Latest news with #Wiradjuri
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
Could Australia's cost of living crisis have a silver lining for First Nations communities?
According to the head of Australia's fastest growing Aboriginal housing provider, the current cost of living crisis could provide opportunities for First Nations communities to address long overlooked concerns. Wiradjuri man and Birribee Housing CEO Paul Coe told NITV's The Point that issues like housing affordability and rising costs are now impacting Australians from all backgrounds. We Put The Blak In Blacktown 'When you look at current issues around cost of living ... things that have been a concern for Aboriginal communities for years, society's now joined them in this space,' he said. 'Society is now saying this is an election issue, which makes it a sweet spot for Aboriginal people to push and push for these outcomes as best they can.' Birribee Housing was established by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council in 2019 and now manages hundreds of properties across the state as well as having involvement in major developments like the renewal of Tolland Estate in Wagga Wagga. In Blacktown, home to the country's largest urban Indigenous population, Birribee manages more than 120 properties and operates an Aboriginal homelessness service in the region. 'It's often a sum loss game," said Coe. "There's more money going out than coming in, and it's difficult, particularly in the Aboriginal housing space when the stock in Western Sydney [is] quite aged. 'They're barely standing up. Old cottages that are cold, that are hot, and somehow society accepts that.' Mr Coe said that a broader approach was needed to go beyond the current closing the gap focus on reducing overcrowding. 'We know that homelessness is probably more often than not an outcome of a former institution," he said. "You've been in out-of-home care, you've been in jail, you've been in mental health, or there's been some other institutional effects on you. 'Your pathway to that hasn't been shaped by yourself or your family.... Aboriginal families lean into their family a lot for support, and so we hide that homelessness to a large degree. "But that hiding ... creates its own pressure points in households financially as well as wear and tear, and pressure across schools and everything else.' With around 60,000 people waitlisted for public housing across NSW, the need for new dwellings is critical. However Dharug Elder Uncle Chris Tobin said that growth shouldn't come at the expense of Country. 'This is the hard part for particularly TOs, or traditional custodians looking after their ancestral Country. We've still got that job,' he explained. 'We've got to keep looking at ways to rescue our Country and it's just so hard to do with this model of development that just wants more and more and more and which doesn't add to anyone's quality of life. 'Sadly, I think it's all about dollars and I think the health of the Country will take us in a direction that will be good for us ... "When the Country's healthy, we'll be healthy.' Paul Coe agreed that communities should use the increased political focus on housing solutions to advocate for the ongoing inclusion of culture and respect for the health of the land. 'They do become a real tangible election issue as we've seen through Labor and the push federally around housing,' he said. 'The difficulty you have is around this lack of bipartisan approach on the key issues around housing. A four or three year cycle is never going to solve something so critical to that. 'The development opportunity, or how we go through that, is to, one, make sure that we have housing, and that we curate our land as much as possible and that has to take some time to work through and a sustained effort and focus from people.' The Point airs Tuesdays 7.30 on NITV, and is available after the broadcast on SBS On Demand.
ABC News
7 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Modelling fashion and football passion
OK, shine the spotlight, pump up the music, let's hit the catwalk and meet some designers! Earlier this month, Australian Fashion Week was held in Sydney. It's an annual celebration of culture, clothing and the designers who create Australia's diverse range of fashion. It's also where Australian fashion designers get models to wear their clothes and show them off in front of big crowds. One of this year's featured designers is Wiradjuri woman Denni Francisco. She loves creating fashion that reflects her culture. She incorporates colours from country, such as gumtrees, into her clothing and says she does this to bring culture and country together. She was thrilled to have ten First Nations women wear her clothing in front of an excited crowd. 19-year-old First Nations model Shamaiah Sullivan is already up to her third year of walking down the runway. She became a model six years ago after watching an Australian drama on TV and feeling like there were no Indigenous people on the show. Shamaiah says that this year's Fashion Week featured more Indigenous designers and models than ever before, and that meant that people all around the world could learn about First Nations people, and their fashion. In the outback Queensland town of Mount Isa, a group of women get together each week to do just that. They've all moved to the area from another country, and they don't speak much English. But what they all do together is sew! Amina moved with her husband from Pakistan. When she arrived in Mount Isa, she didn't know any English, and that meant she found it hard to get a job. One day, Amina met a Pakistani friend in the street who invited her along to the sewing classes, where women also get to practice their English. That's right! These things take time, and eventually Amina grew in confidence to speak English. She managed to land a job at the town supermarket, she's had a baby, and she's got a lovely community to support her through it all. Animals can do many different jobs, but an assistance animal is one that gives support to people with a