Comments for What's Working http://www.whatsworking.com.au Aboriginal women have answers themselves Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:18:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on What now? by Cat Kutay http://www.whatsworking.com.au/what-now/comment-page-1/#comment-1223 Cat Kutay Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:42:31 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=1023#comment-1223 During a recent educational workshop, a participant related the following story about the consultations on the NT Interventions. During a visit by Jenny Macklin to the Gulf of Carpentaria communities, many people got up and spoke about the problems they experienced during the intervention At the end of listening to the people's comments, Jenny Macklin said she found the comments very interesting but this was not what she was hearing "on the ground". The person sitting our informant then commented "How much closer to the ground do I have to be!". During a recent educational workshop, a participant related the following story about the consultations on the NT Interventions. During a visit by Jenny Macklin to the Gulf of Carpentaria communities, many people got up and spoke about the problems they experienced during the intervention
At the end of listening to the people’s comments, Jenny Macklin said she found the comments very interesting but this was not what she was hearing “on the ground”.
The person sitting our informant then commented “How much closer to the ground do I have to be!”.

]]> Comment on Combined Voices by Jane Northup http://www.whatsworking.com.au/what-could-work/combined-voices/comment-page-1/#comment-1201 Jane Northup Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:00:13 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=824#comment-1201 I am currently participating in the Masters of Social Work program at Griffith University. Although I have not worked in this area in Australia I have an interest in supporting, participating or contributing in any way that might be of help to you. Thanks, Jane I am currently participating in the Masters of Social Work program at Griffith University. Although I have not worked in this area in Australia I have an interest in supporting, participating or contributing in any way that might be of help to you.

Thanks,
Jane

]]> Comment on Statements of Support by Deb http://www.whatsworking.com.au/about-us/statements-of-support/comment-page-1/#comment-407 Deb Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:33:40 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=89#comment-407 Like so many other Australians, I absolutely oppose the racist N.T. government Intervention. You ask "Why do we accept it for Aboriginal people?". I don't, but the only thing that stops me from marching on the streets is that we regularly see older women from communities up north asking for these restrictions to stay! Then I sink back again, because I want to support whatever N.T. communities want for themselves. There are mixed messages being given, and they stop many of us from loudly and angrily publicly stating the absolute obvious - that the Intervention is disgustingly racist and an intolerable injustice. Like so many other Australians, I absolutely oppose the racist N.T. government Intervention. You ask “Why do we accept it for Aboriginal people?”. I don’t, but the only thing that stops me from marching on the streets is that we regularly see older women from communities up north asking for these restrictions to stay! Then I sink back again, because I want to support whatever N.T. communities want for themselves. There are mixed messages being given, and they stop many of us from loudly and angrily publicly stating the absolute obvious - that the Intervention is disgustingly racist and an intolerable injustice.

]]> Comment on Homelands policy review by Pamela Harris http://www.whatsworking.com.au/why-stop-working/homelands-policy-review/comment-page-1/#comment-403 Pamela Harris Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:50 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=369#comment-403 Dear Eveline I'm including the website from a group I'm connected with. Pamela Dear Eveline

I’m including the website from a group I’m connected with.

Pamela

]]> Comment on Success in organisations by Veronica Johns http://www.whatsworking.com.au/others-work/successful-strategies-in-indigenous-organisations/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Veronica Johns Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:12:13 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=277#comment-136 We will get a copy of "Success in Indigenous Community Organisations' for our organisation and forward on relevant information to services we work with in Indigenous children's services in the Top End of the Northern Territory and put up on our website. Thanks VJ We will get a copy of “Success in Indigenous Community Organisations’ for our organisation and forward on relevant information to services we work with in Indigenous children’s services in the Top End of the Northern Territory and put up on our website.
Thanks
VJ

]]> Comment on Homelands policy review by Eveline Goy http://www.whatsworking.com.au/why-stop-working/homelands-policy-review/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Eveline Goy Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:50:02 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=369#comment-132 In October, with my husband, I visited a friend formerly from Darwin who now lives on homeland near Port Keats. This man is a member of the Stolen Generation and has been able to reclaim his life in a very positive way since finding his mother's traditional land and moving there. He is now largely cut off from further support (the house needs urgent repairs and part of his income is quanrantined, leaving him very short of funds) and is unable to obtain answers as to why things have become so difficult for him. His local member did not return calls and he is depressed about the state of affairs. I suspect that this new NT government policy (the homelands policy review) may be the reason for the lack of support for people, like himself, who want to remain on homeland. He says that Port Keats people seem to be able to get good support for their initiatives, but he is being denied any help. I feel that he is being let down yet again, after a very difficult and often painful life. In his earlier years he had a very short temper and this would create concerns. Nowadays, this no longer happens but I fear that this policy of denying him support when he sorely needs it, may see him return to his more volatile ways. Is there really no other way of helping people like him and his family? In October, with my husband, I visited a friend formerly from Darwin who now lives on homeland near Port Keats. This man is a member of the Stolen Generation and has been able to reclaim his life in a very positive way since finding his mother’s traditional land and moving there. He is now largely cut off from further support (the house needs urgent repairs and part of his income is quanrantined, leaving him very short of funds) and is unable to obtain answers as to why things have become so difficult for him. His local member did not return calls and he is depressed about the state of affairs. I suspect that this new NT government policy (the homelands policy review) may be the reason for the lack of support for people, like himself, who want to remain on homeland. He says that Port Keats people seem to be able to get good support for their initiatives, but he is being denied any help.

