Category Archives: Features Australia/NZ

Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Kid's Health

Coles sports grants help local clubs stay on track

Via PRNewsGIG

More than $2.2 million in sports equipment grants distributed by Coles in four years

Coles is helping Little Athletics centres to stay on track with more than $250,000 in sports equipment grants to be distributed to 73 local centres across Australia for this summer’s season.

The latest round of grants from the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund takes Coles’ donation to grassroots Little Athletics centres to more than $2.2 million in four years and will help centres buy new sports and safety equipment such as javelins, discuses, hurdles and defibrillators to support aspiring athletes and community volunteers.

This year’s grants have been made possible with money raised by Coles, its banana growers and customers during the inaugural Coles Little Athletics Banana A-Peel held earlier this year, when 10 cents of every kilogram of Cavendish bananas sold in Coles supermarkets was donated to the cause.

Coles Little Athletics Australia CEO Myles Foreman said the grants will help centres immensely, particularly those severely impacted by the NSW/QLD floods in February.

“The past two seasons have been extremely testing for our clubs and centres who have battled numerous challenges such as COVID-19, floods and bushfires,” he said.

“These natural disasters and the pandemic have not only impacted on Little Athletics centres’ ability to fundraise at a local level but it’s also had a huge impact on the morale of the centres. The grants from this round of the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund will not only help centres buy new equipment but it will lift the spirits of their volunteers, athletes and families for the new season.”

Coles General Manager Corporate & Indigenous Affairs Sally Fielke said Coles was delighted to continue to support grassroots Little Athletics through initiatives like the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund and banana donations.

“Coles has been a proud supporter of Little Athletics for over five years, and we’re delighted to provide more than $250,000 in sports equipment grants to help local centres kickstart their new season,” she said.

“We’re very aware of the challenges local Little Athletics centres have faced over the past two years and we’re proud to do our bit to help them to recover and grow so that kids and families can continue to enjoy Little Athletics each week.”

Among the centres to receive a grant is Maryborough Amateur Athletics Club in Queensland whose clubrooms were under water seven months ago.   Club President Gavin Grantz said the grant will help the centre to rebuild and recover from the devastating floods.

“The floods last season destroyed some of our equipment and it also damaged our buildings, grounds and canteen equipment, which means that our ability to fundraise this season will be severely impacted,” he said.

“The grant from Coles will allow volunteers to concentrate on training the athletes rather than constant fundraising as the club is still needing to pay for other repairs to the grounds.  It will help us to buy a new trolley for our volunteers to move equipment safely and efficiently and the new hurdles and javelins will provide a more enjoyable experience for our athletes.”

In addition to providing more than $2.2 million in equipment grants, Coles has donated more than 3.7 million bananas to Little Athletics centres since 2017.

For details of successful recipients visit www.coles.com.au/littleathleticsfund.

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Events, Features Australia/NZ, Rhythm & Music

10-days of glorious music at the Desert Song Festival, Australia

In a remote Central Australian Gorge, the 2022 Desert Song Festival featured Australian and international artists over 10 days, plus a Climate and Lands Symposium that brought together audiences and Australia’s leading climate scientists and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers in an unprecedented art music/science collaboration. 

In anticipation for its 10th anniversary celebrations in 2023, the Desert Song Festival this year combined music, art, cultural experiences, the ‘Climate Caravan’ and a Climate and Land Symposium. Choirs, singers, musicians, Climate Scientists and Indigenous Knowledge-keepers fostered a genuine interaction between Climate Science and the Arts, true to the theme ‘Our Climate, Our Planet, Our Future’.

The viability of the planet for generations to come is at stake and as we face the existential reality of dangerous climate change and global warming, the values of DSF impress upon the organisers the need to make music and ‘sing a song’ for the planet as a tool for climate action.

