1.1 National : NACCHO Chair and CEO 2019 Year in Review
1.2 National : NACCHO Communique number 2833 ” The Last Post “
2.1 NSW : Katungul ACCHO in Bega buys building to provide culturally safe place health and community services to the Aboriginal community
2.2 NSW : Tharawal ACCHO Art Therapy Program: Creating a Safe Place for Community Members to Heal
3.1 VIC : VAHS holds its annual Youth Leadership Camp to build their leadership skills and increase their knowledge on primary health care.
3.2 VIC : A partnership between the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) has created the nation’s first specialist eye clinic that sits within a community controlled organisation
4.1 QLD : Apunipima ACCHO reports Santa sighted in Aurukun FNQ
4.2 Qld : Deadly Choices 200 seniors representing 30-plus teams Deadly Choices – IUIH Shield Indigenous Seniors Games
4.3 QLD : Lizzie Adams CEO Goolburri ACCHO to stand for local government elections
5.SA : With Port Lincoln ACCHO support local Aboriginal Youth shine at Nunga Next Generation Carnival
6.ACT : The ACT Justice Reinvestment Trial : A process and outcome review of Yarrabi Bamirr at Winnunga ACCHO
7.1 NT : Katherine West Health Board helps the mums and their bubs at play group at Lajamanu School tie dye their own ”What’s your Smoke Free Story?” t-shirts.
7.2 NT Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation history in the making as we welcome our first ever Cert 4 AHP (Aboriginal Health Practitioner)
7.3 NT : Congress Alice Springs helpd to film Milpa the Trachoma Goanna (Clean Faces, Strong Eyes) and Drum Atweme.
8. WA : AHCWA Sexual Health Project Officer Veronica shares her NACCHO conference highlights and a little about the training program she delivers called “The Birds & the BBV’s”.
9.TAS : Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre is excited to present this interactive map of the Aboriginal names of over 180 places in lutruwita.
How to submit in 2020 a NACCHO Affiliate or Members Good News Story ?
Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media
Mobile 0401 331 251
Wednesday 18 January 2020 by 4.30 pm for publication Friday 20 January 2020
1.NACCHO Chair and CEO 2019 Year in Review
On behalf of NACCHO, the Board and our team, we wish you a safe, happy and healthy festive season.
2019 has been a great year as we continue to see growth and welcome new funding. We have developed into a strong and influential voice, not only in health but in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs more broadly.
We thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to improving health outcomes for our people and look forward to working with you in 2020!
Yours sincerely Donnella Mills and Pat Turner
Chair and CEO
1.2 National : NACCHO Communique number 2833 ” The Last Post “
After 2,833 Aboriginal Health Alert post over 7 and half years from www.nacchocommunique.com NACCHO media will cease publishing from this site as from today 20 December 2019 and resume mid January 2020 with posts from www.naccho.org.au
For historical and research purposes all posts 2012-2019 will remain on www.nacchocommunique.com
Your current email subscription will be automatically transferred to our new Aboriginal Health News Alerts Subscriber service that will offer you the options of Daily , Weekly or Monthly alerts
I personally thank all the NACCHO Members and readers who have supported me over this journey
See you in the new format in 2020
For further info contact Colin Cowell NACCHO Social Media Media Editor
2.1 NSW : Katungul ACCHO in Bega buys building to provide culturally safe place health and community services to the Aboriginal community.
Aboriginal health and well-being services in the region are about to be supercharged with an aged care facility in Bega being re-purposed into an Aboriginal health clinic.
The vacant Casuarina facility on Bega Street, Bega, operated by Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care has been sold to Katungul, the region’s Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation.
“We’re so excited to officially share with the community that we have invested in this space. We have so many ideas for this new premises,” says Joanne Grant, Katungul Acting CEO.
“It has so much potential to serve our local community, filling the many service gaps we may have here on the south coast.”
Residents of Casuarina moved out just before Christmas 2017, into new, more modern accommodation at Hillgrove House in Bega.
Built in 1979, the building is designed around four main houses, each house consisted of a lounge and dining areas with its own domestic sized kitchen and a total of 31 motel type suites where residents were provided with care and support.
For two years the well-loved and care for building has sat empty – screaming potential to a range of community organisations.
Under the control of Katungul since Friday (December 13) tradesmen are currently swarming the building getting it ready for its new future – providing health and community services to the Aboriginal community.
