2021

Pilbara COVID-19 vaccination clinics – Tom Price and Paraburdoo

Posted: September 8th, 2021

The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) has announced COVID-19 vaccination clinics for both Tom Price and Paraburdoo on the following dates:

Tom Price Community Hall (1 Central Road, Tom Price)

Friday, 17 September – Tuesday, 21 September (9am – 6pm each day)

Ashburton Hall Paraburdoo (Ashburton Avenue, Paraburdoo)

Thursday, 23 September (9am – 6pm)

The COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine will be available at these locations to everyone aged 12 and over to ‘roll up to protect the Pilbara’. Noting, while anyone eligible wanting the vaccine will be able to receive it, local families are especially encouraged to come down and do their bit to protect the community.

To register and book an appointment, visit www.rollup.wa.gov.au (however, walk-ins will also be welcome).

Mass Vaccination Clinics are coming soon to the Pilbara

Preserve, Promote and Protect our Aboriginal Sites grants program

Posted: September 7th, 2021

Grants of up to $30,000 are on offer for Aboriginal Communities to help manage, promote and safekeep registered Aboriginal heritage sites across WA, courtesy of the State Government.

The 2021-22 Preserve, Promote and Protect our Aboriginal Sites grants program is being administered by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and is open to Incorporated Aboriginal not-for-profit organisations with the grants going towards on the ground works such as remediation of burial sites, fence and signage information and promotion of cultural information.

Projects must be registered on the Register of Aboriginal Place and Objects to be eligible for funding.

You can find out more here or call (08) 6551 7920.

Applications for funding close on 15 October, 2021.

CATSI Amendment Bill referred for Senate inquiry

Posted: September 7th, 2021

The Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Amendment Bill 2021 (the CATSI Amendment Bill) was introduced into Parliament by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, MP, on Wednesday, 25 August 2021.

Following its introduction, the CATSI Amendment Bill was referred for inquiry to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee (the Committee), which is accepting submissions until 17 September 2021 (and is expected to report by 14 October 2021). The reason for this referral is to further consider the impact of the bill on standards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations.

The CATSI Amendment Bill has been the subject of an ongoing review and related consultations, most recently of which informed an exposure draft, which was published on the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) website on 8 July 2021. Feedback on the exposure draft was accepted through to 9 August 2021.

NIAA has since published a report that summarises the feedback received during the exposure draft consultation process. This report can also be viewed on NIAA’s website here, while the individual submissions received as part of this process, including YMAC’s, can be accessed here.

Should you wish to know more about the current inquiry and/or track its progress, please visit the Committee’s webpage here.

Should you wish to make a submission to the inquiry, please follow the parliamentary lodgment instructions, accessible here.

Mary G helps busts COVID-19 vaccination myths.

Posted: September 3rd, 2021

Aboriginal personality Mary G and leading Australian paediatric physician, Dr Jonathan Carapetis have teamed up to bust myths and answer questions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine.

On the night of Wednesday September 8 tune in to the Mary G radio show where the interview will be replayed in full covering some frequently asked questions including:

• Why have Aboriginal people been prioritised to receive the vaccine?
• How it was been implemented for First Nations people around the world
• Why is it still important for everyone to get the vaccine, including pregnant and breastfeeding women?
• How do the vaccines work?

If you’re unable to have a listen more information and the interview can be found at COVID-19 resources for Aboriginal people (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

Outcomes of the 7th Annual Yule River Bush Meeting

Posted: August 30th, 2021

Aboriginal people from across the Pilbara have voted unanimously to reject the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill, at the 7^th Annual Yule River Bush Meeting on 25 and 26 August.

The focus of the 2021 meeting was discussion on Aboriginal cultural heritage and the Bill that state Government intends to push through Parliament before the end of this year.

Meeting attendees also shared their disappointment that the State did not send any ministerial representation to have direct conversations about their concerns. The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs was invited to attend but declined, stating he had diary conflict.

The community resolved to march to demonstrate their unhappiness in Perth on Saturday 23 October, and in their own towns, beginning with one in Hedland on Friday 27 August.

For more information on the Yule River meeting, see YMAC’s media release here.

7th Annual On-Country Bush meeting at the Yule River Meeting Place.

Posted: August 20th, 2021

The 7th Annual Yule River bush meeting will be held on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 August. This year the focus of discussions will be on cultural heritage protection and the 2020 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill draft.

