Newslines Radio: First steps of National Congress

August 2011 – Program one

Meet the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples’ newly elected board of directors.

Broadcast date:	1–7 August 2011
Duration:	12 minutes
Presenter:	Tracy Williams
Content:	Meet the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples’ newly elected board of directors.
Talent:	Jody Broun, co-chair, National Congress, WA Les Malezer, co-chair, National Congress, QLD William (Brian) Butler, director, National Congress, SA Venessa Curnow, director, National Congress, QLD Dennis Eggington, director, National Congress, WA Rodney Little, director, National Congress, ACT Tammy Solonec, director, National Congress, WA Daphne Yarram, director, National Congress, VIC.

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PRESENTER: Hi, I’m Tracy Williams and you’re listening to Newslines Radio, a weekly program produced by the Australian Government on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues.

Today, we’re going to meet the recently elected co-chairs and directors of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.

The congress, which is the new national Indigenous rep body, is just over a year old and its recent first national meeting, which was held in Sydney, was an exciting milestone.

EGGINGTON: We are who we are. We represent all of our first nation’s peoples in this country and we’ve already adopted the view that we are first citizens of this country and have a very special place.

And that place is equal with the Commonwealth Government, the states and territories and all the other legal entities in this country. And that’s nothing that can be taken from us. It’s nothing that was ever taken from us. And I think that strong approach by the current new board is what our people have really been asking for and I’m proud to be a part of it.

YARRAM: The culmination of having the delegates and the actual formal congress happen has been a major responsibility, and getting the organisations set up and incorporated, and being the vehicle to take our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to a new beginning around leadership and unity is one of the most wonderful things about being part of this organisation for me.

PRESENTER: That was Dennis Eggington and Daphne Yarram, talking about the recent national forum in Sydney, where delegates elected six new directors to the National Congress board.

The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples will not only provide a voice for our people but will put the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the national agenda.

Newslines reporter Danika Nayna was at the congress’ first national meeting.

NAYNA: Since its launch over a year ago, the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples has been actively recruiting members.

Its members sent 120 delegates to the congress’ recent first national forum in Sydney, an historic get-together. 

At the forum, the delegates elected six new directors who have joined two co-chairs on a national board. The co-chairs are Les Malezar and Jodie Broun  and the six directors are: Venessa Curnow, Daphne Yarram, Brian Butler, Dennis Eggington, Tammy Solonec and Rodney Little.

New director Venessa Curnow from Queensland says the congress board will listen to the views of Indigenous people and be a unified voice when speaking to government.

CURNOW: Everyone’s sort of noticed without having ATSIC for the last two years that it’s been really difficult to have communication with government in a unified voice.

It’s very much different people talking from different parts of Australia and we do have common things that we do want but it’s hard to explain that to government. Having congress as one national unified voice is a really clear way to talk to government and to explain to them this is what would suit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and this is what we would like.

NAYNA: Another new director is Brian Butler, from South Australia, who says representing Indigenous people is part of his life’s work.

BUTLER: I want to be talking to people every day, not just once in a blue moon. I’m not going to be a stop–start director. I want to make sure that every day I’m in contact with the community.

NAYNA: Using a hands-on, community approach and being a unified voice is important to all the congress board members, including co-chair Les Malezer.

MALEZER: We’ve got to give the people out there in the communities opportunity to come to us and bring up their issues with us and get responses direct from us.

It’s not going to be good if we’re isolated at the national level in an ivory tower situation and already the co-chair and myself – Jody Broun and myself – are talking about how we’re going to get around between the two of us, get all over the country to give a human face and a human presence to the operations of congress.

NAYNA: Les Malezer says the national gathering of all 120 congress delegates each year is the real strength and backbone of the new body. 

MALEZER: Of course it is very different from ATSIC because ATSIC operated on regional councils of 12 members and a national board of 17 or 18 members whereas here we’ve got a congress of 120 members.

