This year’s On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River was held on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 July 2024 on Kariyarra Country.
On Day 1, 24 July, the Pilbara Aboriginal community united in determining priorities from the Call to Action endorsed at last year’s meeting, with some additional concerns, for the Government’s immediate attention. This includes some new actions that reflect issues raised at workshops YMAC held across the Pilbara in April.
On Day 2, 25 July, the community welcomed politicians and government agencies. Mr Yaz Mubarakai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education; Aboriginal Affairs; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests attended, confirming that the State Government fully endorses the Yule River Call to Action. Mr Murabakai was also there representing The Hon. Sabine Winton, Minister for Early Childhood Education; Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; and Community Services.
The 2024 meeting also saw the Pilbara District Leadership Group (DLG) extend an invitation to four members of the Yule River Call to Action Working Group to join – ensuring that work is being done to make the Call to Action a reality. The Working Group is made up of Mrs Eaton, Linda Dridi, Henry Lockyer, Ashley Councillor, Terry Jaffrey, Raylene Button, Donny Wilson and Maureen MK Kelly OAM.
The Working Group are community members committed to driving both the Yule River Bush Meeting and the Yule River Call to Action. They were nominated at an April 2023 workshop held in the lead up to last year’s Yule River meeting, and at the 2024 on-Country meeting they shared updates on progress and sought feedback from community about a more long-term leadership structure on the Call to Action with community members present.
Community speakers at the 2024 Bush Meeting included Mr Danny Brown, Ms Raylene Button, Mr Henry Lockyer, Mr Barry Taylor, and Ms June Councillor (on behalf of Pilbara Aboriginal Health Planning Forum).
Day 2 Guest speakers included Senator Dorinda Cox, Mr Yaz Mubarakai MLA, Mr Kevin Michel MLA (on behalf of Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA, Minister for Health; Mental Health), Commissioner for Children and Young People Ms Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, Pilbara Development Commission CEO Mr Simon Taylor, WA Country Health Service Acting Executive Director Mr Matt Wells, WA Police Inspector Troy Douglas, as well as Pilbara DLG member Mr Damian Cunnane, Acting Pilbara Regional Executive Director, Department of Communities.
Following the July 2024 on-Country meeting, YMAC is supporting the Working Group to produce a 2024 Yule River Call to Action document that will incorporate updates arising since 2023 meeting (including from the April workshops and Yule River 2024 on-Country meeting). Once that document is finalised we will share it with government agencies and make it available here.
Ahead of this year’s meeting, a report from the April 2024 Workshops was prepared by Independent Facilitator Ms Mandy Gadsdon and finalised by the Call to Action Working Group. The report includes additional considerations and suggested priorities and was provided to community members as part of discussions on Day 1 of the 2024 On-Country Meeting. Additionally, a DRAFT ‘snapshot’ summary was produced, for people wanting a version that includes information from both the 2023 Yule River Call to Action and the April workshops report. The Report is currently marked DRAFT, as it is being updated following community discussion at Yule River in July.
More information about the April 2024 workshops is available below.
We would also like to thank the organisations that joined us and helped deliver the event, including a range of stall holders. This included several Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations from across the Pilbara, as well as some statewide service providers. They included:
An Elders Tent was also hosted by Julyardi, Hedland Aboriginal Strong Leaders & Hedland Aboriginal Emerging Leaders on both days of the Bush Meeting.
In 2023, YMAC’s Pilbara Regional Committee piloted a new a new approach in the lead-up to Yule River, hosting pre-event workshops designed to provide more opportunity for consultation and feedback.
From these meetings, the Yule River Working Group was established in April 2023, who worked on drafting the Call to Action ahead of the Yule River meeting, and then refined the document after community provided feedback on Day 1 of the 2023 meeting.
At their request, in April 2024 YMAC organised independently facilitated preliminary workshops that took place in Newman, Karratha, Roebourne and Port Hedland to ensure that community, government and industry can move forward together in making the Call to Action a reality.
A report on these Workshops has been prepared by Independent Facilitator Mandy Gadsdon and finalised by the Call to Action Working Group. It is intended to provide information on key discussions that arose at the workshops held in Newman, Karratha, Roebourne and Port Hedland in April 2024. The report includes additional considerations and suggested priorities that were presented to community for consideration at the 2024 On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River on 24 and 25 July.
A DRAFT ‘snapshot’ summary report has been produced for people wanting a version that includes information from both the 2023 Call to Action and the April workshop report. This report summarises the Calls to Action, highlights priorities requiring a government response, and includes images to show the intent of the Call to Action.
The Report is currently in DRAFT, as further updates are now being made following community discussion at the 2024 Yule River Bush Meeting.
Following the July 2024 on-Country meeting, YMAC are supporting further edits to both the 2023 Yule River Call to Action and the Summary document to incorporate findings from the April workshops and community decisions at Yule River.
The workshops were held in:
The meetings included:
The Port Hedland meeting additionally included an opportunity to share outcomes and information from the Newman, Karratha and Roebourne meetings, as well as offering allocated time to invited government representatives from the Pilbara District Leadership Group to provide updates on their current work in response to the 2023 Call to Action.
All four workshops were open to Pilbara Aboriginal community members and were promoted through PBCs and Aboriginal Corporations across the Pilbara.
The 2023 Yule River Call to Action Statement is available here. The 2023 Yule River Call to Action is an open invitation to local, State and Federal governments and industry to work together with First Nations peoples from across the Pilbara to achieve real and sustainable change.
It contains practical strategies and place-based solutions, identified by community members for:
The Call to Action demonstrates links to three important policy frameworks:
The 2023 Yule River Call to Action Statement is available here. The 2023 Yule River Call-to-Action is an open invitation to local, State and Federal governments and industry to work together with First Nations peoples from across the Pilbara to achieve real and sustainable change.
