Djab Wurrung woman and former Greens Senate candidate Sissy Austin was brutally attacked on 11 February 2023 while out trail running in Lal Lal– roughly 20 km away from where Murphy reportedly disappeared in Ballarat on 4 February 2024 while out for a regular run. 

Last year, Austin was allegedly attacked by a man with a homemade weapon (a rock tied to a stick) and knocked unconscious. Police at the time said they believed the attacker to be a Caucasian male wearing black jeans, a cap and no shoes or shirt.

Despite the brutal nature of the assault, her alleged attacker has yet to be found. Now, Austin says the police are revisiting her case with regards to Murphy’s disappearance but have failed to contact her regarding the investigation. 

In a scathing social media post on Wednesday, Austin laid bare the hypocrisy surrounding the police’s investigations into a missing white woman compared to her own case as a proud Aboriginal woman. 

“When a First Nations woman is attacked running, there’s little to no investigation. Then a year on a white woman goes missing running in the same town and now highly regarded detectives want to revisit my case, not because my life matters, but because the missing white woman’s does,” writes Austin.

“This is one of those clear examples where if police fail one of us, they fail all of us.”

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Police scaling back the ground search for Murphy

Murphy, 51, went missing over a week ago after leaving her Ballarat East home to go for one of her regular runs at around 7am. She was captured by her home’s security camera dressed in an exercise shirt and with her hair pulled back. 

The alarm was sounded after Murphy failed to attend a brunch she had planned later that day.

Emergency services and locals from the area launched a full-scale search of bushland, with no trace of her found. On Saturday, however, police announced they were scaling back the ground search. 

Retired homicide detective Charlie Bezzina told the ABC, that it’s likely the police have a specific line of inquiry to justify scaling back this land search. He believes investigators could be looking at the same suspects who attacked Austin last year. 

Having spent three-and-a-half decades investigating some of the nation’s worst crimes with Victoria police, Bezzina said that if he were on the case, he’d “be looking very closely about the whole investigation, did they have suspects, whether you need to go back and talk to her.”

“I’d be looking at the investigation file. Let’s start re-interviewing those suspects, let’s get them alibied.”

As community members join the search and social media groups post theories on Murphy’s disappearance, Victoria Police have discouraged people from speculating on the case while investigators continue to look for evidence. 

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“This has been a long sad journey for us as a family. After nearly 11 years the police have finally charged the man who last saw our granddaughter, daughter, mother, sister, niece, aunty and cousin alive,” said the family in a statement.

Painting a picture of their loved one, the family said she was “a cheeky little girl who grew into a quiet, proud and loving mother”. 

“Many do not know that Ms Bernard is a Kowanyama woman who lived all her life in her community where the Mitchell River flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria.”

“She loved to dance and to swim in the freshwater on her country. Her favourite flower was an orange hibiscus.”

“Many of you would not know that we laid her favourite flowers around her framed photos at her inquest. Today we still grieve for her to come home.”

Continuing the search

“Our women do not go missing and they don’t run off into the dark for no reason,” the family of Ms Bernard has said, noting their frustrations at the police’s investigation into her disappearance.

Ms Bernard was 23 when she was reported missing. On February 10, 2013 the mother of two was seen at a pub in Coen on Cape York before allegedly travelling to Archer River Quarry with quarry caretaker Thomas Maxwell Byrnes, where she was last seen. 

For the next 11 years, no charges were laid after subsequent police investigations and colonial inquiries were unsuccessful in piecing together her disappearance. And last year, a $500,000 reward for information was announced. 

Byrnes, now 62, has been a person of interest throughout the investigation and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He told the inquest she left the property later in the night to go “walkabout”.

In April 2022, the coronial inquest ordered police to undertake fresh searches at Byrne’s property after finding fault with initial investigative efforts. 

Byrnes has now been charged with murder, with Ms Bernard’s family urging him to reveal her location so she can be brought back to her “traditional homeland” and “buried alongside her loved ones”. 

“When we reported our loved one missing to the police in 2013 they believed the man who is now charged with her murder and who told police that she ran off in the middle of the night for no reason,” said Ms Bernard’s family. “The police never suspected his involvement in her death and in the disposal of her body which has never been found.”

Having never let up pressure on investigators to find Ms Bernard, the family also thanked efforts from their lawyer, human rights activist Debbie Kilroy and the coroner who “ensured the police did their job” and followed up “their failed investigation” from 2013.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Searle said police recognised there had been “challenges and shortcomings” with the initial investigation into Ms Bernard’s disappearance. He said the investigation would continue despite Byrne’s arrest. 

13YARN 13 92 76

Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905

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Most people are pretty surprised when I tell them I’m one of a handful of female Aboriginal accountants in Australia. 

