New G-G pledges to fight on for Aborigines
29.05.2008
INCOMING governor-general Quentin Bryce feels that, with employment running at high levels, there should be greater concentration on ensuring indigenous Australians are trained to be ``job ready''.
Ms Bryce, who has a 30-year history as a fighter for social justice and overcoming indigenous disadvantage, said that as governor-general she would be paying particular attention to enhancing the lives of indigenous Australians.
She saw a ``networking enterprise'' such as yesterday's roundtable discussion at Government House in Brisbane on Partnerships and Indigenous Success, with 50 business and indigenous participants, as an important ingredient for success.
``Reconciliation is such an important issue and you have to know the people with whom you are reconciling,'' Ms Bryce said.
``As governor-general, I will continue visiting remote communities, just as I do now. For instance I will be visiting five communities in Cape York next week.
``Opportunities are available for all Australians, and job-readiness obviously has to be achieved.''
Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were invited to yesterday's roundtable talks to tell of their successful commercial ventures. Business leaders outlined their support and views on what was needed to cement future partnership deals.
Yesterday's function was organised by the Global Foundation as part of its Australia Unlimited 2008 program, facilitating the continuing development of national and international issues concerning Australia's future.
The foundation's chairman, former West Australian governor Lieutenant-General John Sanderson, said dialogue was necessary ``to have some idea of where we are going in this country''.
``We found we had to have a proper structured relationship with our indigenous people in a far more comprehensive way,'' he said.
General Sanderson, who is an adviser on indigenous issues to the West Australian Government, said indigenous engagement with the economy in the state was real, and further opportunities had to be grasped.
Jim Tribe, director of Queensland non-profit construction company Steel Spears, told of how young indigenous people in regional areas were being trained in construction industry skills, with the initial focus on steel-fixing.
The company is set up so that 50 per cent of profits go towards indigenous community projects such as aged-care facilities.
In the past year, 13 trainees at Bowen in far north Queensland completed the Steel Spears program and all gained full-time work. The members of the group previously depended on seasonal work in the region, and regularly spent months without work.
The indigenous art world was cited as another remarkable success story by David Clarke, who was instrumental in the success of the internationally renowned Lockhart River artists.
Mr Clarke said the most fascinating aspect of the Lockhart River art story was ``how it demonstrated the regenerative nature of Australian indigenous cultural traditions and how knowledge was mediated between different generations''.
An exhibition tracing the history and work of the Lockhart River Art Gang was on display at Stony Brook University in New York last year.
Mr Clarke said that more than a decade ago young people in the community were encouraged to develop their artistic abilities.
``The teaching program involved professional indigenous artists and the elders from the community, who passed on traditional knowledge regarding visual techniques and their cultural contexts,'' Mr Clarke said. ``Now their contemporaries are a spectacular example of the diverse ways that Australian indigenous people keep the Dreaming alive.''
Australia Unlimited
The Queensland Governor's Roundtable on Partnerships for Indigenous Success is part of the Australia Unlimited series of events supported by the Global Foundation and The Australian.