Add to this the cultural visits to remote communities; the Central Australian premiere of Spinifex Gum presented by the Marliya Choir from Cairns; ‘From the Desert to the Arafura Sea’, the Festival’s intercultural musical collaboration between the Djari Project and the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir; two magical nights at the Earth Sanctuary ‘Under the Southern Cross’;  A cappella in the Gorge and so much more!

The Northern Territories is a robust crucible of living languages and vibrant cultures. This is the ‘cradle’ of the Desert Song Festival (DSF). The depth of wisdom and culture of 60,000 years of human occupation of Central Australia informs and shapes a Festival program that celebrates Aboriginal languages and culture through performances that foster pride, resilience and social cohesion amongst the Centralian community and audiences.

DSF presented ‘the essential Australian Journey’ this September in Alice Springs where the unique story of human occupation, resilience and culture was celebrated in Central Australia’s most popular festival. Across 10 days of exceptional music-making from the glittering Parade of Performers in the Todd Mall in the Alice Springs CBD to the magic of Kwartatuma – Ormiston Gorge, Festival-goers enjoyed the sounds from choirs and musicians from across Australia and visiting international artists presented over 50 events showcasing cultural diversity and artistic brilliance celebrating the singer, the song, the instrument, the land and its people.

Learn more about the Desert Song Festival by visiting their website: https://www.desertsong.com.au/.

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AFTNews, AFTNews, Features Australia/NZ

Record Funding for Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Research

“It is crucial our best and brightest minds are helping advance the tools the aged care industry can use to provide better environments and resources for older Australians.” The Hon. Anika Wells MP, Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Sport

The Albanese Government will provide an unprecedented $25 million for dementia, ageing and aged care research.
A total of 18 grants, provided through the Medical Research Future Fund, will go to Australia’s best and brightest researchers.

Their research will look at new ways to extend older Australians’ healthy, active, years of life.

New approaches will reduce the stigma associated with ageing and lead to better outcomes for older people, including those in vulnerable populations.

Consistency and quality of care for older Australians will be improved across all care settings.

Better data will be used to develop more effective, evidence-based, care for older Australians.

The projects will view a range of ways to improve support for older Australians.

These include developing an app for older people to recognise early signs of dementia; and increasing dementia diagnosis and early treatments through primary care and awareness programs.

Researchers will look at reducing the risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease and falls through healthy lifestyle and diet changes, including a specific exercise and falls prevention program for older culturally and linguistically diverse Australians.

People’s fitness to drive when they have been diagnosed with dementia will be better assessed and managed.

Older people will be encouraged to communicate their aged care needs, provide their views on screening for age-related health conditions, and engage in physical activity for better health.

Health providers will be helped to better recognise and respond to elder abuse.

Researchers will also trial the use of metformin medication to treat blocked leg arteries; and use informatics to improve medication management in nursing homes.

Here’s the full list of projects and intended outcomes:

Project title: A Preventative Care Program to optimise mental health during transition into residential aged care
Project summary: The transition from living in the community to residential aged care (a nursing home), is a stressful experience for the person and their family that can lead to poor mental health. We designed a program to assist the new resident (PEARL), the family (aSTART), and to provide additional training for staff. We expect the combination of programs will reduce and prevent symptoms of depression in the resident. We will evaluate the impact of the program to guide national rollout.
Recipient: University of Newcastle
Funding amount: $200,000.00
Project title: Better Environment, Healthier Ageing
Project summary: “Better environment, Healthier Ageing” project aims to measure major environmental risk factors comprehensively, to evaluate their health impacts in older Australians, and to develop, evaluate and implement intervention strategies that can mitigate the adverse impacts. The project will clarify the environmental enablers and barriers for achieving healthy ageing, and provide older Australians, aged care and health service providers with effective strategies to improve environmental health.
Recipient: Monash University
Funding amount: $200,000.00
Project title:A Preventative Care Program to optimise mental health during transition into residential aged care
Project summary: The transition from living in the community to residential aged care (a nursing home), is a stressful experience for the person and their family that can lead to poor mental health. We designed a program to assist the new resident (PEARL), the family (aSTART), and to provide additional training for staff. We expect the combination of programs will reduce and prevent symptoms of depression in the resident. We will evaluate the impact of the program to guide national rollout.
Recipient: University of Newcastle
Funding amount: $200,000.00
Project title: EMBED: A stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of a tailored, integrated model of care to reduce symptoms of depression in home aged care
Project summary: Older people who receive aged care services at home are at a high risk of depression but lack access to effective treatments. Aged care staff are mostly not trained to recognise or manage symptoms of depression. This research will evaluate Enhanced Management of home-Based Elders with Depression (EMBED)—a new model of care that is expected to reduce symptoms of depression, address stigma and enable older Australians to access evidence-based, tailored treatment at home.
Recipient: Monash University
Funding amount: $1,997,775.71
Project title: Evaluation of primary care and help-seeking promotion programs to increase dementia diagnosis and early treatment
Project summary: This project will test whether a public health-seeking campaign and a primary care practice change program increase dementia diagnosis and treatments and supports after diagnosis. The interventions will target dementia knowledge, stigma, and motivations. Interventions will be delivered in three regions. We will measure change through routinely collected health administration data, surveys and interviews. Results will be used to improve dementia training, public campaigns and policy.
Recipient: University of Sydney
Funding amount: $1,999,814.75
Project title: Frailty KIT: An Australian Frailty Network to Create Knowledge, Implement Findings and Support Training
Project summary: Programs to promote healthy ageing and reduce frailty work in research trials, but these are not widely available and where they are, people do not always join in. This study will compare ways to support older people to participate in frailty programs (e.g. health coach, online portal) to inform national implementation. We will form an Australian Frailty Network to oversee this and ensure all future work is coordinated and informed by the needs of older people, their families and caregivers.
Recipient: The University of Queensland
Funding amount: $4,993,238.54
Project title: Getting to the heart of healthy ageing: a behaviour change program to promote dietary pattern changes
Project summary: Blood vessel disease is linked with risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease and falls. A large clinical trial will determine if a novel, low-cost, behaviour change program (knowledge of level of blood vessel disease, its links with risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease and falls, and the benefits of and how to follow a Mediterranean diet) will motivate an individual to make healthy lifestyle changes and will improve measures of risk for dementia, cardiovascular disease and falls.
Recipient: Edith Cowan University
Funding amount: $506,834.96
Project title: IMPAACT: IMproving the PArticipation of older Australians in policy decision-making on Ageing-related CondiTions
Project summary: In the future, more Australians will live with health conditions that are related to getting older.  Some experts recommend that older people be screened for these conditions, yet many questions remain about how best to do this. Together with older people, we will conduct a process to incorporate older people’s views into screening for ageing-related conditions. Our project will provide recommendations on how such screening should be offered within the community.
Recipient: Torrens University Australia Limited
Funding amount: $584,430.14
Project title: Implementation of a co-designed exercise and fall prevention program for older people from CALD backgrounds.
Project summary: There is strong evidence that exercise reduces falls in older people. Most older people do not meet physical activity guidelines and there are limited resources to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. We will i) codesign an exercise and falls prevention program with older people from three culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and stakeholders and ii) evaluate the program in 630 older people from CALD backgrounds.
Recipient: University of Melbourne
Funding amount: $200,000.00
Project title: Implementing innovative technology promoting self-awareness of brain health and self-determination in obtaining a timely dementia diagnosis