Representation remains astonishingly low, with less than ten individuals currently known to Chartered Accountants Australia. 

I am personally aware of two other Aboriginal female accountants. Two, that’s it.

This issue is bigger than simply representation in accounting. 

We have seen the proliferation of Aboriginal-owned businesses in recent years. These businesses do not lack talent, vision, or drive, but there is no doubt that the lack of Aboriginal professionals–let alone female ones–in accounting is a major barrier for the growth of these businesses.

The first step towards change is acknowledging the problem. We must shine a light on the lack of Aboriginal women accountants. But recognising the problem is only the beginning; we need tangible action. 

Here are a few ideas to get us started.

Where is the pipeline?

Firms and organisations have targeted recruitment and retention strategies, in a bid to attract more diversity to their organisations– which is commendable. But if Indigenous students, especially women, aren’t choosing to study accounting, or even realise it’s an option for them in the first place, then something needs to be done much earlier in the process.

It starts with school-aged children. We need more role models – teachers, parents, Indigenous leaders – showing that this is a viable career option. Only then can we increase the number of Aboriginal girls studying accounting and business at the university level and continue these numbers into professional roles.

Just last week, I made my first contribution towards a potential solution and achieved a little dream of mine in the process. My business partner and I employed Addison, a 15-year-old Iwaidja woman, via a school-based traineeship.

Addison is one of the most intelligent and eager young people I have ever come across. At just 15, she had been helping family friends with their bookkeeping (all while managing school, sports and a part-time job) and when she saw we were advertising for an admin role, she applied! We knew we had to give her a chance.

It’ll take more than one young person, but I’m confident we can be part of the solution.

If you can’t be what you can’t see, then let’s show them what’s possible

When my sisters were younger, they often said, “We want to be accountants!”. They didn’t quite grasp what it meant, but they were drawn to the idea of working with numbers, just like their older sister—me.

I’m pretty sure there’s next to no chance my sisters would have ever contemplated a career in accounting if they hadn’t seen me pursue it. My career sparked a sense of possibility within them.

The same could be said for many young Aboriginal girls out there.  We need to show them what’s possible and make sure they understand that accounting can be an incredibly rewarding and meaningful career path for Aboriginal women.

It’s no longer about blokes in suits crunching numbers—it’s about helping businesses and people grow. It’s collaborating with businesses like Nood Australia, a proud majority-owned Aboriginal company that supplies personal care and cleaning products made using the same native Australian botanicals Aboriginal people have been using for thousands of years. 

Increasing the visibility of Aboriginal women in the accounting world through a series of workshops in schools, media interviews, and opportunities for storytelling and public speaking engagements would go a long way towards inspiring the next generation of Aboriginal women to pursue accounting—and demonstrate that it is a rewarding and even fun career.

Address the elephant in the room

Aboriginal women are some of the most resilient people on the planet, but unless we foster a more inclusive and culturally sensitive work environment, they will avoid industries and career paths traditionally dominated by men. 

The current culture of burnout and the method of ‘scoring’ staff at Big 4 accounting firms in Australia, also has a lot to answer for. Each year, many people from all walks of life leave the accounting industry. I’m proof that accounting is a great and viable career path– but organisations need to be respectful of all staff, and challenge old-fashioned and out-of-touch stereotypes to be truly inclusive. This includes acknowledging that Aboriginal women face unique challenges, barriers and discrimination. 

Flexibility, particularly for women with families, is also key. This means not only offering flexible hours, but also rewiring the way managers view flexible working.

Fake flexibility, where you make a role part-time, but still expect employees to be always available, won’t cut it. 

As a business owner, there have been plenty of occasions when I have had to take my one-year-old Rauri to work with me; however, not all organisations would be this accommodating.

Opportunities for Aboriginal women in accounting are so much more than just a ‘nice to have’

More work also needs to be done by organisations to value diversity truly and actively support the advancement of Aboriginal women in accounting. Some of the ways that this is already happening is through financial support and scholarships for Aboriginal women studying accounting, which helps to reduce the financial barriers that would otherwise deter promising candidates from pursuing a career in the field. I’ve been fortunate to win a scholarship from Chartered Accounting Australia to complete my Chartered Accounting, or CA, qualification. But there’s still a long way to go.

Mentorship and practical experience is key

If we want young people to transition from study to practice, we must change how we do things. Mentoring and practical experiences can go a long way in helping Indigenous students understand the accounting profession from an insider’s perspective. This means connecting professionals like myself with those who are interested in the accounting industry and giving them access to our networks.

More role models and mentors are desperately needed to inspire and guide those considering a career in accounting. Being the only Aboriginal person in a firm or organisation can be incredibly isolating. Having somebody else who has been through it before can make all the difference when it comes to feeling supported and valued as an Indigenous person.

