Celebrating First Australians this NAIDOC Week

This week is NAIDOC week – an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To mark the significance of NAIDOC week, the Coalition Government has provided $1.4 million in grants to support community events across the nation that celebrate our First Australians.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said he was pleased to see Hinkler had received $7,000 from the Coalition Government to support NAIDOC celebrations.

Mr Pitt congratulated Gidarjil Development Corporation and TECKnology Indigenous Corporation on their successful applications.

Gidarjil Development Corporation will hold various events throughout the week and TECKnology Indigenous Corporation will hold a language and lunch gathering.

“I encourage all local residents to get involved in these events to celebrate our local Indigenous community,” he said.

“NAIDOC events are a great opportunity for people to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the richness and diversity of Indigenous art, language and culture.”

The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said the number and quality of grant proposals received this year reflected an ever-growing interest in celebrating the vibrant culture of our First Australians.

“The national theme this year is Our Languages Matter in recognition of the vital role Indigenous languages play in promoting community wellbeing and culture,” Minister Scullion said.

The Coalition Government is proud to protect, preserve and celebrate Indigenous languages as part of the living story of our shared history and committed an additional $10 million to support this last year.

This investment builds on the $20 million allocated each year under the Indigenous Languages and Arts program that aims to address the erosion of an estimated 250 original Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and more than 600 dialects.

NAIDOC Week runs from 2-9 July. Information about NAIDOC Week community events near you can be found at: www.naidoc.org.au