Ms Grant says the scale of the building will also provide an opportunity for Katungul to address community needs which aren’t yet being met.
“The thing I’m most excited about however is creating a culturally safe place for our community and a place the Aboriginal community can call their own,” she says.
“I envision the facility as a hub for dynamic collaboration between other like-minded services for the betterment of the health and wellbeing of our broader community.”
The past five years has seen Katungul grow from the strength to strength serving the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla through clinics in Batemans Bay, Narooma, and Bega. Plans for the future take in communities as far away as Young, Yass, Queanbeyan, Goulburn, and Cooma.
Under the control of Katungul since Friday (December 13) tradesmen are currently swarming the building getting it ready for its new future. Photo: Ian Campbell.
Katungul Chairman Ronald Nye Senior believes the new space goes beyond offering health and care services.
“We are confident this Bega Street premises will take on a new cultural significance for the local Aboriginal community offering not only a great sense of pride but a culturally safe environment to access holistic health services.”
The new building offers Katungul a 300% increase in clinic capacity plus the ability to offer both community services and clinical services from one singular location.
Currently, Katungul offers a bulk-billing medical clinic with outreach services including; dental clinics via a touring dental van, eye health services including Aboriginal eye health specialists and visiting optometrists and ophthalmologists, maternal and infant health services, National Disability Insurance Scheme support services, mental health support services including an in-house psychologist, alcohol and other drug use support, social and emotional wellbeing services and cultural programs.
Staff are currently moving from their Gipps Street premises to the new Bega Street site; despite the heavy loads being lifted and shifted, all staff are wearing big smiles and are buzzing about the opportunity the Casurina building offers.
Services from Bega Street will start on January 6 with a smoking ceremony on January 15.
2.2 NSW : Tharawal ACCHO Art Therapy Program: Creating a Safe Place for Community Members to Heal
The Art Therapy Program was created by Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation in 2013 for the purpose of providing community members with a safe place to yarn.
It is a non-clinical setting where vulnerable members of the community can open up about their struggles without feeling judged and discriminated against.
The Program also creates a space for community members to express their feelings, using art as a medium. Through art, participants can explore the issues that have affected them in their life and begin viewing them from a different perspective to promote acceptance and healing.
See Photos of all the art HERE
‘We decided there was a need for some of the clients that suffer with mental health in the community. They would disengage with a lot of services, so we thought that we’d look at some ideas and see what they were interested in. We did try a couple of things, but we found that the art therapy really kicked off.’ –
Dannielle Gillette, Mental Health Worker at Tharawal
A large component of Aboriginal peoples social and emotional wellbeing is feeling connected to culture and community.
The Program covers both bases, incorporating traditional Aboriginal art and creating connections between community members who are part of the Program. For generations Aboriginal people have used art for storytelling and to chronicle knowledge of their land and mob. The Tharawal Art Therapy Program teaches community members traditional art from their Nation, helping them to go back to their family roots.
‘I feel more culturally connected. My mother is Anglo-white, we weren’t really cultural cause my dad was in an orphanage for stolen generations, so we didn’t know much. By coming here, I feel I’m connected. I’m able to connect with him even though we don’t know… Where his mum, where his dad is.’ – Joanne, Tharawal Art Therapy Program Class Member
On Wednesday the 16th of October 2019, during Tharawal’s celebration of Mental Health Week, the Art Therapy Program presented The Journey 2020 Calendar, made up of artworks from 12 of the class members.
The artists each used different symbols and totems originating from their local community to create beautiful artworks layered with meaning. The artworks were all uniquely different, using traditional styles and emotive colours to communicate the individual journey of each of the class members.
‘We made the Calendars with the group to show them what great artists they all are, and they should all be so proud.’ – Ondra Challinger, Tharawal Art Therapy Program Coordinator
The CEO of Tharawal, Darryl Wright and Program Coordinators Danielle Gillette and Ondra Challinger presented the artworks back to the artists. It was an emotional presentation, with artists sharing their struggles with mental health and how they had affected their life trajectories.
Mental health issues that deeply effect Aboriginal communities including domestic violence, suicide and drug and alcohol addiction were themes explored in the artworks. While usually these issues are approached with shame and stigma, many of the artists were proud of the struggles they had faced and overcome in their lives. Through owning their stories and connecting to culture and community, the class members have been able to grow and heal together.