The accounting industry is ready for change, and I’m excited to be part of that change. The potential for Aboriginal women in the industry is massive, and we must ensure that they are given every opportunity to succeed. We all have a role to play in creating an inclusive environment, one which values diversity and rewards excellence from all backgrounds.

Collaboration with educational institutions, industry associations, and Aboriginal communities to develop tailored initiatives and programs is how we promote the visibility and impact of female Aboriginal accountants.

It is also how we can work together to advocate for policy changes that address Aboriginal women’s barriers and discrimination in accessing employment opportunities – and further propel career progression within the accounting sector.

Let’s do this. Who’s with me?

You can connect with me here. 

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In her acceptance speech, Wallam acknowledged her ancestors, who “carried her through” the game last October, where she helped secure Australia’s gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

“I truly free [them] in everything I do,” she said. “I will dedicate this [award] to my elders back home. I’d like to thank my family and friends who have supported me along this journey.”

National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair Dr Lynette Riley AO acknowledged the challenging task faced by the judges in selecting the recipients among a sea of brilliant nominees.

“The high calibre of nominees made the Committee decision very difficult,” Dr Riley said. “This year, we are pleased to be able to celebrate and share the achievements of so many more First Nations people by not only recognising winners in each category, but also finalists.”

Wallam, a Noongar woman from Korijekup (Harvey) in Western Australia, told the ABC last week that being nominated was “a huge honour.”

“It’s special knowing my hard work is being recognised but I just hope that the younger generation is being inspired to be that next élite athlete,” she said. 

Last year, Wallam was selected in the Australian Diamonds Commonwealth Games squad. Her debut made history as she become the first Indigenous Australian to represent the team at the Commonwealth Games in thirty-two years and the third Indigenous woman to represent Australia in the Commonwealth Games in 80 years.

She took her team to a series sweep against England after slotting “one of the most important goals scored” in the history of netball, according to the head of officiating at England Netball, Gary Burgess.

Despite bringing her team the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, Wallam was facing public backlash after she called out the founder of the team’s sponsor, Gina Rinehart, for racist comments her father made in the 1980s. 

Wallam refused to wear her national playing dress which had a Hancock Prospecting logo on it, saying the mining company had a poor record on Indigenous issues.

Weeks later, the mining company announced it would withdraw from its $15 million sponsorship deal. Last month, Wallam opened up about the ordeal, describing it as a “really difficult” time.

“I’m just so grateful that the girls in the Diamonds environment and the staff all had my back,” she said. “The one thing I learnt from that is to always back yourself and stand by what you believe in and that’s something that I’ll always do because first and foremost, I’m a human and I’ve got values and I’ve got a life outside of netball.”

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Wallam, who is considered one of the country’s best goal shooters, secured her first placement with the West Coast Warriors in the West Australian Netball League in 2019 before heading to the UK two years later to play with the Leeds Rhinos in the UK Superleague in her first professional playing contract. 

She returned to Australia in early 2022 to take up a replacement position with the Queensland Firebirds in her first season of Super Netball. 

Wallam has been named as a reserve for the Australian team at this year’s World Cup in Cape Town, starting in late July.

Other award recipients from this year’s NAIDOC ceremony included Aunty Dr Naomi Mayers OAM, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, film director Rachel Perkins was awarded the Creative Talent Award, Meuram woman Lala Gutchen was awarded the Caring for Country and Culture Award and Dr Matilda House-Williams was the recipient of the Female Elder Award. 

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We’d go to Nan’s, which was just around the corner from Seven Hills Duck Pond; Aunty Delma’s house in Glebe (hers is the one with the big Aboriginal flag out front on Glebe Point Road); Aunty Deb’s house up in Alice; or to my great-Grandmother’s, who lived in Beaudesert, our Mob’s country.

When I think about the people who have shaped me, I often think about my blak matriarchy.

I think about the women who have offered me guidance, who gave me buckets full of love, and who always took me in. 

I am resilient, like those women. And I have the same fire that they have. I have their chubby cheeks and deep belly laugh. I share their love for coconut chicken curry and Johnny cakes. I am staunch, like they are. 

I am a strong blak woman because that’s what I’ve been surrounded by.

I graduated from university a few months ago. At my graduation ceremony, my Mother wept softly as I received a little piece of paper recognising my four years of hard work. Mum’s tears weren’t just her own; they were the tears of my Grandmother, who got kicked out of school at 13. They were the tears of my Aunty Delma, who was taken as part of the stolen generation and trained to be a domestic servant. They were tears that told the story of a long and hard fight.

This is what blackfellas do. We do things to make our Elders proud. We do things that they never had the opportunity to do. Our Elders have given us everything they could. And now we must give it all back.