disability, so that they can be more independent and confident. In Australia, assistance animals are considered working animals, along with seeing and hearing dogs. In Tasmania, one assistance animal named Violet has made the news, because Violet is an alpaca. Violet is very important to her owner, Abbygail-Nigella. Together they've gone on cruises, to the airport, but recently Abbygail-Nigella took her assistance alpaca into a Tasmanian supermarket to pick up some groceries. They were both asked to leave the store, because the staff said that Violet is livestock, and livestock isn't allowed inside. Abbygail-Nigella made a complaint, and now a court will decide if the supermarket discriminated against them. Discrimination happens when someone is treated unfairly because of things like their age, gender, race or disability. Now, the Magistrates court of Tasmania will investigate whether the supermarket has discriminated against Abbygail-Nigella. She says that Violet has been trained as an assistance animal and goes everywhere with her. She even wants to take Violet onto a plane to Melbourne one day. Will it be possible? We'll have to wait and see how this story ends for Abbygail-Nigella and her furry assistance friend. Although both soccer and AFL involve getting a ball around a field, and scoring goals, they are very different games to play! Someone who knows this very well is Sarah Rowe. She plays soccer in the A-League with the Central Coast Mariners. In fact, her team just won the 2025 Women's championship! While her teammates might be celebrating their win with a relaxing holiday, Sarah hasn't taken any time off. Three days after her team's win, she started training with the Collingwood Magpies ahead of the AFL Women's pre-season. Busy, busy! Well the good news for Sarah is that her games will never clash! Sarah moved from Ireland to Australia just to play Aussie rules but realised that A-League's season fit neatly into the AFLW off-season. But there was plenty to learn about soccer and Sarah became a defender, even though she played as a winger, which is an attack position, in AFL. The Mariners coach believed in Sarah, and she was placed straight into the starting team. Sarah says football careers are short, so she wanted to get as much out of hers as possible. You're an inspiration, Sarah! Keep kicking goals! A few weeks ago, at about six in the morning, a great flash of light lit up the skies over Western Australia… it was a meteorite! Lots of people saw it blazing across the sky and some keen beans decided to hit the road to try and find the spot where the space rock had landed. One of the meteorite hunters was a local police officer named Marcus. Seven days after the meteorite hit earth, he hit the road, driving for two hours and scrambling through dense bush. Then, in the middle of a salt lake, he found a tennis-ball-sized plain-looking space rock! Marcus was quite impressed with his find, but many people think there's more to be discovered. When the meteorite came through the atmosphere, there were lots of bright flashes, and that usually happens when the rocks fragment, or split apart. So, if you're out on a walk in the south of Western Australia, keep your eyes peeled!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shock moment kangaroo enters suburban home: 'Oh my God, out!'
Video of a 'cheeky' kangaroo entering a woman's home has sparked delight across the internet, with many calling it the 'most Australian thing'. But an Indigenous wildlife expert is concerned about the animal's comfort around humans, which she warns could be dangerous. Viewed more than 680,000 times, the footage shows a muddy eastern grey named Billy refusing to leave a NSW South Coast home. 'Oh my God, out!' one woman says, ordering him away. She then lures the large marsupial outside with a piece of bread, calling him a 'cheeky, cheeky boy'. After the footage was shared to TikTok, many were intrigued by the situation, while others found it hilarious. 'That's Skippy's house now,' one person joked. 'Most normal day in Australia,' another quipped. It's not a regular occurrence for kangaroos to enter people's homes in Australia. Ordinarily, wild kangaroos would be afraid of humans, who have been a natural predator for thousands of years, but the large male, named Billy, appears to have lost all fear. Shannon, the Wiradjuri woman who filmed the video told her interested followers on TikTok that the animal has been around for a long time. 'Literally comes knocking on my friend's door. Been coming for years. Gotta love him,' she said. 😳 Big W quietly reintroduces controversial $122 kangaroo product 👟 Adidas halts use of wild kangaroo skins in shoes 🌏 Rare discovery of lost wallaby 14,000km from home She then clarified the animal is not a pet, saying he's 'a friend who likes to visit frequently' and that he's free to roam wherever he likes. Messaging with Yahoo News, Shannon, clarified that the house Billy entered is close to where a large mob of kangaroos live. "They all come and go, and it's right next to bushland, he's among other roos [that] have been in the area for years," she said. "Luring him into the bush won't change anything. The area he gets around is his home." Victorian elder, Aunty Janet Turpie-Johnstone, is concerned about the impact the expansion of human settlements is having on wildlife. Video showing koalas walking into shops, or kangaroos hopping into airports, is often celebrated as cute or funny online and in traditional media. Last month a morning TV show made national headlines after they laughed at a dog aggressively moving in on a kangaroo on a suburban street. 'It breaks my heart all the time. We're building how many more million houses for us and that means less and less country for them,' she told Yahoo News. 'This is going to happen more and more.' Janet understands why people want to interact with kangaroos, but in the long run it can be detrimental to their well-being, particularly when they're fed an unnatural diet. Ideally, she would like to see the large male have a more wild existence. She noted wildlife in urban settlements face increased threats from vehicle strikes and dog attacks. Once they lose their fear of humans, they are also at risk of being approached by people who aren't as tolerant of wild animals as the women in the video. 'Feeding them isn't fair on the creatures... We've moved into the country. We're the ones that are the problem, whether we want to admit it or not.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Western Force unveil special jerseys to face British and Irish Lions, designed by winger Dylan Pietsch