Danielle presenting The Journey 2020 Calendar created by the Tharawal Art Therapy Class
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation is selling The Journey 2020 calendars for $20 each. The funds raised from calendar sales will go towards purchasing resources for the Program. The Journey 2020 Calendars are a thoughtful Christmas gift option for family and friends. Don’t miss out!
Please contact Ondra (ondra.challinger@tacams.com.au) or Danielle (danielle.gillette@tacams.com.au) to learn more.
3.1 VIC : VAHS holds its annual Youth Leadership Camp to build their leadership skills and increase their knowledge on primary health care.
Day 1 – VAHS Youth Leadership Camp.
Over 35 young Aboriginal people from Melbourne and Gippsland are attending.
All week, this group of young people will build their leadership skills and increase their knowledge on primary health care.
Day 2
It’s a hot one at the camp, the students ready for a swim. We knew some students will forget their towels for the VAHS Leadership Camp……that’s why VAHS created and gave every young person a new beach towel for the camp.
Day 3 for the VAHS Youth Leadership Camp – Cultural Workshops with Uncle Wayne Thorpe.
The workshop was to identify your role and responsibility as a Aboriginal Person in today’s Society.
Best question all young people at the camp had to think hard about……’Are you going to be Deadly or Demben in life?’
3.2 VIC : A partnership between the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) has created the nation’s first specialist eye clinic that sits within a community controlled organisation.
Servicing the First Nations community in Fitzroy, the clinic is delivering gold standard and culturally safe services to those in need of specialist eye care and holds brand new equipment purchased with funding from the Victorian Government.
VAHS has had a relationship with the Australian College of Optometry for two decades, which has enabled the expansion of optometry services within the organisation.
Article originally published in NIT
In the past year, VAHS has worked closely with the Eye and Ear Hospital and the College of Optometry to establish the new ophthalmology clinic.
VAHS General Manager of Operations, Gavin Brown, said VAHS has been a vibrant part of life for the First Nations community in Fitzroy and that this new clinic enables the organisation to continue the work they do.
“Fitzroy is our stomping ground and a spiritual home for a lot of people. We have a relationship with a few hospitals in the area, that have been built over those 46 years,” Mr Brown said.
“The services that are provided and the results are wonderful … It is an amazing program, and we have a lot of visiting specialists. This is a real model for us on how we can do things in our service and have the … relationships outside for the things that are beyond our capability in terms of surgery and so on.”
Many staff within the clinic are of non-Indigenous heritage, however the partnership has enabled teaching and better understanding of how to deliver a culturally safe service.
Dr Rosie Dawkins is a non-Indigenous woman working as the clinic’s Consultant Ophthalmologist.
“Rosie is our ophthalmologist … she has a wonderful understanding. It is wonderful when you get non-Aboriginal people who are the right fit, and have that respect and have a comprehension of our culture and way of life and have respect for community controlled health organisations as well,” Mr Brown said.
Dr Dawkins noted the power of the clinic within VAHS.
“It’s shifting power … the community is in control of who comes, how the clinic runs, and the doctors are there to meet the health needs of the community, as the community sees fit,” Dr Dawkins said.
The Consultant Ophthalmologist said the relationship between VAHS and the hospital has enabled a better understanding of the community.
“For the hospital, people have often been thinking … why can’t we get people from Fitzroy to come to the hospital? … But the question is, why do we expect people to come to these institutions?
“The reasons for people unwilling to go to mainstream services, and not everyone is … are well understood, but we need to do something about it. But we can only do that through partnership, so the [Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation] must be willing and the hospital must be willing.
“We’re hoping that this kind of model of gold standard care can apply to everything at the ACCHO and can be a model that other hospitals and ACCHOs could use.”
Mr Brown said the clinic is already having a visible change within community.
“It is very rewarding because a lot of eye health issues, as people know, are curable. You see within a week that someone has their sight back or improved sight – you see the changes it makes in our people’s lives,” Mr Brown said.
With 46 years of service under their belt, VAHS hopes to keep providing community with extensive, culturally safe services that not only maintain healthy lifestyles, but inspire and empower the community.
“The community controlled organisations have been a big part of our lives [since the 1980s] so we are connected. We are so fortunate to have that era of empowerment and building in our community,” Mr Brown said.
“Times change and nowadays whilst we still have that political voice, it’s a lot more intricate in running a large service. We are always striving to improve and we’re always striving to maintain that voice that can be out there with people and government.”