My matriarch is my great-Grandmother, Nanette Bene Currie, a Mununjali Elder. Although she has passed on, her activism is the reason a lot of our mob have the opportunities that we do now. She is our trailblazer, our nurturer, our library, and our strength. My fight is found in hers.

She raised my grandma, who, like her, was a strong woman. Nan was my guiding light before she passed. I’ve never met anyone more gentle and more staunch than her. I hope that I am able to leave as big a mark as she did.

The women in our matriarchy were stuck in cycles of poverty inflicted upon us by the colony. Our women were always the ones who would keep all the young ones housed and fed the best they could.

I learned later in life that people who grew up having it easy would struggle to draw from the strength that I draw from, a strength passed on from my grandma to my mother, to me.

Every opportunity I take now is a testimony to the strong women who have come before me. I’m becoming the woman my old people wanted to be but couldn’t, dabbling in their lost dreams and their lost time. I’m trying to pave the way for the young ones so that they can have more than I did. After all, that’s what my Elders did for me. I will always be connected to my old people. We are wedge-tailed eagle, our mob’s totem. We are my great-Grandmother’s dreams. We are our ancestors’ dreams.

For my matriarchy: Nanette Bene Currie, Nanette Virginia Currie, Aunty Delma Currie, Dianne Louise Dux, and Deborah Dux

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Events like NAIDOC Week see employers across the country leaning on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. They are expected to plan and organise cultural events and experiences, which is rarely reflected in their job description or pay packet.

The Make us Count report, which we co-authored, found this is not just limited to NAIDOC Week. This report reflects on the experiences of Aboriginal women in workplaces within the Victorian public sector, and reveals this additional labour is a burden on Aboriginal women. Regardless of their employment level or role in their respective workplace, this unpaid labour is often expected of them.

One participant stated,

The value [of Aboriginal cultural knowledge] is only when I organise NAIDOC or Reconciliation Week celebrations. The worst part is that it is up to me to drive recognition of these important events and for the rest of the year, culture and I are forgotten.

Many organisations publicly state they are committed to acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, which is often outlined in their Reconciliation Action Plans or other organisational strategy documents. They rarely, however, provide resources to meet this commitment.

Aboriginal unpaid labour is nothing new

Australia has a long history of capitalising on Aboriginal women’s unpaid work. Bidjara and Birri Gubba Juru author and academic Dr Jackie Huggins, has written about unpaid domestic service provided by Aboriginal women and girls.

This occurred in white settler homes and on missions and reserves into the 1970s. Many who were supposed to be paid had payments withheld, misappropriated or were underpaid and are still seeking compensation.

Huggins, in her foreword for Make Us Count, writes, “workplaces are a microcosm of Australia”, meaning what happens in workplaces is a small representation of what happens everywhere. Huggins goes on to say the report reveals little has changed and Aboriginal women are still expected to perform unpaid labour.

It’s not ‘cultural load’

The Healing Foundation, an organisation dedicated to healing trauma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, describes “cultural load” as an accumulative trauma and stress experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are navigating systemic adversity in their lives while they are also trying to succeed in their careers.

Ngadjuri and Bundjalung academic Kelly Menzel has argued workplaces often misuse the term “cultural load”. This term is often used to describe the additional unpaid work expected of people because they are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander – like organising NAIDOC week events or educating non-Indigenous staff.

Overburdening Aboriginal women with unreasonable workloads not part of their job description is not reflective of cultural responsibilities or cultural load. It is gendered and racial exploitation.

Last week, a piece by Bundjalung Mununjali NITV digital journalist and producer Bronte Charles detailed the emotional and psychological toll of additional expectations and responsibilities imposed on Indigenous staff by non-Indigenous supervisors and colleagues.

Many of the participants in the Make it Count research participants also spoke about feeling tokenised and not seen as professionals with genuine skills and expertise.

What the ‘Make us Count’ research found

We interviewed 25 Aboriginal women working in the Victorian public sector and a further ten responded to an online survey. They reported multiple forms of racism and gendered violence in their workplaces. Many expressed they were undervalued compared to non-Indigenous colleagues and Aboriginal men.

One participant stated, in terms of recruitment and promotion opportunities, that “Aboriginal women are the bottom of the pecking order”.

The Make Us Count research found managers in the Victorian public sector failed to act on reports of bullying, harassment and racism.

One participant shared,

I spoke to my manager about what was going on and he agreed that we would come together with these two particular people. Then said to me that this must be a cultural thing as opposed to it being the bullying and harassment that it was. So, they failed to act.

Some Aboriginal women who reported receiving unwanted attention or harassment from Aboriginal men were told the issue was cultural. And for some, when the offender was a non-Indigenous colleague who bullied, harassed or were racist toward them, they were only referred to “cultural safety” training.

