. We have long recognised the success of the Indigenous ranger programme, which is why the Coalition Government recently announced a new $30 million Capacity Building for Indigenous Rangers Strategy. It is fitting that we accept this award on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Indigenous Protected Areas Programme – a Howard Government initiative that has transformed large parts of our country.

Alexandra Wandel, Director of the World Future Council (WFC):
Australia’s win of the Bronze Future Policy Award is sending a strong, empowering message: they show how a country vulnerable to desertification and climate change can find a smart and highly effective way to successfully address a global challenge.This is placing Australia, along with the other Future Policy Awardees, firmly on the map as an environmental leader.

The Future Policy Award is the only award which honours policies rather than people on an international level. Each year, the World Future Council chooses a topic for the Future Policy Award on which policy progress is particularly urgent. In 2017, in partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), laws and policies were evaluated that contribute to the protection of life and livelihoods in the drylands, and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 15, target 3, to “combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.” The Awards will be presented at a ceremony in September 2017, at the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD in Ordos, China.

More information on this year’s award recipients can be found at: World Future Council

YMAC Board Does Not Support Cashless Welfare Card

Posted: August 17th, 2017

The YMAC Board of Directors are representatives of Aboriginal native title claim groups, PBCs, corporations and communities across WA. The YMAC Board does not support the cashless welfare card being promoted by Andrew Forrest because it unfairly discriminates against Aboriginal people.

The Minderoo Foundation video targets vulnerable people and unfairly exploits them. It perpetuates a racist stereotype that is held within the non-Aboriginal community that these people cannot be trusted to manage their own affairs. This propaganda is damaging to the good work that many are doing to build positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins states “… YMAC and the Australian public needs to see the data from the trial of the program to determine the merits of the cashless card, not just selective evidence from a few individuals. Broader consultation with the Aboriginal communities likely to be impacted by the program is needed to empower Aboriginal people to make informed choices on these matters.”

See more in the media release: ymac.org.au/media-releases/3960/

NITV calls for emerging Indigenous film-makers to apply for Spirit Initiative 2017

Posted: August 11th, 2017

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NITV is calling for up and coming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander film-makers to apply for the fifth annual Spirit Initiative. Formerly known as the Spirit Award, the Initiative includes a professional development opportunity with NITV in addition to the opportunity to make a short documentary as part of NITV’s Our Stories. The winner will be flown to Sydney for a three week work experience placement where they will be mentored and trained by NITV’s experienced staff from a range of departments. They will then be commissioned to produce a 15-minute Our Stories documentary in language and a news story from their local community.

Applicants are required to submit a three minute ‘sizzle reel’ – a snapshot showcase of their work – and a pitch for their 15 minute documentary.
Applications close Friday 1 September 2017, with the winner to be announced at the 19th National Remote Indigenous Media Festival in Irrunytju, Western Australia from 25-30 September 2017.

For more information and to apply online visit: nitv-spirit-initiative

 

Country is our mother, the provider and keeper of cultural belongings. Country and Culture go together. You can’t have one without the other.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians throughout Western Australia, and on whose Country we work. We acknowledge and respect their deep connection to their lands and waterways.

We honour and pay respect to Elders, and to their ancestors who survived and cared for Country.

Our offices are located on Whadjuk Country, Southern Yamatji Country, Yinggarda Country, Kariyarra Country, and Yawuru Country. We recognise the continuing culture, traditions, stories and living cultures on these lands and commit to building a brighter future together.

Disclaimer: Caution: Please be advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

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