I feel that he is being let down yet again, after a very difficult and often painful life. In his earlier years he had a very short temper and this would create concerns. Nowadays, this no longer happens but I fear that this policy of denying him support when he sorely needs it, may see him return to his more volatile ways. Is there really no other way of helping people like him and his family?

]]> Comment on National Statistics by admin http://www.whatsworking.com.au/what-could-work/national-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-125 admin Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:32:04 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=805#comment-125 I've been listening on the radio to discussion about how the govt can't afford to service the outstations with what Australians usually expect from the government. When they set up the Flying Doctor Service and the school of the air no one argued that we can't afford to give people who go off and live in remote places in tiny family groups education and health services. We should all be pointing out what wrong with this perspective and what the slant that it has really is ie subtle official racism. sent by email by Maureen Magee I’ve been listening on the radio to discussion about how the govt
can’t afford to service the outstations with what Australians usually
expect from the government. When they set up the Flying Doctor Service
and the school of the air no one argued that we can’t afford to give
people who go off and live in remote places in tiny family groups
education and health services.
We should all be pointing out what wrong with this perspective and
what the slant that it has really is ie subtle official racism.
sent by email by Maureen Magee

]]> Comment on Please Contribute by Leanne Townsend http://www.whatsworking.com.au/about-us/please-contribute/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Leanne Townsend Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:19:44 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=470#comment-73 Hello What's Working Team! I thought I would send you a quick note to let you know that we have recently launched our new website: www.nswreconciliation.org.au. We will be featuring "Good News" stories on our site from our grass roots reconciliation groups from across NSW that I welcome you to share throughout your networks. Our reconciliation conference is coming up on 14 November that I welcome you to attend. If there is anything I may be able to assist with don't hesitate to call me on (02) 9219 0719. Kind Regards, Leanne Townsend CEO NSW Reconciliation Council Hello What’s Working Team!

I thought I would send you a quick note to let you know that we have recently launched our new website: http://www.nswreconciliation.org.au. We will be featuring “Good News” stories on our site from our grass roots reconciliation groups from across NSW that I welcome you to share throughout your networks.

Our reconciliation conference is coming up on 14 November that I welcome you to attend.

If there is anything I may be able to assist with don’t hesitate to call me on (02) 9219 0719.

Kind Regards,

Leanne Townsend
CEO
NSW Reconciliation Council

]]> Comment on About Us by Grace http://www.whatsworking.com.au/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Grace Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:42:32 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/test/?page_id=2#comment-72 I think this initiative in itself is a really significant step in the processes of deconstructing (or clearing the mist of negativity) surrounding Indigenous discourse. It's really unhelpful and demotivating to think about all the negative (what doesn't work)and creates a kind of aura of hoplessness encourageing a self fullfilling prophecy type scenario. Anyway I will gladly spread the news of this website and stay in touch with it (hopefully try and encorporate it into my work). Thanks for making time and space to share this information through such an accessible medium. I think this initiative in itself is a really significant step in the processes of deconstructing (or clearing the mist of negativity) surrounding Indigenous discourse. It’s really unhelpful and demotivating to think about all the negative (what doesn’t work)and creates a kind of aura of hoplessness encourageing a self fullfilling prophecy type scenario.

Anyway I will gladly spread the news of this website and stay in touch with it (hopefully try and encorporate it into my work).

Thanks for making time and space to share this information through such an accessible medium.

]]> Comment on Closure of Uluru Walk by Julie Smee http://www.whatsworking.com.au/others-work/closure-of-uluru-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Julie Smee Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:35:04 +0000 http://www.whatsworking.com.au/?page_id=612#comment-71 I've not been to the area but recently saw a news item about the climb (Uluru) and the possible ban. I'm not Indigenous but I felt offended seeing these people tramping over the rock and then when the reporter said that a certain rare shrimp that only lived in the ponds on the rock was now extict due to visitors urinating and defacating on the wrong I was appalled, absolutely and utterly appalled. The sooner it closes the better. When i finally do visit Uluru I will watch the majesty from a distance, the colours changing in the changing light. I’ve not been to the area but recently saw a news item about the climb (Uluru) and the possible ban. I’m not Indigenous but I felt offended seeing these people tramping over the rock and then when the reporter said that a certain rare shrimp that only lived in the ponds on the rock was now extict due to visitors urinating and defacating on the wrong I was appalled, absolutely and utterly appalled. The sooner it closes the better. When i finally do visit Uluru I will watch the majesty from a distance, the colours changing in the changing light.

]]>