When the Western Force go into battle against the British and Irish Lions in just over a month's time, their one-off jerseys will have a personal connection thanks to Dylan Pietsch. The flying winger, who has a secondary life as an artist, has designed a special jersey to be worn when the Force welcome the Lions into the Optus Stadium den on June 28. Pietsch, a proud Wiradjuri man who is one of just 15 Indigenous men to play for the Wallabies, owns and operates Aboriginal artwork company Wulwaay. It will not just be the Force who run out in a shirt designed by the outside back this winter either; the Wallabies will face the Lions in their three Tests in jerseys also designed by Pietsch. While Pietsch is hoping to potentially play for three different teams against the Lions — the Force, the Wallabies and a combined First Nations and Pasifika XV who will play the touring side in Melbourne — he said he was delighted to have one connection to the tour. 'This is something that I love to do outside rugby, and just to be able to kick back and not think about rugby. To be able to do it as a side hustle is awesome,' he said. 'Rugby is so structured, I suppose it does have the creative aspect of it when you're on the field, but everything is so structured, and to have something where you can just let your mind kind of wander and do whatever it wants is a pretty cool space.' Pietsch's design features the Force's Maali (black swan) emblem, depicted in an attack pose above a lion and references WA's waterways and the club theme of connections. 'It's a big thing at the Force this year, about our connection and giving a connection back to who we are and who we are in the future as well,' Pietsch said. 'We represent that by feathers, and we represent feathers to each individual to play for the club and for staff as well. Throughout the feathers, I put the connection circles through there to go through that, and all the river systems throughout Perth and WA, I've put the lines through there too.' The special jerseys will be sold on a limited-edition basis — with 200 to be available at the Force's final Super Rugby Pacific game of the season at HBF Park on Saturday.
News.com.au
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Model's pride after walking in ‘special' photo dress at AFW 2025
An Indigenous model has stolen the show on the closing night of Australian Fashion Week (AFW) after walking the runway in a revealing dress with a very unique design. Tynga Williams, Blaklist Next Gen Model from Wiradjuri, Gamilaroi and Noongar country, was one of the many talents seen strutting her stuff in the Jordan Gogos show on Friday. The Greek-Australian designer is known for creating garments that are made from recycled and repurposed textiles and fabrics and has been stunning Fashion Week audiences with his distinctive pieces for the past five years. While there were an array of showstoppers during the runway – which showcased Gogos' upcoming Resort 2026 collection – it was the dress worn by 25-year-old Williams that had the crowd talking. The flesh-flashing number was made out of prints of Gogos taken on an instax mini 41 camera, with each image looped together to form a midi-dress with a daring thigh split. Williams, the first transgender model signed to the first entirely Indigenous agency, gave onlookers a cheeky glimpse of skin across her legs, stomach, back and bottom, that could be seen between the gaps of each photograph. 'I felt absolutely amazing wearing the dress,' she told after the show. 'I was walking around backstage feeling my absolute best self, I felt so free and it was just so fun to present myself that way but I was also honestly really honoured to be able to wear my designers face. 'It's a really personal piece to wear and being able to represent Jordan (Gogos) in that way felt really special to me.' Photos of the First Nations model rocking Gogos' design quickly captured attention online, with many branding the outfit 'insane'. 'What a fire look,' one said on Instagram. 'Honestly, this outfit is unreal,' said another. As one declared: 'The booty is out and we're here for it.' Gogos said the collaboration was inspired by his love of the instant camera, which retails for $179, and is made by Fujifilm. 'Instax has always been more than just a camera to me – it's a time capsule, a way to hold onto these emotions and memories,' the designer said of the collaboration. 'That emotional thread is what made this partnership feel so natural. Just like my designs, instax celebrates individuality, storytelling, and the beauty of capturing life as it happens.' Williams said she wanted to do Gogos, who has a long-standing relationship to the Blaklist Agency, 'proud' – as well as her mentors, Aunty TJ (fashion designer Teagan Cowlishaw) and Aunty Elaine (established First Nations model Elaine George). 'I wanted Jordan to be proud of how I represented him in his collaboration with Instax and I wanted Aunty TJ and Aunty Elaine to be proud of the way I was upholding that relationship. 'I was really focused on the runway to make sure I was showcasing Jordan to be the best of my ability. 'After, I had a lot of friends in the audience whose responses have been completely unbelievable. They all were just in awe of the creation of the dress and the way I wore it and after those show I've had so many incredible reviews and reactions that just made me feel so good about myself.' The instax mini 41 is the latest iteration of Fujifilm's popular instant camera range which first hit the market back in 1998.
