Latest news with #non-Aboriginal
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Controversy over ‘offensive' park name getting ‘woke' change
Blackboy Park in Mullaloo is set to be renamed by the City of Joondalup after community consultation showed broad support for a change — but it will need to come up with a new name after a proposed one was rejected. The city held public consultation on the proposed name change earlier this year after years of debate and an 11-1 council vote in December approving the change to Koorlangka Park. Just more than 1800 submissions were received, with 55 per cent backing the name change, while 43 per cent supported keeping the original name. Your local paper, whenever you want it. Of the 1802 submissions, 40 per cent (746) were from people living outside the City of Joondalup. Despite public support, the city will need to return to the drawing board for a new name after Landgate said 'Koorlangka Park' would not be supported due to its similarity in pronunciation and spelling to the nearby Koolyanga Road. The park is named Blackboy Park due to the presence of xanthorrhoeas, plants more commonly known today as grass trees. Credit: Simon Santi / The West Australian City officers have recommended the city pursue an alternative Aboriginal place name through an Aboriginal-led engagement process. The decision comes despite Landgate, the authority responsible for place naming in WA, previously expressing general support for the proposed name. The city had engaged Aboriginal consultancy Nyungar Birdiyia in early 2024 to provide a recommendation for the renaming. Koorlangka Kallip, which loosely translates to 'children's park' in Noongar, was initially suggested by the group, though city officers advised keeping 'Park' based on feedback from Landgate. The park is named Blackboy Park due to the presence of xanthorrhoeas, plants more commonly known today as grass trees. Currently there are only a handful of these grass trees in the 20,750sqm park. Common points raised by those in support of the changes during the community consultation included that the current name was 'offensive, outdated, derogatory and racist', and that renaming the park would be 'more respectful and welcoming'. The main arguments of those opposed to the change were that the current name was 'not offensive', that it referred to a plant name, and that changing it was seen as 'woke'. City officers believe the council should still consider changing the park's name as the community expected it. 'The community consultation undertaken revealed that, overall, a majority of those who responded support the renaming of Blackboy Park,' city officers said in a report. 'Actions undertaken by the city and decisions of council on this issue to date have raised an expectation with the community that Blackboy Park will be renamed, and more specifically renamed with an appropriate Aboriginal place name. 'Not proceeding to rename Blackboy Park, or renaming the park with a non-Aboriginal name, creates a reputational risk with members of the community that consider reference to the term 'blackboy' is outdated and offensive.' The Joondalup council will consider the city's recommendation at their meeting on June 24, following discussion at the agenda briefing on June 10.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
After 191 years, Victoria's Indigenous people will walk 400km for truth
Guns, arsenic, disease and hunger became the familiar grim reapers of First Peoples' lives and culture, and the toll rolled through numerous other First Nations clans for decades across Victoria. Loading About 4000 people have registered to take part in various stages of the walk that will traverse sites of ancient cultural significance and of terrible truths that were denied or kept secret for much of western Victoria's modern history. The children and staff of Reservoir East Primary School will be among the walkers for the final stage through the streets of Melbourne. The school's principal, James Cumming, said he believed it was important the school took part because it was so strongly representative of Melbourne's shared communities, both Indigenous and non-Aboriginal. More than that, however, at a time when there was such public focus on Acknowledgement of Country, he said it was important to recognise historical and current truths about that shared history across the state. Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man, will unfurl the 'walk for truth' banner at major cultural events held at numerous stops along the route of the trek. He said he found himself 'quite overwhelmed and emotional' when he visited the school at Reservoir East to paint the banner with the children. Lovett was one of only three Aboriginal children who attended his first primary school in Preston, and the other two were his brothers. 'We didn't have the [Aboriginal] flag flown and of course we learnt about our history from all other parts of the world, but it was never about our people and about our culture,' he said. Lovett, initially raised in the high-rise flats in Fitzroy before moving as a child to Preston, was one of 26 children in his blended family. He remembers his father taking him as a child to visit areas around Portland and the old Lake Condah Mission, where many members of the Lovett and other Gunditjmara families are deeply embedded. Lovett was young when his father, his most important mentor, died. 'When I'm standing there [in Portland on Sunday] about to announce the walk I'll have him and my family members who are no longer with us in my heart and in my mind,' he said. Loading The walk will be the culmination of several years' work by the Yoorrook Commission in gathering the first-hand stories of Aboriginal people throughout Victoria. But to Lovett, it is the culmination of 191 years of experiences since colonisation began in the state. 'Now the official public record will be told in our people's voice for the first time,' he said. 'We get to write the full story around what happened to our people through the colonisation process. 'History is always told by the oppressor and now in Victoria we have the ability to be able to write an official public record in our voice that documents our lived experience in the state of Victoria – not just the trauma but the resistance and the contributions that our people have made.'