Some participants referred to harassment from Aboriginal men as lateral violence (meaning violence from within the same group). However, in most cases these men were in higher ranking positions, making this an abuse of power.

Overworking and undervaluing Aboriginal women in the workplace is discrimination and a systematic barrier to career progression. One participant stated, “It’s taken me 17 years to get from entry level to where I am now”.

Another commented “Unless you’re always performing at 150% or more, people don’t see you”.

Aboriginal transgender women and gender diverse people, as well as Aboriginal queer women, were invited to participate in this research. However, none of the participants chose to share this information about themselves, which may be telling in its own right.

In the Victorian public sector, just 0.7% of employees identify as transgender, non-binary and gender diverse. Research on the experiences of Indigenous LGBTQIA+ people in the workforce in general reveals high levels of discrimination, racism, social exclusion, queerphobia and transphobia.

As demonstrated by the Make Us Count report and other research, there is an urgent need for workplaces to take action to address racism and misogyny.

This includes unpaid labour, precarious working conditions like recurring short-term contracts and workplace harassment and violence. Aboriginal women want to be able to enjoy their work and have productive careers without being subjected to racism, discrimination, and exploitation.

As the following woman from our survey makes clear,

I just want to be able to be in a job where I can actually do the job and then still have the capacity to give back to the community.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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As a leadership transformation expert, Stone says her purpose is to “help people ignite their passion, grow their influence and amplify the impact they have in business, leadership and life no matter who they are, what they do or where they come from.”

She’s a Cabrogal woman of the Dharug Nation and a descendant of the stolen generations of the Wakka Wakka and Kulluli First Nations People, and as an aboriginal woman, says she has a commitment to developing a greater appreciation for her culture 

At different times of the day, Stone says she has a practice for deepening her capacity for compassion, wonderment and humility. This includes being present, noticing the smaller details in life and creating a strong sense of connection to community while taking care of her own and others wellbeing. 

The practice is known as Dadirrii (da-did-ee) from the Ngan’gikurunggurr and Ngen’giwrumirri languages of the Aboriginal Peoples of the Daly River region (Northern Territory), that recognises inner, deep listening, acceptance and quiet, still awareness.

Her culture is also championed in her professional work as Founder and CEO of Performance Code – a 100 per cent owned Indigenous business registered with Supply Nations, specialising in leadership transformation, resilience and wellbeing as the access to helping people realise their potential as leaders and accelerate growth in direct alignment with their values, vision and purpose. 

Stone is a passionate storyteller, certified in the neuroscience of resilience and high-adversity resilience training and an expert in leadership transformation, with 20 years of experience in leadership transformation as a coach and facilitator and over 25 years of media industry experience in Australia.

She’s been called “Australia’s Oprah” and featured as one of 13 Indigenous Female Leaders in the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) “Because of Her We Can” campaign for her contribution to advancing female leaders.

Read Kylee Stone’s full “How I Manage My Health” profile below, and see other women profiled in this series here.

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In the morning, I…

Start with a 10 min deep breath meditation, followed by bringing awareness to the smaller details of making my bed (sounds incredibly simple, but surprisingly very powerful) and going to the gym for a swim and sauna. While I am a huge fan of the benefits of intermittent fasting and keto-friendly nutrition on the functioning of the brain, I’ve been through an auto-immune condition and menopause, so I start the day following a glucose-free protocol that helps to reduce cortisol and reduce spikes in blood sugar including MCT oil and juice of celery, avocado, mind, cucumber, chia seeds, spinach, kale and almond milk.

My exercise routine includes…

My exercise routine has changed a lot in the last decade. While I used to hit the gym 6 days a week doing high-intensity workouts and training for sprint series triathlons, once I had kids that slowed down. I did a couple of half marathons after the kids, but that all changed in my mid-40s after discovering that increased stress and elevated cortisol levels can cause abdominal fat and weight gain. At that point, my exercise routine changed to yoga, pilates, swimming and walking and slow jogs. I still go to the gym for a weights session but it’s a lot slower and intentional than it used to be.

My favourite workout is…

More of a spiritual healing practice than a workout. I do a slow, deep breath meditation while doing a 1km swim, followed by a 20 min hot sauna which has a stack of proven health benefits like detoxification, improved immune and cardiovascular functioning, increased metabolism and blood circulation, anti-aging and stress management.’

I find balance in…

Swimming in the ocean, taking time out of the daily grind to slow down, reflecting daily on what there is to be grateful for in life, and doing work with like-minded people that aligns with my purpose of creating meaningful connections. I’ve recently become an ambassador for the Women’s Resilience Centre and have become certified as an aboriginal cultural awareness facilitator working with Aboriginal Elder Aunty Munya Andrews on helping organisations create a kinder and more inclusive Australia.

