Championing respectful relationships

Anthony Newcastle, QLD.

Building respectful relationships is a priority, says husband and father Anthony Newcastle.

When Anthony Newcastle realised his dream of creating an Aboriginal theatre business in Brisbane, he was supported by a family that valued respect and trust.

More than a decade later, Newcastle’s family is thriving and Natjul Indigenous Performing Arts is a leader in the field of “theatre for change”.

“What I talk to my son about, and the other young people I work with, is that they are the ones who define the kind of relationships they will have,” says Newcastle, whose own father was a Tjingili man from around Anthony’s Lagoon and Newcastle Water Station in the Northern Territory.

“I say, ‘Do you want a respectful relationship? Well, start acting respectfully.’ And that’s not just to your partner; that’s to everybody. Because that’s also going to determine how you’re viewed.”

In recent years, Newcastle has begun working with Indigenous communities in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. In collaboration with two Aboriginal teachers and a doctor with an interest in Aboriginal men’s health, he uses his expertise in theatre, conflict resolution and workshop facilitation to help communities start talking about respectful relationships.

“Theatre for change is about raising really difficult issues, putting some theatre to that and inviting communities to view it and then discuss: What did you see? Was it real? Is it something that resonates with you in your community?

“So we put a facilitated process around the theatre to allow community, and groups within community, to talk about the issue.”

Newcastle’s approach has proved so successful that Natjul’s work now contributes to an Australian Government national campaign to promote respectful relationships.

The Line – Respect Each Other is aimed at young Indigenous people aged eight to 14 to help them develop and maintain respectful relationships, supported by parents, families and community members.

As well as presenting material from the campaign in schools, Newcastle features as a Community Champion on the radio and the campaign’s website.

“In thinking about how to have good relationships I’m able to draw on previous bad relationships that I’ve had, and what my contribution to that has been,” he says.

“I now have a really good relationship with my family and with the close members of my circle, and they’re respectful relationships.

“If people look at me now, they might say, ‘This man respects himself, and I can make assumptions about this man – that there are some things he simply would not do because they would have a negative impact on his relationships.’”