The Voice – is the pendulum swinging far enough?
The final wording for the Voice to Parliament referendum question has been announced. However, there is still apprehension from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around the country about what this ‘Voice’ is going to look like in practice. Although the additional detail during the referendum question announcement looks to include greater representation than initially thought, we’ve been burned by promises from the government before, as Natalie Cromb explores.
No Investigation and No Justice: An interview with solicitor Karen Iles’ on her police accountability campaign
More often than not, police deepen inequality in Aboriginal peoples’ lives by either unnecessarily intervening, or by failing the victims of crime they claim to be protecting. Phoebe Mcilwraith interviews Karen Iles (Dharug) about her demand for justice in a country where police continue to fail Black women and children.
Acknowledging Women Blakademics on International Women’s Day
For International Women’s Day, Bizzi Lavelle writes of the Blakademic womens’ voices being unheard of or left behind altogether. In 2018 the NAIDOC theme ‘Because of Her, We Can’ saw the stories of our foremothers finally get the attention and accolades they deserve. However, since then, Bizzi has noticed there are often instances where we should still be championing these stories but aren’t.
New report shows Australia’s media reckoning can’t come soon enough
Last month, Media Diversity Australia (MDA) released its second snapshot, Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? 2.0 on Indigenous and cultural diversity in Australian television news. It’s the second time MDA has looked at the diversity of television news and representation on the small screen. Journalist Rhianna Patrick tells us, more work is needed in this space, and asks - is mainstream media even a safe place for First Nations people?
Another inquiry in NSW, another missed opportunity for change
In NSW the Coroner is crucial in determining cause of death whenever there is a sudden, unexpected or unnatural death in the community, including when the police are involved. A recent inquiry into this system has revealed an unwillingness on behalf of government to implement changes that could save countless Aboriginal families needless grief and suffering, Lindsay McCabe explains.
Uncompromisingly Oodgeroo
Ooodgeroo Noonuccal was a First Nations poet, activist, and educator. She was a significant voice for First Nations peoples' rights as citizens through her writing and her work as an advocate.
To celebrate Ooodgeroo's birthday, award-winning Mununjali Yugambeh author, playwright and poet Ellen van Neerven has written a poem to reflect on Oodgeroo, and how she has inspired them.
5 First Nations horror books to check out
This list of scary books by Indigenous authors spans the globe, some evoking aspects of cultural storytelling and lore that existed long before us. Where Halloween has become a mainstream celebration separated from its Pagan roots, Indigenous storytelling remembers where it comes from and abides by certain rules of engagement.
So whose ‘Voice’ is it anyway?
We Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have always fought for our rights and have often had to do that against government authorities. So why are people surprised we want to know more about the Voice to Parliament before we commit to it? Nat Cromb writes of recent dialogues highlighting the answers we're still not getting.