By Rachael Knowles
4.1 QLD : Apunipima ACCHO reorts Santa sighted in Aurukun FNQ
Last Friday the Aurukun Community Christmas Party was held at the Wo’uw Ko’alam Community Centre.
A large crowd of 350 thoroughly enjoyed themselves, particularly all the children who received presents!
Apunipima staff who attended: Vincent Koomeeta, Kim Janus, Dr Darren Fahroedin, Dr Babak Azari and Maggie Robson (pictured above )
Santa had fun dancing with the children and then handing out presents to every child from every age group up to 12 year olds… we can confirm Santa was very tired by the end of the night!!
Another highlight from the night was hearing the beautiful Rochelle Pitt Music perform Carols to the community.
Watch Apunipima ACCHO 2019 Year in Review in 60 Seconds
4.2 Qld : Deadly Choices 200 seniors representing 30-plus teams Deadly Choices – IUIH Shield Indigenous Seniors Games
A collective 200 seniors representing 30-plus teams from drought-stricken communities including Charleville, Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Mitchell and from across the Darling Downs, joined coastal and City dwellers from Gympie, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, all competing for Statewide honours at this year’s Deadly Choices – IUIH Shield Indigenous Seniors Games at Willawong.
View over 22 Photos of the Event
To ensure the long trip to Brisbane is made all the more worthwhile, Deadly Choices Ambassadors including Australian league legends Steve Renouf, Preston Campbell, Petero Civoniceva, Willie Tonga and Brenton Bowen, plus Olympic sprinter Patrick Johnson and International natural bodybuilder champion Rhonda Purcell were on hand to ensure healthy competition and banter.
Not since 35 teams assembled for the huge 2018 Commonwealth Games commemorative Seniors Games event in Brisbane, have event organisers seen such a wide assortment of regional teams.
The Seniors Games concept has as its key directives to promote social inclusion among the elderly, while encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle and to ensure regular medical health checks are undertaken by participants. This is a pre-requisite of participation.
4.3 QLD : Lizzie Adams CEO Goolburri ACCHO to stand for local government elections
5.SA : With Port Lincoln ACCHO support local Aboriginal Youth shine at Nunga Next Generation Carnival
Aboriginal youth from Port Lincoln community travelled to Adelaide to take part in the Nunga Next Generation Carnival held at Alberton Oval on December 6 and 7, which included the Next Generation football competition organised by the Port Adelaide Football Club.
The Port Lincoln Community worked together with many services such as Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Services, Port Lincoln Aboriginal Community Council, Port Lincoln City Council, West Coast Youth and Community Support and Mallee Park Football Club along with many individuals and families who volunteered their time over the weekend.
The young footballers did the community proud with a team of 23 young men participating in the football carnival and winning it.
The team was coached by Graham Johncock with Hippy Wanganeen Jnr as assistant coach, Ronald Carbine as team manager and Alan Dodd III (CJ) as supporting team assistant.
The team played well after travelling throughout Friday and on arrival in Adelaide had their first game at Alberton Oval that night.
They took out the trophy on Saturday after defeating Koonibba in the final game.
Jace Burgoyne (Son of Ex Port Adelaide Power player) was judged best in final and best player overall.
His skill and football knowledge was a standout throughout his performances over the weekend and will no doubt follow in his father’s footsteps.
The players had a great time, caught up with friends and family, supported each other and come home winners in more ways than one.
6.ACT : The ACT Justice Reinvestment Trial : A process and outcome review of Yarrabi Bamirr at Winnunga ACCHO
The Minister for Justice Shane Rattenbury today released an evaluation of the Winnunga Justice Reinvestment Trial conducted by the Australian National University Centre for Social Research and Methods.
Minister Rattenbury said that the aim of the Trial, funded by the ACT Government and implemented by Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, was to empower families to be self-reliant in navigating the system to get the right help from the right place at the right time.
“The evaluation confirmed that the Trial is meeting its objectives. It is providing strong benefits to families including keeping families together, preventing homelessness and keeping people out of prison,” Minister Rattenbury said.
During the Trial, drug and alcohol counselling, midwifery services, dental services, psychologist and psychiatrist services, and advocacy services were significantly increased for participants.
Winnunga AHCS CEO Ms Julie Tongs said ‘Winnunga is an Aboriginal community controlled and managed organisation, an integral and trusted part of the community, and this is why the JR Trial worked and could not be duplicated by a mainstream community or government service provider’.
