2011

Free Indigenous Business Workshops in the Midwest and Pilbara

Posted: March 25th, 2011

Filed under: Geraldton, Indigenous Business Australia, Port Hedland, Tom Price.

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is running free Into Business workshops to assist Aboriginal people who are interested in starting up a business. A series of three one-day workshops is available for aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs who want to turn their business ideas into reality.

At the workshops participants work with a business specialist to learn how to thoroughly research their idea to determine whether it is a commercially viable, and what is required to manage a business on a day-to-day basis.

For those people who complete the three workshops, one-on-one assistance from an IBA-funded business consultant will be available to help take the next step towards building an income generating business.

The workshops are part of IBA’s national Business Development and Assistance Program, which aims to assist Indigenous Australians to establish, acquire and grow small to medium businesses.

The first of the three workshops will be held in Tom Price on 5 April, Port Hedland on 7 April, Geraldton on 14 April and another round in Geraldton on 20 July.

For more information or to register for the workshops call 1800 107 107

Check out the new look YMAC News

Posted: March 23rd, 2011

Filed under: Aboriginal Communities Charitable Organisation, Board, International Women's Day, National Heritage List, Sandfire Resources, uranium, Weld Range, YMAC News, Yugunga-Nya

The latest issue of YMAC News is out today, with a new look and expanded format. In issue 13 of YMAC’s newsletter you can catch up on what has been happening at YMAC over the past three months with stories on the agreement between the Yugunga-Nya people and Sandfire Resources, the National Heritage Listing for the Weld Range, YMAC’s uranium community guides, the Premier’s Australia Day Award for the Aboriginal Communities Charitable Organistaion, the three YMAC women who were honoured for International Women’s Day, as well as profiles of some of our board members.

Click the link below for an electronic version or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au to request hard copies for yourself, your family, your business or workplace.

YMAC News March 2011

Indigenous West Australians recognised at International Women’s Day Event

Posted: March 10th, 2011

Filed under: Board, Donna Murdock, Doris Eaton, International Women's Day, Margaret Rose, NATSIWA, YMAC Director

NATSIWA’s International Women’s Day Poster

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is extremely proud that two of its staff members and one of its Board members have been honoured at an event in Adelaide marking ‘International Women’s Day.’

Mrs. Donna Murdock, Yamatji Regional Manager, Ms. Margaret Rose, Senior Community Liaison Officer and Mrs. Doris Eaton, co-chair of YMAC’s Board of Directors and 2009 NAIDOC elder of the year, have been recognised by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) for achieving change for their people and communities.

To celebrate the one hundredth International Women’s Day, NATSIWA has recognised one hundred Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have shown leadership and achieved change over the past one hundred years.

In addition to a rally in Adelaide on 10 March 2011, there is  a poster featuring some of the nominated women that will be widely distributed to schools, non-government organisations and government departments. A blog has also been created where the women will contribute to forums on issues facing Indigenous women.

Click here to access NATSIWA’s International Women’s Day website, including their blog.

Mrs. Murdock, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Eaton were all chosen because of their activism, leadership and commitment to their regional communities. They have contributed to their communities in the areas of health, education, business development, native title and traditional culture.

“It’s a great pleasure to be recognised and to be honoured among other women who have been working hard for their communities. It is really rewarding for us Indigenous women to come together from all parts of Australia and have it be recognised that yes, we are making a difference,” said Margaret Rose.

Simon Hawkins, YMAC’s Chief Executive Officer, said of the news, “It’s wonderful to see some of the hard-working, community-minded Aboriginal women of the Midwest and Pilbara regions being celebrated nationally for their achievements. YMAC congratulates Mrs. Eaton, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Murdock on their nominations, and I can say personally that it has been a huge honour to work with them over the years.”

Weld Range added to the National Heritage List

Posted: February 25th, 2011

Filed under: National Heritage List, Wajarri Yamatji, Weld Range, Wilgie Mia

Signpost – road leading to Wilgie Mia/Thuwarri Thaa, Weld Range in distance

The Weld Range is approximately sixty kilometres north-west of Cue, and is of significant cultural importance to the traditional owners of the area, the Wajarri Yamatji people, as well as neighbouring Indigenous groups.