Project summary: To delay decline, dementia needs to be diagnosed early. However, up to 76% of Australians diagnosed with dementia have advanced beyond the early stage. The Brain Health Journey app is designed to increase awareness of brain health and promote help-seeking for cognitive concerns. This research into the app use and influence on help-seeking, knowledge and beliefs about dementia will underpin widespread use of an evidence-based app by vulnerable older people to facilitate timely dementia diagnosis.
Recipient: Deakin University
Funding amount: $1,052,176.56
Project title: MEtformin for treating peripheral artery disease Related walking Impairment Trial (MERIT)
Project summary: MERIT is a randomised controlled trial to assess whether a cheap repurposed medication can treat blocked leg arteries (peripheral artery disease), a condition which adversely affects the quality of life and reduces the functional ability of over 1 million older Australians. Given the substantial prevalence of this disease in older people and the current absence of effective treatments, the findings of MERIT will have important implications for older people worldwide.
Recipient: James Cook University
Funding amount: $1,215,182.04
Project title: Navigating Fitness to Drive with Patients with Dementia in Primary Care: Delivering an innovative Online Driver Safety Assessment and Management Package to Practitioners
Project summary: We will deliver critical resources for primary care management of driving in patients with dementia. These resources include a validated off-road assessment of fitness to drive and protocols. These resources will empower GPs to begin a driving conversation early, assess confidently, and encourage their patients to plan early for eventual driving cessation. An approach that GPs and people living with dementia endorse as the optimal outcome in the inevitable transition to driving retirement.
Recipient: The University of Queensland
Funding amount: $1,316,765.43
Project title: No more shame: Changing health providers recognition and response to elder abuse to reduce associated stigma
Project summary: Elder abuse is stigmatised. Older people feel shame disclosing it; health providers struggle to detect it. By improving health providers’ recognition and response, the stigma of elder abuse can be reduced. Using co-design and trial methods, we evaluate our intervention’s effectiveness in improving: (i) health providers’ knowledge of elder abuse and ageist attitudes; (ii) sub-acute care sites’ detection and responses; and (iii) older people’s sense of safety, quality of life, and mental health.
Recipient: University of Melbourne
Funding amount: $1,561,144.75
Project title: Residential Aged Care – Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis
Project summary: The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found that 1 in 5 people have undiagnosed dementia. Our program provides education to residents, staff and families to address dementia stigma and uses blood tests and digital cognitive assessments to indicate which residents need a referral to specialists for a formal dementia diagnosis. This program will improve dementia knowledge and care leading to improved health and wellbeing for vulnerable people living in residential aged care.
Recipient: Monash University
Funding amount: $200,000.00
Project title: The Australian Consortium for Aged Care – Quality Measurement Toolbox (ACAC-QMET): Improving Quality of Care through Better Measurement and Evaluation
Project summary: The Australian Consortium for Aged Care (ACAC) will improve the quality of care provided to older Australians by defining what constitutes high quality care and the tools needed to monitor this across care settings. ACAC will generate the best quality evidence to inform the key components needed to provide high quality person-centred care. Our work will help care providers and the government understand the delivery of care quality and drive quality improvement to improve health and wellbeing.
Recipient: University of South Australia
Funding amount: $2,999,445.80
Project title: The ENJOY Seniors Exercise Park IMP-ACT project: IMProving older people’s health through physical ACTivity: a hybrid II implementation project design
Project summary: The ENJOY IMP-ACT program is a translation research project built on an evidence based physical and social activity program. It aims to expand its impact on the community by incorporating an implementation framework to support local governments and the community to further engage older people in physical activity for better health. The program aims to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing and social connectedness of older people and build capacity and community engagement.
Recipient: University of Melbourne
Funding amount: $2,011,748.53
Project title: The right to rehabilitation for people with dementia: tackling stigma and implementing evidence-based interventions
Project summary: People with dementia are often denied treatments to help them maintain their everyday activities. This can be due to stigma and a lack of knowledge by health professionals. The overall aim of our project is to work with people with dementia, their care partners and service providers to develop and test resources and strategies to improve access to treatments that will assist people living with dementia maintain independence and wellbeing in the community for as long as possible.
Recipient: Monash University
Funding amount: $1,015,820.66
Project title: Transforming residential aged care through evidence-based informatics
Project summary: Poor medication management is a critical and, to date, intractable problem in aged care, impacting residents’ wellbeing. Informatics approaches have enormous potential to improve medication management, reduce the workload of aged care staff, & support residents and families access timely information. This project will demonstrate how informatics can support monitoring of medication quality, provide decision support to guide decision-making & provide consumers with real-time information.
Recipient: Macquarie University
Funding amount: $992,386.00