‘The need for after-hours support continues to be an issue Winnunga has identified over many years, and it is good to see this has emerged as a key theme through the evaluation, which should be considered as an opportunity for improvement. Crisis is not limited to business hours and so after-hours support would be a logical step for support that seeks to address family and personal issues as they emerge, before they escalate further’ Ms Tongs added.
“The evaluation concluded that Winnunga provided a proactive, intensive and problem-oriented system of case management and the participants reported significant improvements in their family, personal and social well-being,” Minister Rattenbury said.
The outcomes and recommendations from the evaluation have been used to inform the funding and operating model for future service provision.
The Trial is a product of the whole-of-government commitment to the provision of intensive family-centric case management for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families as part of the ACT Government’s Justice Reinvestment Strategy.
7.1 NT : Katherine West Health Board helps the mums and their bubs at play group at Lajamanu School tie dye their own ”What’s your Smoke Free Story?” t-shirts.
The Kids
7.2 NT Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation history in the making as we welcome our first ever Cert 4 AHP (Aboriginal Health Practitioner)
Today is history in the making! We welcomed our first ever Cert 4 AHP (Aboriginal Health Practitioner) to the clinic! Jason King is an Alyawarr man.
From everyone here at the clinic welcome to Ampilatwatja and the clinic!
7.3 NT : Congress Alice Springs helpd to film Milpa the Trachoma Goanna (Clean Faces, Strong Eyes) and Drum Atweme.
Yesterday the ICTV crew was on set at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station & Trail Station Cafe filming with Milpa the Trachoma Goanna (Clean Faces, Strong Eyes) and Drum Atweme.
It was early start to the day to beat the 42 degrees heat but the kids were ready to go and they had so much fun! 🦎
8. WA : AHCWA Sexual Health Project Officer Veronica shares her NACCHO conference highlights and a little about the trianing program she delivers called “The Birds & the BBV’s”.
Veronica Walshe from Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia – AHCWA (AHCWA) tells us some of her NACCHO conference highlights and a little about the trianing program she delivers called ‘Birds and BBVs’. 👍
Veronica ran some workshops around the Birds and BBVs program with our young proffesionals at this years NACCHO Youth Conference which was held on the first day of our conference.
9.TAS : Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre is excited to present this interactive map of the Aboriginal names of over 180 places in lutruwita.
Click here to open the map. The map can be used on computer, phones or tablet.
To mark 2019 International Year of Indigenous languages, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre is excited to present this interactive map of the Aboriginal names of over 180 places in lutruwita.
The names are shown in palawa kani, the language of Tasmanian Aborigines.
Scroll over each name to hear it said, and open to learn some history of each name.
Only a handful of places in lutruwita still bear their original names, although in English spellings which do not convey the original sounds – Triabunna, Ringarooma, Boobyalla are some. What seem like ‘Aboriginal names’ on signs and maps – Yolla, Marrawah, Poatina etc – are all in English spellings too, and were plucked straight from wordlists by various municipal authorities. None of those names are the original names for those places, and are not from the language of that place or area.
But the original names of our beautiful country have been retrieved over many years work by the palawa kani Language Program, to be spoken once again by Tasmanian Aborigines.
We are proud to now share these names with all residents of lutruwita, and beyond. We encourage you all to speak and use them to acknowledge the Aboriginal history of this island, and to honour the resilience of Aboriginal languages. The Aboriginal community makes this gesture in the spirit of generous cultural sharing: it is not an invitation to appropriate any of the names for any commercial purpose.
We ask that public uses of the names be accompanied wherever reasonably possible by the acknowledgment ‘In palawa kani, the language of Tasmanian Aborigines.’
You can learn more about the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre at http://tacinc.com.au/
About the palawa kani Language Program and reviving the names at http://tacinc.com.au/programs/palawa-kani/
About the European recorders of the names at http://tacinc.com.au/tasmanian-aboriginal-place-names/
About Aboriginal and dual names gazetted by the Tasmanian Government at http://tacinc.com.au/official-aboriginal-and-dual-names/
About other names of lutruwita http://tacinc.com.au/11-more-aboriginal-dual-names-to-go-to-nomenclature-board-in-june-2017/
This site is still a work in process, with some histories still to be added and technical glitches dealt with as they arise. More names will be added they are revived.
Please send us your feedback on any aspect of this site, as our aim is to make it as accessible and useful as possible. palawa kani Language program can be contacted at language@tacinc.com.au
