Next 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 Turnbull Government has provided $1.4m in grants to support community events across the nation that celebrate our First Australians. 

I am pleased to see Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative in North Geelong has received $2,000 from the Turnbull Government to support NAIDOC celebrations.   

I encourage all local residents to get involved in these events to celebrate our local Indigenous community. 

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. 

“This year’s theme has been beautifully reflected in the NAIDOC poster proudly designed by Wiradjuri woman, Joanne Cassady, that represents some of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and nations across Australia.”  

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

This investment builds on the $20m allocated each year under the Indigenous Languages and Arts programme 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 

29 June 2017