Day one is for Traditional Owners only, to come together to discuss their concerns and how they would like to tackle issues raise.

Day two invites visitors from Government to join the conversations and hear directly from the community.

Yule River has become an important platform for ensuring Traditional Owners remain at the centre of decision-making and we again look forward to involvement from Traditional Owners, government representatives, and stakeholders in 2021.

Please note this COVID Registration of attendance of the event will be required. YMAC will ensure the meeting meets the current State and Local Government guidelines and requires all attendees support these efforts to keep the community safe.

ALL attendees will be required to –

• Have their temperature checked on arrival.
• Sign the attendance register agreeing to adhere to the recommended safety measures and give your name and contact details (including telephone number) for the purpose of contact tracing.

YMAC is required to hold these details for 28 days and pass them to the Department of Health if required;

• Sanitise your hands on arrival and regularly during the course of the meetings; and cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue (or use your elbow).
• Maintain a 1.5m distance (about two arms lengths) from each other.

Face masks will be made available at registration.

Lunch will be provided both days, self-catered camping is available.

This is an alcohol and drug free event, YMAC is unable to pay travel allowance.

RSVP to: lcornell@ymac.org.au

Solid Futures 2022: Aboriginal Traineeship Program

Posted: August 17th, 2021

The Public Sector Commission implements the Solid Futures, Aboriginal Traineeship Program in metropolitan Perth and regional areas each year.

The program gives young (24 and under) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people an opportunity to work in a government agency whilst completing a Certificate III in Government.

The Commission will deliver briefing sessions in Karratha and Geraldton to locally-based government agencies and interested job seekers to promote the 2022 program. The details for each session and location are below.

KARRATHA

Information session for interested host agencies:

PLACE: Karratha Jobs and Skills Centre /  North Regional TAFE

DATE: Tuesday, 24 August 2021

TIME:  12:00 pm 

Information session for interested trainees/jobseekers:

PLACE: Karratha Jobs and Skills Centre /  North Regional TAFE

DATE: Tuesday, 24 August 2021

TIME:  2:00 pm

GERADLTON

The details for the information session for interested host agencies is below:

PLACE: Geraldton Jobs & Skills Centre /  CENTRAL Regional TAFE

DATE: Thursday, 26 August 2021

TIME:  11:30 am

The details for the information session for interested trainees/jobseekers is below:

PLACE: Geraldton Jobs & Skills Centre /  CENTRAL Regional TAFE

DATE: Thursday, 26 August 2021

TIME:  2:00 pm

Applications for the program open on 30 August 2021 and close on 1 October 2021.

Find out more here: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/public-sector-commission/aboriginal-traineeship-program

For further information or confirm attendance email aboriginalemployment@psc.wa.gov.au.

March to Protect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage

Posted: August 16th, 2021

The WA Government is finalising the amendments to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill draft.

Now is the time to show you support Traditional Owners’ right to have Heritage Consent – to have the ability to actively participate in the decisions being made about what happens on their Country.

The Kimberley Land Council is coordinating a march in Perth on Thursday 19 August.

Time: 10:30am-2pm

Where: Kings Park to Parliament House

For more information visit the KLC “March for Aboriginal Heritage” facebook event page

Join the call for a First Nations’ ‘Voice to Parliament’ enshrined in the Australian Constitution

Posted: August 13th, 2021

YMAC holds the position that Constitutional recognition must be sought alongside the practical establishment and legislating of a First Nations’ ‘Voice to Parliament’; as, without this, it is feared past failed attempts of creating similar advisory bodies will be repeated.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was an invitation from our First Nations peoples for all Australians to join them on a road to a better future, together. The Referendum Council for the Uluru Statement has launched a new campaign in support of a First Nations’ ‘Voice to Parliament’ to be enshrined in our Constitution.

The campaign invites everyone to use their voice to join the call to the Australian Government, and send a clear message to local, state and federal representatives, of their support for the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’.

To support these efforts, the Referendum Council for the Uluru Statement has created a resource to help you prepare when writing to Federal Members of Parliament, available here.

To read and share the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’, visit the website here.

To download the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ supporter kit, which includes several social media banners and tiles to use to demonstrate your support, visit the website here.

YMAC accepts the invitation contained in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and will continue to walk together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.