On health, I encourage women to…

Ditch the guilt and challenge traditional stereotypes as a mother and a leader because stress levels and burnout is high.

Ninety-five per cent of HR leaders report burnout is sabotaging the workforce and nine out of ten Australians are below the protected level of resilience. The first step is often the hardest, so my number one recommendation for women (and men) is to get clear about their health by completing a diagnostic on their level of resilience in six key domains including health (nutrition, sleep and exercise), vision (goals and purpose), composure, reasoning, tenacity and collaboration — measures which, according to neuroscience, directly impact our wellbeing — good health, happiness, confidence, satisfaction, a sense of purpose and feeling calm and centred.

For anyone wanting to get some personal insights by testing their resilience and wellbeing, Kylee Stone has created a personalised performance report and app with over 800 online activities. Contact Kylee for more information.

The post Make a daily habit of deepening your compassion, wonderment & humility: Kylee Stone appeared first on Women's Agenda.

The Uluru Statement of the Heart is an invitation for all Australians to work with First Nations people for a better future by calling for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making and truth-telling about Indigenous history. 

Recognising this statement as nothing less than a momentous and historic peace offering to all Australians, on November 10th, the Sydney Peace Foundation will award it with Australia’s only international prize for peace with justice and human rights at its heart. 

In a call for Australia to recognise its true history, the Uluru Statement of the Heart was created in 2017 to attempt to give Indigenous values and identities a voice in policies and laws. It appeals for structural reform to give First Nations greater say and authority over the decisions that impact them. 

Back in 1967, a referendum granted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples voting and citizenship rights, however there is much more that needs to be done to give First Nations communities input on the government decisions that affect their lives. 

As written in the Uluru Statement: “In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard.”

In his election victory speech, Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese confirmed his government’s commitment to the Uluru Statement, saying, “We will, of course, be advancing the need to have constitutional recognition of First Nations people, including a Voice to Parliament that is enshrined in that constitution.”   

After generations of work, this announcement from Albanese has signaled a real commitment from the Labour government to take the question of a constitutional Voice for Indigenous peoples to a referendum. 

To explain more on what a “yes” vote for Voice could mean for the Uluru Statement’s three objectives – a Voice to Parliament, Treaty, and Truth – two First Nations leaders and architects of the statement, Professor Megan Davis and Pat Anderson AO, joined in conversation with representatives from the Sydney Peace Prize during a recent webinar.

Cobble Cobble woman, Davis, is Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous and professor of law at UNSW. She’s a globally recognised expert on the rights of Indigenous peoples and is currently an expert member and Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Expert Mechanism of the Rights of Indigenous peoples. 

Anderson is an Alyawarre woman, known nationally and internationally as a powerful advocate for the rights and health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She is Chair of the Lowitja Institute and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2014 for her distinguished service to the Indigenous community as a social justice advocate. 

As contributors to the creation of one of the most important documents in Australia’s history, both Davis and Anderson are among the many women leading the fight for Indigenous rights. 

When asked about the role women play in the campaign’s critical advocacy efforts, Anderson said, without hesitation, “It’s women. It’s Aboriginal women and Torres Strait Islander women who are leading this campaign, and we have done it from day one.”

Looking at the campaign’s three objectives – Voice to Parliament, Treaty and Truth – Davis explains the importance of their sequence. She says ‘Voice to Parliament’ comes first because that is the opportunity on the table for constitutional recognition whereas Treaty and Truth aren’t things done on a constitutional level. 

Davis also makes it clear that the referendum vote for putting Voice into the constitution needs to be simple– it’s a “yes” or “no” answer. She explains that the Voice to Parliament in the Constitution is an enabling provision that gives the Commonwealth the power to pass a law that creates a First Nations voice, and that will be done after the referendum and after a comprehensive process of consultation. 

“Most Australians think it’s fair, that when you pass laws and policies about our communities, that we’re at the table,” says Davis.

“We don’t seek a green voice. We don’t seek a red voice. We don’t seek a blue voice. We seek a black voice.”

Winning the Sydney Peace Prize has been beneficial to the amplification of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and Anderson sees the prize as a timely tribute to all the people who showed up to wrestle with the complexities of the question of Voice and craft the Uluru Statement.  

In response to whether there seems to be a sense of optimism for the referendum vote to be in favour of adding Voice to the Constitution, Anderson says she believes this is the best chance they’ve had in a long time but that it’s the people of Australia who will have to decide. 

For Australians wondering what they can do to support the referendum moving forward, Davis suggests one of the most important things to do is open up conversations with friends, family and anyone you know. She also says there’s plenty of resources available and that Indigenous stories are a good place to start for information. 

