1. National : NACCHO Chair congratulates Kuku Yalanji and Tagalaka woman Haylene Grogan appointed as Queensland’s first-ever Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer
1.2 National : Have your say about what is needed to make real change in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people #HaveYourSay about #closingthegap
2. NSW : The South Coast Black Cockatoos have won the 2019 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Koori Knockout
3. QLD : Queensland Murri Carnival wrapped up on the weekend with huge community support
4.1 VIC : VACCHO Partners with VISION 2020 for the Looking Deadly Aboriginal Health Worker training
4.2 VIC : Leadership opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students at the Regional Protect Country Summit 19 and 20 October
5.WA : Chair of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), Vicki O’Donnell expresses great concern over inadequate access to mental health support
6.1 NT : Congress ACCHO Alice Springs partners with Headspace to open new drop in centre
6.2 NT Danila Dilba ACCHO Darwin awarded the NTGPE Training Post of the Year Award
How to submit in 2019 a NACCHO Affiliate or Members Good News Story ?
Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media
Mobile 0401 331 251
Wednesday by 4.30 pm for publication Thursday /Friday
1.1 National : NACCHO Chair congratulates Kuku Yalanji and Tagalaka woman Haylene Grogan appointed as Queensland’s first-ever Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer
“ NACCHO congratulates Ms Grogan on her historic appointment and welcomes her experience and knowledge of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
This is a significant role as for the first time, this type of leadership position has been created within a government health department.
“We look forward to working constructively with Ms Grogan to improve health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout Queensland.
We are confident that with Ms Grogan leading the new Aboriginal and Torres Stait Islander Health Division will result in positive progress towards closing the health gap in Queensland for our communities,”
Donnella Mills Acting NACCHO Chair
Read full or download full NACCHO Press Release
Pictured above from QAIHC (L – R) Dr John Wakefield (Director General, Queensland Health), Hon. Jackie Trad MP (Deputy Premier of Queensland), Haylene Grogan (Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer), Hon. Steven Miles MP (Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) and QAIHC CEO Neil Willmett
Proud Kuku Yalanji and Tagalaka woman, Haylene Grogan, has been appointed as Queensland’s first-ever Chief Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Officer (and Deputy Director General) of Queensland Health.
Haylene Grogan began her health career with the community controlled Wuchopperen Health Service in Cairns in 1982.
She has since held senior positions in the federal and state governments, including in Queensland Health, in roles encompassing service delivery, policy development, program implementation and project management.
1.2 National : Have your say about what is needed to make real change in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people #HaveYourSay about #closingthegap
There is a discussion booklet that has background information on Closing the Gap and sets out what will be talked about in the survey.
The survey will take a little bit of time to complete. It would be great if you can answer all the questions, but you can also just focus on the issues that you care about most.
To help you prepare your answers, you can look at a full copy here
The survey is open to everyone and can be accessed here:
https://www.naccho.org.au/programmes/coalition-of-peaks/have-your-say/
2. NSW : The South Coast Black Cockatoos have won the 2019 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Koori Knockout
The South Coast Black Cockatoos have won the 2019 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout, or the Koori Knockout, against Griffith Three Ways in an impressive 28-point lead
Report from NITV
Photos AHMRC
Griffith, known for their strong defence, didn’t fall into their usual groove during the first half with the South Coast scoring 26 points in the first 21 minutes.
South Coast’s Jason Gillard scored an impressive hat-trick, giving his team an early lead and Bud Sullivan, South Coasts kicker, scoring three out of six of the conversion kicks, as well as getting over the line with a try.
The second half saw Griffith make their way up to 12 points, but it wasn’t enough to take out the men’s title, with South Coasts winning 40-12.
Mr Wellington and James won their first Koori Knockout 21 years ago, playing for Numbacca Valley Rams and then another two with the Redfern All Blacks.
The South Coasts aforementioned jersey featured an image of James on the left sleeve, so he too could be there to win another Koori Knockout.
This victory will see the 50th Koori Knockout travel to NSW’s Shoalhaven in 2020.
The women’s Bellbrook Dunghutti Connections and the Wellington Wedgetails battled it out with Wellington taking out the title during the second half.
The first half was neck and neck sitting on nil-all until Dunghutti scored a try right on half-time
The young talent shone through the boys’ and girl’s La Perouse Panthers teams, who proved phenomenal with star player Lachlan Moses scoring the first three tries for the U-12 boys during the first half and making the conversion kick in the second half.
The team went up against the Butucarbin Warriors in a dominate 38-4 win taking out the champion title for the U-12s boys at the 2019 Koori Knockout.
Mr Moses said that it felt “good” to win the 2019 title.
“We versed them last year in the grand final, so it feels good to get one back,” he said.
As he continues to work on and improve his skills, Mr Moses said he “would love to play NRL” as he looks into the future.
Finals
Men’s
Griffith Three Ways United 12 – 40 South Coast Black Cockatoos
Women’s
Bellbrook Dunghutti Connections 4 – 6 Wellington Wedgetails
U-17 boys
Kempsey Sharks 12 – 10 Western Koori Eels
U-16 girls
La Perouse Panthers 34 – 0 Narwan Eels
U-15 boys
Toomelah Tigers 10 – 20 South Taree
U-12 boys
La Perouse Panthers 38 – 4 Butucarbin Warriors
3. QLD : Queensland Murri Carnival wrapped up on the weekend with huge community support
In the men’s division, the Purga Wagtails claimed the honours, while Brisbane Natives were the winners of the Open Women’s division.
The Queensland Under 16 Murri side which is selected from performances in this carnival will be unveiled on the QRL website soon.
All results from the carnival can be found at the Murri Rugby League website.