It contains practical strategies and place-based solutions, identified by community members for:
The Call to Action demonstrates links to three important policy frameworks:
Taking place on Kariyarra Country, the eighth annual Yule River meeting was held 12 and 13 July 2023. Over 500 people gathered over the two days, to discuss local empowerment and a fcall on the government to Close the Gap for Aboriginal people from across the region.
Kariyarra Elder, Alfred Barker delivered the Welcome to Country before Nyamal-Pitjakarli Elder and Deputy Co-Chair-Pilbara Regional Committee Mrs Doris Eaton opened the meeting.
Day 1 featured a presentation on the Voice to Parliament from Mr Thomas Mayo, member of the Federal Government’s Voice Referendum Working Group. When asked if they intend to vote ‘’yes’’ in the referendum, an overwhelming majority raised their hands. Aboriginal attendees discussed and endorsed a Call to Action that called for a more genuine, grassroots approach by government to working with community on placed-based solutions in six key areas of concern – systemic reform, education, health, housing, wellbeing, community safety.
On Day 2, community members presented the refined Call to Action to Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians the Hon Linda Burney MP, State Minister for Education and Aboriginal Affairs the Hon Dr Tony Buti MLA, Greens Senator Dorinda Cox, WA Commissioner for Children and Young People Ms Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, and the many local, state and federal government representatives in attendance. A last-minute special guest was Acting Prime Minister the Hon Richard Marles MP, who joined the meeting to speak with community members and discuss their concerns.
The two-day meeting was co-chaired by Ngarla-Nyamal leader Mr Danny Brown and Kariyarra leader Ms Raylene Button who are members of the Call-to-Action Working Group nominated at the April Yule River pre-event meeting. The other working group members who presented were Ashley Councillor, Linda Dridi, Mrs Eaton, Terry Jaffrey, Maureen “MK” Kelly, Henry Lockyer, Pat Mason, and Ethan Tittums.
A draft of the Call to Action was developed at a pre-event workshop in April involving Elders and Emerging Leaders from the Pilbara region. After the meeting, YMAC worked with the Call-to-Action Working Group, to finalise the Call-to-Action statement (link), incorporating additional actions identified by community at the Yule River meeting. The statement has been shared with government and community for consideration and action.
The event was also an opportunity for members of the community to connect so after 6pm on day 1, they enjoyed an evening meal and cultural performance together. The evening also featured the Henry & Ranahl band – a Country Rock/Pop band from WA. The event featured a range of stalls – the Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance, First Nations Clean Energy, ID Care/Cyber Resilience, Pilbara Regiment, YMAC, Department of Planning, Land and Housing and more.
Taking place on Kariyarra Country, the Annual On-Country Meeting at Yule River is an opportunity for Aboriginal people across the Pilbara people to come together as one, to identify and discuss place-based solutions to address key issues affecting community.
YMAC coordinates the meeting at the request of its Pilbara Regional Committee, through communications and logistical support, including catering, equipment, and staff.
Invitations and promotional materials are sent to YMAC members, PBCs, Aboriginal Corporations and community networks. Invites are also extended to Senior State and Federal government ministers and administrators, as well as local governments throughout the Pilbara.
Day 1 is for Aboriginal community members. The agenda includes independently facilitated discussions and cultural decision-making by the wider Pilbara Aboriginal community.
Day 2 welcomes decision makers and influencers, with the intention that they hear from nominated community representatives on key messages endorsed by the attending Pilbara Aboriginal community on Day 1. Guests are invited to make a presentation to the community and respond to the community representations, allowing for collective discussion.
The On-Country meeting offers Government a vital link to the Pilbara Aboriginal community, and the opportunity to meet and discuss place-based-solutions directly informed by community, on key issues facing Aboriginal people in the Pilbara region.
Aboriginal corporations are also invited to participate, host stalls at the event, as well as through providing in-kind and financial support.
Meetings held at Yule River are historic, having been organised by Aboriginal people in the Pilbara region for decades.
The dry riverbed on Kariyarra Country, located off the North-West Coastal Highway just south of Port Hedland, is a place where people from different language groups can come together to discuss local solutions to common issues affecting Aboriginal communities across the region.
The meetings stemmed from the actions taken in the lead up to the 1946 Pilbara Strike, when Aboriginal people held secret meetings in remote bush locations to plan an ambitious three-year walk off by Aboriginal pastoral workers who were living on cattle stations in conditions akin to slavery. Pilbara Aboriginal people continued their work advocating for improved conditions and outcomes by organising bush meetings.
During the land rights era from the late-1970s, Yule River became the focal point for such gatherings which were often attended by up to 2,000 Aboriginal people from all over the Pilbara. At this time, “Old Man Parker” (born Herbert), was the Pilbara representative for the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee, the first national body elected by Aboriginal people which had been introduced by the Whitlam Government.
Mr Parker presided over these meetings on Yule River’s sandy banks as Aboriginal people from all over the Pilbara region gathered to talk about lands trust business, housing complaints, and land rights.
Many important initiatives have been borne from Yule River meetings, as concerns and solutions come directly from Pilbara Aboriginal people, with government expected to attend to listen and address their concerns.
Through the efforts of then YMAC Co-Chairperson, Mrs Doris Eaton – whose father was a key player in the 1946 Pilbara Strike – and the YMAC Pilbara Regional Committee, the Yule River meetings recommenced in 2014.
All language groups from across the region are invited to attend these meetings and share their concerns.
Much like they were decades ago, gatherings at Yule River are an important opportunity for a diverse range of Aboriginal voices to be heard.
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.
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