So this is much more like a parliamentary process. I think the 120 delegates is a real opportunity for us to broaden our base and have good consultations at least at the national level in the process. So we’ve got to work on the strength of this congress. It is the main structure in this new body. And then of course the objective for the directors – the elected eight people including the two national co-chairs – is to then be out and appearing around the community and being seen face to face.

NAYNA: A unique aspect of the congress is the gender equality across all areas of its work. The congress board for example has an equal number of men and women.

Co-chair Jody Broun says having a structure which ensures men and women have an equal say is very important.

BROUN: What came through the consultations prior to the establishment of the congress structure was very strong voice around … we want more women    represented in this process and the decision was made that it needed to be equal representation and in fact I think there is more Aboriginal women than men as members.

It is really important. There has to be a strong role for Aboriginal women in this voice and so I think the structure as it is – that recognises that and how important it is – is really good. So you’ve got female and male co-chairs, you’ve got female and male directors from each of the chambers, each of the chambers is even and this delegates’ meeting is even in terms of Aboriginal men and women and I think that’s really good.

And it is a new model and it is something different from other structures that are around but I think it’s really good.

PRESENTER: You’re listening to Newslines Radio. Today we’re taking a look at our new national rep body, the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.

So why do we need a group of leaders to represent us?

Newslines’Danika Nayna caught up with another of the congress’ directors, Rodney Little, who is from Canberra and she asked him just that question.

LITTLE: Firstly, from being a member of the congress, having that voice, there’s been that gap that’s being filled now and I’ve always been supportive of the voice for the people on the ground that don’t have that voice or that capacity to stand up and speak for what their needs are.

So the ordinary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who on a daily basis really needs help but doesn’t know how to go about putting their voice forward so having someone to speak for them.

What we want is that people to have a place where they can have their views aired and are being addressed and be listened to.

NAYNA: The eight new leaders of the National Congress bring different passions and backgrounds to the table, but Tammy Solonec says everyone will be working together to decide on the issues being addressed.

SOLONEC: It’s not just the board members, it’s also the delegates and then flowing down from the delegates the members. There’s a whole heap of people working together to do this and everyone brings a certain skill set and a certain degree of knowledge.

So I guess for those sorts of areas about forming partnerships and ongoing funding for the congress we would seek to find the expertise of the people within our membership base that have that to help.

NAYNA: The congress board says the rep body is strongly focussed on two things – increasing its membership and securing a place and role for the congress into the future.

EGGINGTON: I think the two fundamental principles: one is to unify our community back into a national agenda – to finish my time up knowing that it’s forever. It’s not just a short-lived concept and that it has I guess a forever approach to it.

Because the worst has been done and we’re going to be here forever. We haven’t disappeared with the sands of time. We’re here and we’ll always be here and Australia is now poised on being able to enter a new relationship with its first nations peoples and I think that will be a wonderful thing.

But really it will be about getting people on board. Getting them together and securing that future I think are the main things I’d like to see in the first couple of years.

CURNOW: For me I really just want to continue to give it that strong foundation of building up a new organisation and that – that we make it in a way that the membership are happy with. Even if you’re not a member, that the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community are happy with it and that they feel that the organisation is well respected. And obviously when they think that it’s making some progress and more people might join as well to make it a stronger organisation.

LITTLE: We have to be around for a long time to experience the issues that come up, learn from the lessons and build on our successes and celebrate those successes with our community.

And that’s going to be the first thing because once you grow that strength and that confidence and credibility then people will feel comfortable with you, they’ll support you and they’ll walk with you.

PRESENTER: That was Dennis Eggington, Venessa Curnow and Rodney Little, wrapping up our story today about the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.

The National Congress is encouraging all of us who are over 18 years of age to become members. So why not join up? It’s free and you can help determine the direction and priorities of the congress and have a say on the issues that concern you as an Indigenous person.

Find out how to become a member at our website at indigenous.gov.au.

There’s more information about the National Congress there, as well as the new board members and co-chairs. You can also talk to us online at Facebook or Twitter or listen to our other radio programs and read our Newslines magazine, so check it out.

I’m Tracy Williams. Thanks for listening to Newslines Radio.