The Age
23-05-2025
- General
- The Age
After 191 years, Victoria's Indigenous people will walk 400km for truth
Guns, arsenic, disease and hunger became the familiar grim reapers of First Peoples' lives and culture, and the toll rolled through numerous other First Nations clans for decades across Victoria. Loading About 4000 people have registered to take part in various stages of the walk that will traverse sites of ancient cultural significance and of terrible truths that were denied or kept secret for much of western Victoria's modern history. The children and staff of Reservoir East Primary School will be among the walkers for the final stage through the streets of Melbourne. The school's principal, James Cumming, said he believed it was important the school took part because it was so strongly representative of Melbourne's shared communities, both Indigenous and non-Aboriginal. More than that, however, at a time when there was such public focus on Acknowledgement of Country, he said it was important to recognise historical and current truths about that shared history across the state. Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man, will unfurl the 'walk for truth' banner at major cultural events held at numerous stops along the route of the trek. He said he found himself 'quite overwhelmed and emotional' when he visited the school at Reservoir East to paint the banner with the children. Lovett was one of only three Aboriginal children who attended his first primary school in Preston, and the other two were his brothers. 'We didn't have the [Aboriginal] flag flown and of course we learnt about our history from all other parts of the world, but it was never about our people and about our culture,' he said. Lovett, initially raised in the high-rise flats in Fitzroy before moving as a child to Preston, was one of 26 children in his blended family. He remembers his father taking him as a child to visit areas around Portland and the old Lake Condah Mission, where many members of the Lovett and other Gunditjmara families are deeply embedded. Lovett was young when his father, his most important mentor, died. 'When I'm standing there [in Portland on Sunday] about to announce the walk I'll have him and my family members who are no longer with us in my heart and in my mind,' he said. Loading The walk will be the culmination of several years' work by the Yoorrook Commission in gathering the first-hand stories of Aboriginal people throughout Victoria. But to Lovett, it is the culmination of 191 years of experiences since colonisation began in the state. 'Now the official public record will be told in our people's voice for the first time,' he said. 'We get to write the full story around what happened to our people through the colonisation process. 'History is always told by the oppressor and now in Victoria we have the ability to be able to write an official public record in our voice that documents our lived experience in the state of Victoria – not just the trauma but the resistance and the contributions that our people have made.'
West Australian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Indigenous incarceration rates are 'getting worse'
Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia's most populous state are getting worse, as new data raises questions about the number of people behind bars without being convicted. The NSW prison population has been trending upwards following a sharp decline linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous prisoners made up almost a third of the custodial population in data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Wednesday. They accounted for 4244 of the 13,103 adults in the state's prisons in March. The total prisoner population is the highest since 2020, approaching record highs. But the number of Aboriginal people in custody is already at record highs, while the state government is trying to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration by at least 15 per cent by 2031. The rate has increased since the target was set, exceeding 2188 per 100,000 people in December data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP the state has never had this many Indigenous people in custody before. "The prison population trends for Aboriginal people are quite different to non-Aboriginal people," she said. Indigenous inmates increased by 18.9 per cent since March 2020, while non-Indigenous inmates decreased 12.5 per cent. Of Indigenous inmates in custody, 45 per cent were on remand, almost 2000 people. "Those people aren't yet convicted of a crime, and many of them, even when convicted, won't be considered for a custodial penalty," Ms Fitzgerald said. Attorney-General Michael Daley pointed to laws making it harder for people accused of serious domestic violence offences to be granted bail in June 2024. These reversed the presumption of bail, requiring accused people to show why they should not be remanded rather than prosecutors arguing why they should be denied bail. The changes were appropriate given unacceptable levels of domestic violence. "Our tough new bail laws are necessary, and they are working," Mr Daley said. But the prisoner population increase began to rise in earnest in November 2023. "We've definitely had an increase in remand, and that precedes those legislative changes," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The change commenced prior to the legislative reform." Criminologist Eileen Baldry told AAP remand rates are increasing at a concerning level. People on remand are in full-time custody in maximum security, with virtually no rehabilitative services. "In part because there's no idea whether they're going to get out in one week, or one month, or one year," the UNSW emeritus professor said. Inmates also needed a stable address in order to be granted bail and Indigenous people were more likely to be homeless or live in unstable housing, she added. But the state remains committed to working towards its Closing the Gap targets, including those for Indigenous incarceration, Mr Daley said. "The NSW government is also strongly committed to the Closing the Gap target of reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against Indigenous women and children," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