“You need to suspend your disbelief that the nation can’t change. You need to suspend your disbelief that Australia won’t understand what you’re trying to say. And we need you to imagine that the world can be a better place,” says Davis. 

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Now the Northern Territory’s police minister, Kate Worden, is calling out the lack of media attention saying that if this incident had happened to a white woman and a baby on the east coast, it would have been front page news around the country

Worden says she is heartbroken, and that too often the nation does not grieve the deaths of Indigenous women in the same way it grieves other deaths. 

Despite a critical need for domestic violence funding in the Northern Territory, Worden said this media silence is a contributing factor on the lack of funding being provided.

“We have the capability to stop this [domestic violence]. We have the capability as a community to say no more to this. But we need to work together and we need more funding,” she says. 

According to the NT Government data, Indigenous women in Australia experience some of the highest rates of violence of any population in the world. The Northern Territory, in particular, experiences the highest rates of domestic and family violence of any jurisdiction in Australia, and domestic violence accounts for more than 60 per cent of NT Police call-outs. 

Worden, who is also the minister for domestic violence, has repeatedly called for the territory’s share of the national domestic violence funding pool to be calculated on need instead of population. 

The deaths of the woman and her child should be attracting more national attention, but unfortunately, it’s all too common for the deaths of Indigenous women to go under the public radar. 

“Noongar Human Rights Lawyer, Hannah McGlade, says, “We should be really publicly grieving, we should be publicly angered every time another woman loses her life in Australia, and it’s particularly important following the deaths of Indigenous women.”

Dr. McGlade is a member of the UN Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues and has co-authored a detailed case-study on the topic, that digs deeper into what she calls, “Indigenous femicide.”

The term “femicide” is used to underline that the incidence of Indigenous women’s deaths is not accidental or random, but a systematic outcome of the logic of settler colonialism. 

NPY Women’s Council has estimated that Aboriginal women in Central Australia are around 60 times more likely to be victims of domestic homicide than non-Aboriginal women. Dr McGlade adds that this demographic experiences the highest rates of murder in the country. 

Both are concerning statistics emphasising the importance of media acknowledgement to ensure that violence is held to account and that every woman’s life is treated as valuable.

At an outstation, 25 kilometres north of Alice Springs, the body of a man and a gun were also found nearby the woman and her child. 

The police have called the deaths a domestic violence incident but have not confirmed whether the gun was used to kill the victims or if the officers are investigating the deaths as a murder suicide. Worden couldn’t confirm if the man involved was the perpetrator but said it was an “absolute tragedy.”

Alice Springs based domestic family and sexual violence researcher for ANU, Chay Brown, says it’s imperative for details of the incident to be released to the media. She thinks it’s important to allow the nation to grieve collectively and send a message that “the community does not tolerate acts of violence.”

There are other details that have not been confirmed either, such as the identities of the victims, whether or not anyone involved in the incident had a history of domestic violence or if the gun found near the bodies was registered. 

Nevertheless, Worden reminds people that the police have processes in place to maintain the integrity of the investigation and that details of the incident are not required for the story to be a national concern. 

Calling out the lack of press on the incident as a whole, Worden didn’t hold back, saying, “If it’s a race-based issue, then let’s call it as it is. This is an Aboriginal family. They are Territorians. And they have been subject to domestic violence.”

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.

If you need help and advice, call 1800Respect on 1800 737 732, Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

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Taking to Twitter, the 34-year old mother of one said “I’m humbled to be replacing the late Kimberly Kitching; a tireless advocate for working people.”

Stewart will fill a casual vacancy left by Kitching after Kitching’s shocking and sudden death from a suspected heart attack last month. 

Speaking to the Herald this morning, Stewart said she “…wants to be responsible for helping increase the number of Aboriginal people in the party, [including] people from minority and diversity groups.”

“The opportunity comes under really sad circumstances with the passing of Senator Kitching, so that was certainly not lost on me,” she said.

“One of the things that everybody can agree on is how important it is to have Aboriginal people step into positions like this. So I think it’s something we can all unite over – it’s a history-making opportunity that I think everyone can be proud of.”

Stewart’s term will expire on 30 June. Since the Senate will not sit before the next election, Stewart will not be sworn in and officially take her seat in parliament.

In the result that Labor attracts enough of Victoria’s Senate vote, she will enter parliament after the election.

In an article published in 2019, Steward described her childhood as one where family violence and drug addiction was prevalent.

“As the eldest of six, I was the protector of my siblings,” she wrote. “I was the one who stepped into the middle of fights trying to stop them.”

“Because, despite my life experiences and the statistics, I consider myself to be a fortunate person. My defining moment was actively deciding not to become the statistics I was supposed to be.”

