Ayrducational …

Day 26: Wednesday 18 April (9pm, Ayr)

Today I learnt that the Queensland government have set up local action plans for each of their regional areas, aiming to ‘close the gap’ as per the COAG agreements. The plans are based on six nationally agreed targets, including for example, a target to close the gap in employment outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by 2018. To effect this change, in 2011 the Queensland Government issued a strategy and associated action plans titled LEAP: Learning Earning Active Places to improve access to education, employment, health and housing opportunities. So that explains why I found myself at lunchtime today sitting in a 2 hour workshop for indigenous people, learning how they might be able to obtain funding to purchase their own home!

There were speakers present from the Townsville arm of a department which had just changed its name (oh, there were way too many acronyms to remember, but it was something to do with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at least). They talked about the importance and willingness of the government to do local things to help local communities. Now normally, I’d be turned off by the multiple clichés by now, but, they actually handed out copies of the action plan they developed in consultation with the community last year (hmmm, I just said government and consultation in the same sentence in a positive way!) and they talked about coming back to present a progress update in a few months time(!). It was really positive to see that their plans were well synergised with Gudjuda’s vision, but before I get carried away with enthusiasm, I’ll just sit back a little and wait for the progress update ...

Next up was a government department that I do recall the name of: Indigenous Business Australia. The very friendly, approachable and switched on lady from IBA spoke earnestly about some of the difficulties of getting a home loan and maintaining repayments from one of the more typical banks. She put forward ideas and examples of how IBA help people who truly don’t have other options due to their poor credit rating or low income or absence of deposit. She certainly received lots of queries following the formalities and I even overheard one of the banks suggest to someone that if they could obtain funding through IBA, then they should do that.

Finally, there were a couple of ladies from the financial support area of the Salvation Army who spoke about the risk side of getting into debt. She tried really hard not to scare people, but she couldn’t help but be a wet blanket on the discussion as she talked through the types of support she could make available. She did alert people to what sounds like an excellent website though: www.moneysmart.gov I haven’t looked it up yet, but it sounds like it might be worth exploring for anyone who works with people who might need that kind of help.

The funny thing about working in a small town is that in my 3.5 short weeks, I had already met many of the people present! The obvious names are Eddie, who had done the Welcome to Country and Lynette. Sitting in front of me was Lynette’s mum, who works for a company that helps to fund indigenous housing. I met one of Lynette’s sisters the day before with two of her friends who all insisted I call them Aunty as they were high on life, having just come from their gym session at Curves and curious about the migaloo that Lynette had been dragging all around town – that was Ranita, so she sat down beside me and pinched me on the leg to say hello! I’d been chatting over the phone to a lady called Venus a couple of days ago who was eager for Lynette to join her in a mental health information event for local businesses and community groups, so when I learnt that she was there, I sought her out to find out more of the discussion. She talked about the need for a men’s shed, so I mentioned Uncle Bim and the work he’s trying to do in a similar area – maybe she was just being nice, but I felt like I added a little bit of value as she’ll call him up to explore the opportunity. There were quite a few others too, but I’m worried I’m waffling as I’m desperately tired tonight and don’t want to put you off to sleep, at least not before me!

Anyway, the cutest thing about the event was that a young lady came in with her tiny newborn baby and handed her to a lady at the end of a row of chairs, before making her own way around to a chair on the other side of the room. After about 10 minutes, that lady passed the baby to the next lady who kissed her, snuggled with her and then passed her on to the next. This continued all the way along the row of about 12 ladies before the baby, named Serenity, got back to her mother. I asked Lynette if they were all members of the same family and so would be classified as grandmothers as I thought that might explain the familial behaviour – turns out they were a mixture of relatives, friends, and friends of friends  (and one was the real grandmother!). It was just so unlike the behaviour of any new mum I’ve ever met, but so beautiful to see how a whole community steps in to help and take care of a child. I just love this heavenly little place!