07 July, 2014

2014 NAIDOC SA Award Winners Announced

The recipients of the 2014 NAIDOC SA Awards were announced today at a ceremony at the Adelaide Town Hall to celebrate this year’s NAIDOC week.

Recipients were presented with their awards by Ms Joyleen Thomas, Chairperson of NAIDOC SA, assisted by NAIDOC SA ambassadors, Aunty Sharon Gollan and Uncle Frank Lampard OAM, with Patrons Aunty Josie Agius and Uncle Lewis O’Brien in attendance.

“The NAIDOC SA Awards are a great way to recognise and honour the significant contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in a range of fields. Congratulations to all the recipients on their well-deserved awards, their achievements really are outstanding,” said Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood.

Over 300 guests observed the raising of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag from the balcony of the Town Hall before moving into the main auditorium where the awards recipients were announced (see overleaf for full list) and morning tea with the Lord Mayor was served.

The Aboriginal flag was first raised in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga on 9 July in 1971 in support of land rights for Aboriginal people and as a powerful symbol of reconciliation and hope for many Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people throughout Australia.

This year, for the first time, Aboriginal flag banners have been erected the length of King William Street in honour of NAIDOC week.

The NAIDOC week theme for this year is Serving Country: Centenary and Beyond in honour of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have fought in defence of country.

Joyleen says working with City of Adelaide on matters of reconciliation is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through collaboration.

“Announcing the winners in the Adelaide Town Hall shows City of Adelaide’s commitment to reconciliation and positive action,” she said.

Council’s contribution to NAIDOC this year includes a grant through the Community Develop Grants Program to go towards the SA NAIDOC March from Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga to Parliament House on 11 July, starting at 10.30am followed by the Family Fun Day at Bonython Park.

A regular part of the NAIDOC activities is the annual NAIDOC art exhibition held in the main foyer of Adelaide Town Hall from 30 June – 25 July in partnership with Tandanya, titled Animals, Animals, Animals: Representations of fauna by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, which coincides with an exhibition by artist Ben Searcy entitled Aboriginal City Life at City of Adelaide’s Art Pod.

City of Adelaide supports a number of reconciliation initiatives through its Reconciliation Committee and the Reconciliation Action Plan, as well as key activities such as Survival Day, a National Sorry Day event and the Employment Pathways expo.

Most recent support includes the renaming of the central roadway in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga as Reconciliation Plaza and the unveiling of the commemorative plaque on the Adelaide Town Hall to acknowledge the Kaurna peoples as the traditional owners of the land on which the Town Hall sits.

The Aboriginal Employment program at Council consistently meets targets to employ two trainees and one graduate each year, including one staff member who began as a trainee, continued on as a graduate, and is now a Community Engagement Officer.

This staff member has been elected to participate in the 2014 National Indigenous Youth Parliament Program.

This year’s NAIDOC award recipients are as follows:

Rebecca Draysey