The 45ha area of the National Heritage Listing includes Wilgie Mia, Little Wilgie Mia and the Marlu Resting Place. These sites contain sacred law grounds, dreamtime places, thousands of examples of rock art, extensive archaeological material, and the Wilgie Mia red ochre mine.

Uranium information for Traditional Owners

Posted: February 19th, 2011

Filed under: members, uranium

YMAC has produced a publication called “Uranium and Native Title”, which will be sent to all YMAC members this month.

The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is aware that uranium mining is an issue that many of our members feel strongly about.

YMAC is not for or against uranium mining. Our role is to make sure Traditional Owners are professionally represented, that their native title rights are protected, and that they have the right information for decision making.
Uranium is a controversial issue and we’ve had a lot of questions from our members about what uranium mining might mean for their country and community. There are no uranium mines planned for the Murchison and Gascoyne regions right now, but exploration is occurring.

The “Uranium and Native Title” booklet and DVD gives some basic information about uranium, and lets you know where to go to learn more.

The DVD includes information from YMAC’s visit to the Northern Territory to meet with Traditional Owners who have had uranium mining on their country. It also features footage from YMAC’s Uranium Workshops in 2009 with Traditional Owners in Geraldton, Karratha and Carnarvon, where a Federal Government scientist talked about uranium and types of mining.

Click here to download “Uranium and Native Title” or visit YMAC’s website http://www.ymac.org.au/. You can contact YMAC at (08) 9268 7000 to request a copy complete with DVD.

If you are already a YMAC member you will receive your copy in the mail.

Not a member? Click here to download a membership form. All Yamatji and Marlpa adults are eligible for YMAC membership.

2010 Native Title and Social Justice Report

Posted: February 16th, 2011

Filed under: agreement, Australian Human Rights Commission, good faith, native title, reform, Social Justice

• the need to clarify the meaning of good faith in the Native Title Act;
• the need to improve processes for meaningful consultation with Traditional Owners about reforms to the system; and
• the need for Governments to implement the Guidelines for Best Practice in Agreement-Making, endorsed by Native Title Ministers in 2009.

Apology Day celebrations in Geraldton

Posted: February 10th, 2011

Filed under: apology, Bundiyarra, Geraldton, Radio MAMA

To celebrate the anniversary of the federal government’s apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation will be hosting a family fun day on the Geraldton foreshore on Sunday, 13 February 10:00-2:00. The alcohol free event will include free activities, entertainment, food, drinks and a live broadcast from Radio MAMA.

Streeties will be providing a free bus service and will be collecting passengers from all the usual pick-up places offered during the school holiday program. For further information contact Bundiayarra at iwrpo@bundiyarra.org.au

The Beauty of the Pilbara on Show in Port Hedland and Perth

Posted: February 8th, 2011

Filed under: Pilbara Project, Spinifex Hill

A group of five artists spent a year touring the Pilbara with their cameras and the result is 52 Weeks On: A Pilbara Project Exhibition. The show features stunning images of how the people, mining industry and ancient country interact.

Their photographs and videos will be on show at the Courthouse Gallery in Port Hedland and FORM Gallery in Perth, with opening events in Perth on 10 February and in Port Hedland on 11 February.

The Pilbara Project is a long-term project which documents, maps, illustrates and celebrates the diverse characteristics of the Pilbara.

The exhibition seeks to engage people to think differently about the Pilbara. While the region has already given the Australian economy so much, it has even more to offer, to multiple people and on multiple fronts.

Pilbara Indigenous Health Services Win Commonwealth Support

Posted: February 1st, 2011

Filed under: Aboriginal health organisations, Jigalong, South Hedland

Three Aboriginal Health Centres in the Pilbara have been successful in securing grants from the federal government, the Minister for Indigenous Health announced yesterday.

The goal of the funding is to help Aboriginal Health Organisations achieve accreditation under Australian quality standards.

For the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation in Jigalong and the Pilbara Indigenous Women’s Aboriginal Corporation and Bloodwood Tree, both located in South Hedland, this means funding for things like training, office equipment, medical equipment and the accreditation fees.

YMAC congratulates these three Pilbara Aboriginal health organisations on their successful grant applications and on their ongoing work to improve the health and quality of life for the Pilbara Aboriginal community.