Yoorrook opens submissions for all Victorians

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is inviting all Victorians to take part in the truth telling process by making a submission that provides information about past or ongoing injustice experienced by First Peoples.

Submissions could include stories of interactions with First Peoples when Victoria was first settled. This could include relationships between Aboriginal people and settlers, knowledge of early stories and beliefs, or information about the impact of colonisation on the Traditional Owners in the area.

Submissions could also comprise documents from a workplace, farm, church or family archive about local histories. It could include information taught in school about First Peoples’ history, culture and experiences, or knowledge and evidence of massacre sites. Submissions can be made by individuals, families or groups.

Yoorrook is Victoria’s truth telling inquiry and the first of its kind in Australia. The Royal Commission is scheduled to run until June 2025, and will make recommendations to end the injustice faced by First Peoples and create a better future for all Victorians.

Submissions can be made via the Yoorrook Justice Commission website yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au in any format including written, audio or video recorded, as well as photographs and historical documents. More information is available on the website.

Pathways and Try-a-Trade Expo a huge success

Attendance tripled that of previous years for the Goolum Goolum Aboriginal CoOperative and Skillinvest annual Pathways and Try-a-Trade expo, with more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their family members participating in this year’s event in August. Students attended from across 12 schools in the Wimmera region, with some travelling as far as Goroke, Ararat and Donald. There were more than 20 stalls from universities, TAFE’s, trades, emergency services, Australian Defence Force, Government agencies and businesses that set up stalls at Maydale Pavilion in Horsham.