At Yaruman or Ringer Soak, a remote community south-east of Halls Creek. These community women, from left, Sheila Walker, Angela Gordon (back) and Ruby Ungiya relax after a celebration that commemorated the gift of Aboriginal people to Australia.
Photo: CAS

“Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God, and be not ashamed to give Him praise. Work at your tasks in due season, and in His own time
God will give you your reward.
Sirach 51:29-30

Issue 3, June 2009, Highlights:

Editorial

A memorable 60 years

Viewpoint

Youth News and WYD

Kimberley Volunteers

Kimberley Kitchen

Billard Summit - A new beginning

Respect - Walking the fine lines

The Year of St Paul

NATSICC Assembly

Kimberley Community Profile

Billard Summit… A new beginning

On Monday 27 July the Nyual Nyual people of Billard Aboriginal Community (near Beagle Bay) will host a 4-day meeting of 150 key national, state, regional and local representatives with the object of identifying the best ways to address the high level of suicide by Indigenous people in the Kimberley.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, the State Coroner, the CEO of Lifeline and a host of other senior government officers and Indigenous people will attend the “Blank Page Summit on Suicide”. The aim of the Summit is to create a canvas – a blank page – to plan and co-ordinate their actions in relation to Indigenous suicide prevention. The theme of the Summit, “Getting together for
Life”, will form the basis for the discussions.

The Summit is being organised by Stephen Victor Snr and Mary O’Reeri of the Billard Learning Centre: a grass-roots organisation created in reaction to the tragic deaths of Mary O’Reeri’s two brothers. The mission of the Learning Centre is to prevent Indigenous youth seeing death as their only option by making better pathways for the next generation. The inspiration which drives Mary O’Reeri and her family is a deeply held faith handed down to her from her parents. Prayer and a sound relationship with Jesus are essential to what motivates her and her desire to serve others.

In addition to implementing vocational training courses, the Billard Learning Centre has formulated a number home-grown personal development programs aimed at enhancing motivation, empowerment and individual responsibility amongst their young people. The “No Humbug Agreement” is a standard set for the community and its members; a code of conduct. “My Action Plan” is about self-help. It is a tool that assists individuals to get their life together. The common feature of these initiatives is that they are driven by Indigenous people, to effect positive change for Indigenous people.

All parties accept that the problems underpinning Indigenous suicide are manifest and that solutions are likely to be difficult to achieve. It is the hope of Mary O’Reeri that, through open consultation, the Summit will move Indigenous people in remote communities like Billard one step closer to ‘closing the gap’.

Photo Caption: Mary O’Reeri
Photo: S Di Maria