Goolum News - March 2023

March, 2023

Awakening to healthier living

death experience.

Brett experienced his first heart attack earlier this month. The 37-year-old was having pains in his chest while at work which prompted a visit to the Hamilton Street Medical Clinic. He said the pain stirred up much concern for him, he had been smoking since 13 years-old and his mother passed away from lung cancer last year.

The clinic did an electrocardiogram (ECG) on Brett and later that day he was out in Dimboola on a job and got a frantic call from the clinic advising him to go to the hospital immediately as he had an anomaly in his ECG reading.

Brett said he had to try to keep himself calm on route to the hospital.

“Even while I knew something was really wrong, I had to stay calm on the way back to Horsham. It was really daunting,

“I got to the Emergency Department at Horsham, they hooked me into some machines and checked my heart. They had told me I had a heart attack.

The ambulance then transferred Brett through to the Ballarat Hospital to be assessed by their cardiac team. The doctors placed a stent in Brett’s coronary artery coronary artery stent is a small

We are a primary health and wellbeing organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people operating on the traditional lands of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples. We strive to provide a holistic model that responds to the physical, social emotional, Cultural and spiritual need of our people.

Aboriginal

Wotjobaluk man Brett Harrison had a scare with his health that has changed his perspective on health.

Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative respectfully acknowledges that our offices are based on unceded land of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawajali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples. We pay our respects to their ancestors, and to Elders, both past and present, and to the future Elders and caretakers of this land.

Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land.

We are thrilled to present you with our newsletter for the end of March. With the onset of Autumn, the weather is becoming more mild, making it a great time to get out in nature, enjoy some fresh air and outdoor activities before the cold weather settles in.

Goolum Goolum staff are working hard to provide its community with great services! Everyday I see our workers striving to improve what we do, with making programs and services easier to access. The newsletter is a great way to connect to what’s going on both in the organisation and our community.

If you want a physical or digital copy of the newsletter you can contact our Media and Communication Officer Dylan De Jong at Dylan.dejong@goolumgoolum.org.au and he can add you into our mailing list. Alternatively you can head to our website to subscribe at www.goolumgoolum.org.au.

Meet the Goolum Goolum Board of Directors

Ants Goolum CEO

Jake Goodes Chairperson

John Gorton Director

Nola Illin Deputy Chair

Lachlan Marks Secretary

Adrian Morgan Director

Kelly Britten Director

Makayla Secombe Director

Cont d from front page

Knowing his family history, Brett wasn’t prepared to take any more risks with his health.

His mum, who passed away last year from lung cancer, also had several heart attacks in her early 40s. His grandfather was only in his 30s when he died of a heart attack.

Brett said he never felt more motivated to take care of his health and was now in his fourth week free of cigarettes.

“If I could go back I would never have started smoking just knowing now the absolute damage it does to your body,” he said.

“I never knew it was that dangerous. You always see the health warnings on the packets that it causes cancer and emphysema, but you just never think that will be you.

“I remember when I was younger we always used the excuse of ‘well you’ve got to die of something’, which is

got a second chance at life so it’s an absolute no brainer.

I’m now at 22 days (as of last Friday) smoke free. If I start smoking now, this whole experience was for nothing.”

Brett said he now had a renewed outlook on life.

“I think I scared a lot of people,” he said.

“Despite my family history and Aboriginality – the two things I can’t change, I’m now going through a whole lifestyle change. Everything has to change. I can’t continue living the way I was and expect to still be here.

“I can only hope for any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people reading this, it might motivate them to make some lifestyle changes or seek support when they need it.”

EmailDylanatdylan.dejong@goolumgoolum.org.au

Always going above and beyond

Gstaff and board of directors farewelled a valuable member of the community engagement team earlier this year.

Wotjobaluk woman Kira Marks-Lovett finished in her role as Community Engagement Officer in February.

Kira played a major part in increasing participation and awareness in the co-operative services. She worked alongside Toni Martin and her sister Tanisha to organise community events and programs for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Kira first began work in the Medical Clinic in 2019 before moving across to the Health and Wellbeing team where she took on the role of Community Engagement Officer. Co-worker Toni said she would miss working alongside Kira.

“Kira has a wonderful relationship with her community and was a fundamental part of programs and events,” she said.

“She always loved helping her community and went above and beyond what was asked of her. She is a role model to our younger generation and an up-and-coming future leader.

mob knew she was cooking lunch or dinner the numbers of attendances increased, and she always made sure she cooked enough so everyone got to take leftovers home one of the frequent comments made by community now is they miss her home-made meals.

“Although Kira is sadly missed at Goolum Goolum we know that she will succeed in her future endeavours and will continue to work within her community, share her culture and show pride in the amazing young lady she has become.”

Goolum Goolum Community Services Director Dean O’ Loughlin thanked Kira for her unwavering support over the years.

“It has been great working with you over these past few years as part of this team. On behalf of everyone here, I want to wish Kira all the very best in what she does next,” he said.

“Kira’s connection to her community and welcoming presence will be sorely missed at Goolum Goolum. An asset that is key to the work that we do here.

“We all wish Kira the best with where ever life takes you. You will be great!”

Wotjobaluk woman Kira Marks-Lovett, pictured right, will be missed around Goolum Goolum offices.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from across the region took part in a day of creating their own possum skin designs. It was a great opportunity for the women to explore their own creativity and culture, while connecting with one another. This was part of our Celebrating Sistas program that runs every Thursday in Stawell and Friday in Horsham. The possum skins will be displayed at our NAIDOC Week Art Exhibition in July.

Treaty is an opportunity to make sure First Nations people always have the freedom and power to make the decisions that affect our communities, thier culture and our Country.

The next step on the shared journey to Treaty is to elect the next Assembly so negotiations with the Victorian Government can begin later this year.

So if you’re mob, it’s more important than ever to enrol with the assembly

and make sure your voice is heard.

The Assembly Elections are mob’s opportunity to choose who we want negotiating Treaty in Victoria.

The Assembly you elect will negotiate a state-wide Treaty that works to improve the lives of our kids through truth telling, better education, more jobs, affordable housing, better health, and justice. Every vote counts and all First Peoples in or from Victo-

ria are welcome to vote. Your vote matters.

For people wanting to put their hand up to be a candidate in the elections, the nomination period will be from 3–24 April 2023

Voting will take place from 13 May to 3 June 2023, with mob able to cast votes in person, online or in the post.

Traditional Owner groups with reserved seats on the Assembly will be encouraged and supported to begin their process of selecting their representatives soon.

More details coming soon.

If you’re already enrolled with the Assembly, please take a minute now to check your details are up to date you’ll be ready to vote.

Wotjobaluk man gives evidence at Yoorrook hearing

Wotjobaluk man and CoChair of the Aboriginal Justice Caucus, Chris Harrison, told Yoorrook Justice Commissioners in hearings earlier this month that a sense of shame, distrust and a fear of reprisals from agencies and services were preventing First Peoples from reporting crimes committed against them

"Aboriginal victims of crime - they're overrepresented as victims of crimebut there's significant under-reporting of these experiences,” he said.

Anyone was welcome to attend open hearings at the Yoorrook Justice Commission at 54 Wellington Street

in Collingwood.

More hearings at the Yoorrook Justice Commission will focus on the criminal justice system.

Chris called for more action to ensure there are culturally safe services and

supports for Aboriginal victims.

You can also watch the hearings via our Facebook Livestream or on our website here: https:// yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/