Photos below thanks to Deadly Choices
4.1 VIC : VACCHO Partners with VISION 2020 for the Looking Deadly Aboriginal Health Worker training
It’s #WorldSightDay2019 and we’ve got a full house!!!
Today we launched the Looking Deadly online learning module created by #Kadadjinyi and our new quarterly eye-health State-wide Communique with Nicole McCartney – Chief Aboriginal Health Adviser DHHS
We also celebrated with Margaret Murray from Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation the tireless work the amazing Dr Genevieve Napper has done in the eye health sector for over 20 years.
If you want to know more about the deadly work that’s being done in the eye health area (or you think you might need an eye check…just sayin) contact us here at VACCHO or go to http://www.vaccho.org.au/wd/eh/
Background
Across Australia, too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still experience avoidable vision loss and blindness, and those who have lost vision often find it difficult to access the support and services they need.
For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are three times as likely as non-Indigenous people to be blind or have low vision and on average, currently wait 63% longer for cataract surgery.
Strong eyes, strong communities: a five year plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision charts a course to close the gap for vision and achieve a world class system of eye health and vision care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Based on available evidence and shaped by the collective input of many individuals and organisations, Strong eyes, strong communities describes an integrated suite of activities that need to be progressed over the coming five years. In combination, these will
- expand service delivery,
- strengthen partnerships and local supports,
- embed eye care into community controlled and mainstream services,
- eliminate trachoma, and
- sustain the focus on monitoring progress.
This blueprint for change recognises that improving eye health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is everybody’s business, and that the collective efforts of governments, communities,service providers and others are essential.
Together, a world class system that delivers culturally safe eye care to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is within our reach.
4.2 VIC : Leadership opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students at the Regional Protect Country Summit 19 and 20 October
My name is Zac Romagnoli-Townsend, I am a community organiser for Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network; Seed is a branch of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and we are standing up to protect country, community and climate. I am getting in touch in regards to a leadership opportunity for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students in Victoria.
Seed is a continent-wide network of young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples standing up to protect country and making climate justice a reality for our communities. You can find more information about us here: https://www.seedmob.org.au/.
We are calling on Indigenous youth between the ages of 14 and 35 years old to come to our Regional Protect Country Summit, being held at the Anglesea Valley Lodge.
The purpose of the summit is to learn about climate change, it’s causes, impacts and risks to country. Young people will have the opportunity to connect with their peers across Victoria to learn, share and make plans to stand strong for our culture, country and future.
When: From Saturday morning 19th October – Afternoon of Sunday 20th of October
Where: Anglesea Valley Lodge, 635 Wensleydale Station Rd, Wensleydale VIC 3241
Who: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander youth aged between 14-35 (family supporters are welcome)
What: Connecting with each other, learning about climate justice, and making positive, lasting and meaningful change.
Getting there: We will be helping to organise transport and covering the cost of that transport
Accomodation: From Friday to Saturday we will be staying together at Anglesea Valley Lodge.
Food: We will cater all meals from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. Please let us know dietary requirements in advance.
REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/g8uC6nY76H8Mwy6S6
Please encourage any and all Indigenous youth that you know who would be interested in this opportunity to register! If they need assistance with registering or have any questions, please feel free to contact me on: 0497 371 650 or Zac.Romagnoli-Townsend@aycc.org.au
5.WA : Chair of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), Vicki O’Donnell expresses great concern over inadequate access to mental health support services across WA, and the unacceptable suicide and self-harm rates within Aboriginal communities.
Chair of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), Vicki O’Donnell expresses great concern over inadequate access to mental health support services across WA, and the unacceptable suicide and self-harm rates within Aboriginal communities.
AHCWA is the peak body for its 23 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across WA.
“AHCWA has major concerns with the lack of culturally secure mental health support services for Aboriginal people and communities, experiencing crisis and trauma on a daily basis” says Vicki O’Donnell.
This crisis has tragically been highlighted again, with the recent suicides in the Midwest and Gascoyne regions, and the fatal shooting of an Aboriginal Mother in Geraldton who had a history of mental health, alcohol and other drug issues.
Aboriginal people continue to experience systemic racism within the Mental Health and Justice systems, resulting in poor health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people, their families and communities across WA.
AHCWA provides full support to the Aboriginal Elders and Leaders who gathered in Geraldton to discuss the suicide crisis in the community and are calling for urgent reform of the Mental Health system.
AHCWA calls upon the Government to undertake the following as a matter of urgency: • Significant reform of the Mental Health Sector through direct engagement with Aboriginal communities and organisations.
• Commitment of significant funding for Suicide Prevention for Aboriginal people across WA. • Significant investment for the delivery of culturally secure Social and Emotional Well Being services for Aboriginal people and their communities across WA.
• Greatly improve the awareness and understanding of suicidal behaviour, mental health, alcohol and drug issues through appropriate training of Police and others who work within the justice system.
• Review of existing sentencing laws to prevent the further breakdown of families and communities.
• Review of the policies and procedures around the use of lethal force by Police Officers.
6.1 NT : Congress ACCHO Alice Springs partners with Headspace to open new drop in centre
Headspace, a one-stop-shop for young people who need help with mental and physical health had opened a new centre in Alice Springs.
Cultural Advisor Roxanne Highfold, tells CAAMA that young aboriginal people in Alice Springs want to be shown respect and have their voices heard by the community.
7.2 NT Danila Dilba ACCHO Darwin awarded the NTGPE Training Post of the Year Award
At the NTGPE Training Awards earlierthis month , Danila Dilba was awarded the Training Post of the Year Award, highlighting our strong training culture and commitment to developing a high quality clinical workforce.
In the last few years, several of our GPs have become GP supervisors, providing invaluable mentoring and support to up and coming GPs