The Advertiser
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Indigenous incarceration rates are 'getting worse'
Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia's most populous state are getting worse, as new data raises questions about the number of people behind bars without being convicted. The NSW prison population has been trending upwards following a sharp decline linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous prisoners made up almost a third of the custodial population in data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Wednesday. They accounted for 4244 of the 13,103 adults in the state's prisons in March. The total prisoner population is the highest since 2020, approaching record highs. But the number of Aboriginal people in custody is already at record highs, while the state government is trying to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration by at least 15 per cent by 2031. The rate has increased since the target was set, exceeding 2188 per 100,000 people in December data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP the state has never had this many Indigenous people in custody before. "The prison population trends for Aboriginal people are quite different to non-Aboriginal people," she said. Indigenous inmates increased by 18.9 per cent since March 2020, while non-Indigenous inmates decreased 12.5 per cent. Of Indigenous inmates in custody, 45 per cent were on remand, almost 2000 people. "Those people aren't yet convicted of a crime, and many of them, even when convicted, won't be considered for a custodial penalty," Ms Fitzgerald said. Attorney-General Michael Daley pointed to laws making it harder for people accused of serious domestic violence offences to be granted bail in June 2024. These reversed the presumption of bail, requiring accused people to show why they should not be remanded rather than prosecutors arguing why they should be denied bail. The changes were appropriate given unacceptable levels of domestic violence. "Our tough new bail laws are necessary, and they are working," Mr Daley said. But the prisoner population increase began to rise in earnest in November 2023. "We've definitely had an increase in remand, and that precedes those legislative changes," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The change commenced prior to the legislative reform." Criminologist Eileen Baldry told AAP remand rates are increasing at a concerning level. People on remand are in full-time custody in maximum security, with virtually no rehabilitative services. "In part because there's no idea whether they're going to get out in one week, or one month, or one year," the UNSW emeritus professor said. Inmates also needed a stable address in order to be granted bail and Indigenous people were more likely to be homeless or live in unstable housing, she added. But the state remains committed to working towards its Closing the Gap targets, including those for Indigenous incarceration, Mr Daley said. "The NSW government is also strongly committed to the Closing the Gap target of reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against Indigenous women and children," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia's most populous state are getting worse, as new data raises questions about the number of people behind bars without being convicted. The NSW prison population has been trending upwards following a sharp decline linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous prisoners made up almost a third of the custodial population in data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Wednesday. They accounted for 4244 of the 13,103 adults in the state's prisons in March. The total prisoner population is the highest since 2020, approaching record highs. But the number of Aboriginal people in custody is already at record highs, while the state government is trying to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration by at least 15 per cent by 2031. The rate has increased since the target was set, exceeding 2188 per 100,000 people in December data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP the state has never had this many Indigenous people in custody before. "The prison population trends for Aboriginal people are quite different to non-Aboriginal people," she said. Indigenous inmates increased by 18.9 per cent since March 2020, while non-Indigenous inmates decreased 12.5 per cent. Of Indigenous inmates in custody, 45 per cent were on remand, almost 2000 people. "Those people aren't yet convicted of a crime, and many of them, even when convicted, won't be considered for a custodial penalty," Ms Fitzgerald said. Attorney-General Michael Daley pointed to laws making it harder for people accused of serious domestic violence offences to be granted bail in June 2024. These reversed the presumption of bail, requiring accused people to show why they should not be remanded rather than prosecutors arguing why they should be denied bail. The changes were appropriate given unacceptable levels of domestic violence. "Our tough new bail laws are necessary, and they are working," Mr Daley said. But the prisoner population increase began to rise in earnest in November 2023. "We've definitely had an increase in remand, and that precedes those legislative changes," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The change commenced prior to the legislative reform." Criminologist Eileen Baldry told AAP remand rates are increasing at a concerning level. People on remand are in full-time custody in maximum security, with virtually no rehabilitative services. "In part because there's no idea whether they're going to get out in one week, or one month, or one year," the UNSW emeritus professor said. Inmates also needed a stable address in order to be granted bail and Indigenous people were more likely to be homeless or live in unstable housing, she added. But the state remains committed to working towards its Closing the Gap targets, including those for Indigenous incarceration, Mr Daley said. "The NSW government is also strongly committed to the Closing the Gap target of reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against Indigenous women and children," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia's most populous state are getting worse, as new data raises questions about the number of people behind bars without being convicted. The NSW prison population has been trending upwards following a sharp decline linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous prisoners made up almost a third of the custodial population in data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Wednesday. They accounted for 4244 of the 13,103 adults in the state's prisons in March. The total prisoner population is the highest since 2020, approaching record highs. But the number of Aboriginal people in custody is already at record highs, while the state government is trying to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration by at least 15 per cent by 2031. The rate has increased since the target was set, exceeding 2188 per 100,000 people in December data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP the state has never had this many Indigenous people in custody before. "The prison population trends for Aboriginal people are quite different to non-Aboriginal people," she said. Indigenous inmates increased by 18.9 per cent since March 2020, while non-Indigenous inmates decreased 12.5 per cent. Of Indigenous inmates in custody, 45 per cent were on remand, almost 2000 people. "Those people aren't yet convicted of a crime, and many of them, even when convicted, won't be considered for a custodial penalty," Ms Fitzgerald said. Attorney-General Michael Daley pointed to laws making it harder for people accused of serious domestic violence offences to be granted bail in June 2024. These reversed the presumption of bail, requiring accused people to show why they should not be remanded rather than prosecutors arguing why they should be denied bail. The changes were appropriate given unacceptable levels of domestic violence. "Our tough new bail laws are necessary, and they are working," Mr Daley said. But the prisoner population increase began to rise in earnest in November 2023. "We've definitely had an increase in remand, and that precedes those legislative changes," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The change commenced prior to the legislative reform." Criminologist Eileen Baldry told AAP remand rates are increasing at a concerning level. People on remand are in full-time custody in maximum security, with virtually no rehabilitative services. "In part because there's no idea whether they're going to get out in one week, or one month, or one year," the UNSW emeritus professor said. Inmates also needed a stable address in order to be granted bail and Indigenous people were more likely to be homeless or live in unstable housing, she added. But the state remains committed to working towards its Closing the Gap targets, including those for Indigenous incarceration, Mr Daley said. "The NSW government is also strongly committed to the Closing the Gap target of reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against Indigenous women and children," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia's most populous state are getting worse, as new data raises questions about the number of people behind bars without being convicted. The NSW prison population has been trending upwards following a sharp decline linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous prisoners made up almost a third of the custodial population in data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Wednesday. They accounted for 4244 of the 13,103 adults in the state's prisons in March. The total prisoner population is the highest since 2020, approaching record highs. But the number of Aboriginal people in custody is already at record highs, while the state government is trying to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration by at least 15 per cent by 2031. The rate has increased since the target was set, exceeding 2188 per 100,000 people in December data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP the state has never had this many Indigenous people in custody before. "The prison population trends for Aboriginal people are quite different to non-Aboriginal people," she said. Indigenous inmates increased by 18.9 per cent since March 2020, while non-Indigenous inmates decreased 12.5 per cent. Of Indigenous inmates in custody, 45 per cent were on remand, almost 2000 people. "Those people aren't yet convicted of a crime, and many of them, even when convicted, won't be considered for a custodial penalty," Ms Fitzgerald said. Attorney-General Michael Daley pointed to laws making it harder for people accused of serious domestic violence offences to be granted bail in June 2024. These reversed the presumption of bail, requiring accused people to show why they should not be remanded rather than prosecutors arguing why they should be denied bail. The changes were appropriate given unacceptable levels of domestic violence. "Our tough new bail laws are necessary, and they are working," Mr Daley said. But the prisoner population increase began to rise in earnest in November 2023. "We've definitely had an increase in remand, and that precedes those legislative changes," Ms Fitzgerald said. "The change commenced prior to the legislative reform." Criminologist Eileen Baldry told AAP remand rates are increasing at a concerning level. People on remand are in full-time custody in maximum security, with virtually no rehabilitative services. "In part because there's no idea whether they're going to get out in one week, or one month, or one year," the UNSW emeritus professor said. Inmates also needed a stable address in order to be granted bail and Indigenous people were more likely to be homeless or live in unstable housing, she added. But the state remains committed to working towards its Closing the Gap targets, including those for Indigenous incarceration, Mr Daley said. "The NSW government is also strongly committed to the Closing the Gap target of reducing the rate of family violence and abuse against Indigenous women and children," he said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