“I’ve worked hard and built a life out of listening and empowering other people’s voices. Now I want to do that for the people of Kooyong.”

Stewart has been mentored by Linda Burney, and was formerly endorsed by Emily’s List. 

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Barty, who made history last month when she became the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open in 44 years, spent Saturday in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park teaching kids from Mutitjulu School, many whom had never picked up a tennis racquet. 

“This has been today an experience … for me as it is for the kids,” the 25-year old told ABC.

“I think providing that opportunity is so exciting for me.” 

“It’s really hard to put into words, just because it’s a feeling,” Barty told PerthNow. 

“When you actually go to Uluru for the first time like I did; it was just an incredible experience for me to understand how much of a spiritual connection Uluru has for so many communities.”

“But also as a child, as an Aboriginal girl growing up, it’s the heartbeat of our nation … being able to experience that first-hand is something I always wanted to do.”

Ash Barty in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

The program, which is supported by Jacana Energy, was created last year to provide sustainable opportunities through tennis for Indigenous youth across the Territory, and to contribute to Indigenous health and education outcomes.

Anzac Leidig, Tennis NT’s Indigenous Programs Leader, spoke last year about the importance of having tennis in remote communities.

“This program is not just about forehands and backhands, we’re really trying to foster a connection with the sport and generate a greater outcome for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” he said.

“For me, hearing that Indigenous youth are coming to school to make sure they don’t miss out on tennis is amazing.”

One 10-year-old  Mutitjulu student, Elizabeth France, told ABC that she was “really excited to meet Ash Barty.” 

“She said she liked my tennis racquet,” France said. “[Barty] told me to slow down when I hit balls a bit because sometimes I hit them really, really hard.”

“When I when I’m 15, I’m going to go on tour for the Australian Open, and I’m going to play the other cups too.”

Barty, who is Tennis Australia’s First Nations ambassador, is currently only three weeks from matching 18-time grand slam singles champion Chris Evert for the fourth-longest streak of consecutive weeks at the No.1 spot. 

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Meanwhile, courts in NSW are 11 per cent more likely to grant bail in domestic violence matters.

These statistics come from the latest NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report, that looked at more than 500,000 bail decisions made by police and courts in NSW between 2015 and 2019. The findings have concerned domestic violence and women’s justice advocacy groups, who say we need a significant culture shift in the justice system.

Hayley Foster, CEO of Women’s Safety NSW, said the statistics relating to bail and domestic violence matters are consistent with her experience, in that too many offenders are making bail. Foster said too often perpetrators of domestic violence are not seen as a threat to the community.

“The problem with this is that we know domestic violence offenders are highly likely to reoffend, often with destructive consequences for their current and future victims,” Foster said.

“We need to move away from the erroneous assumption that domestic violence perpetrators are just good guys that snapped in the moment. That’s just not the reality for victim-survivors.”

Meanwhile Gloria Larman, CEO of the Women’s Justice Network, said the findings from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research relating to Aboriginal women being less likely to be granted bail, were not surprising.

“The reality is that we have a criminal justice system that either consciously or unconsciously discriminates against Aboriginal people and Aboriginal women in particular,” Larman said.

“We work with so many Aboriginal women who have been put on remand for minor offences such as unpaid fines or driving without a license.

“These women do not pose a threat to the community and yet they’re locked up with devastating consequences for their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families.

“In fact, the overwhelming majority of Aboriginal women on remand are themselves victim-survivors of long-term domestic, family and sexual violence.”

According to the Women’s Justice Network, Aboriginal women have been the fastest growing group in the prison population.

“We can’t keep locking Aboriginal women up at endemic rates,” Larman said. “This is happening on our watch and the devastating consequences are being felt now and intergenerationally.”

The report highlights that 25 per cent of adults and 45 per cent of young people on remand in NSW identified as Aboriginal, a significant number given Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people account for just 3.4 per cent of the state’s population.

“This study confirms that bail decisions are overwhelmingly based on legal factors related to offending. However, it remains possible that Aboriginal people are disadvantaged in police bail decisions and that this is contributing to their over-representation in custody,” Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, said.

The Aboriginal Legal Service said it should be an urgent priority to reduce the number of Aboriginal people in NSW prisons.

“Yet the facts show that Aboriginal people are being disproportionately locked up without being sentenced of a crime,” Sarah Crellin, Principal Solicitor (Crime Practice) at the ALS, said.

Women’s Safety NSW and the Women’s Justice Network are calling for a qualitative review of how bail decisions are made by police and the courts in NSW. They also say training for police, prosecutors and judicial officers around the gender-based violence and cultural competency is needed.

“We need a significant cultural shift in our criminal justice system when it comes to domestic, family and sexual violence and the way in which we treat Aboriginal people and women in particular. We must have a focus on safety,” Foster said.

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