Project title: Unspoken, Unheard, Unmet: Improving Access to Preventative Health Care through Better Conversations about Care.

Project summary: Communication is important. We use it to express our needs, to connect with other people, to make choices, and to tell someone when something is wrong. Many older Australians who receive aged care services have difficulty communicating, but their care workers do not have the tools or resources to support them to express their needs, choices, or concerns. We will co-design and evaluate the “Better Conversations” program: resources and training to support important conversations about aged care.

Recipient: The University of Queensland
Funding amount: $2,014,394.3
— This media release has been provided from the office of The Hon. Anika Wells MP Minister for Aged Care Minister for Sport issued on 19 October 2022.

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Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Sport

Sydney’s Spring 2022 Sporting Events

Team AFTNZ has compiled these top sporting events held in Sydney and New South Wales (NSW) courtesy of images and content from Destination NSW. Join in the action and be part of one of the state’s many dynamic sporting events as the weather heats up, joining elite athletes competing in peak performance mode and casual entrants celebrating their best efforts.

Spring Sporting Calendar at a glance

Blackmores Sydney Running Festival: 18 September 2022
UCI Road World Championships: 18-25 September 2022
2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney: 22 September
ATC Sydney Everest Carnival: 17 September – 5 November 2022
FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022: 22 September – 1 October 2022
NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final: 2 October 2022
T20 ICC WC Games at SCG: 22 October – 9 November 2022
Sydney Super Cup: 17, 20 and 23 November 2022
Australia SailGP: 18 – 19 February 2023

2022 AusCycling Masters & Junior Road National Championships | 13-16 September 

Riding among some of the fastest amateur cyclists in the country is a rush you’ll never forget, and with a backdrop of Wollongong’s lush hinterland, it doesn’t get much better than AusCycling’s National Championships. Both masters and juniors can compete in this exciting event that traverses epic roads through Mount Keira and Marshall Mount, with more than 500 entrants expected to arrive in Wollongong for four days of racing action. All are welcome: all you need is strong bike skills, good physical fitness, and a positive mindset to ride over the finish line.

The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival | 18 September 

On your marks, get set, go! Sunday 18 September welcomes the keenest runners to Sydney for the prestigious running event. The routes bring runners past the city’s iconic Sydney Opera House, harbour foreshore and over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The 20th Anniversary Blackmores Sydney Running Festival hosts four running events including the Marathon, Half Marathon, the 10km Bridge Run and the Family Fun Run – perfect for walkers, friends or families on an invigorating day out!

Ironman – Western Sydney | 25 September 

The 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney sees competitors face off in a heart-racing battle to be crowned the ultimate Ironman champ in Sydney’s Penrith. The 1.9km swim leg takes place in Penrith Lake passing under the iconic Olympic Bridge, while the 90km bike stretch loops through the streets before winding out to lush Blue Mountains countryside. At 21.1km, the flat running circuit is centred around the Sydney International Regatta Centre precinct. This year, there’s a junior event, too: seven- to 13-year-olds can take part in the run/bike/run IRONKIDS format on 24 September with the three-lap course creating an exciting stadium-like atmosphere.

FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup | 22 September – 1 October

The season of landmark sporting events bounces into action with the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022, between 22 September and 1 October, which sees the prowess of Sydney’s Opals hitting the court in competition with countries such as the USA, China and France.

NRL Telstra Premiership Rugby Grand Finals | 2 October

This championship is followed swiftly by the live-wire energy of the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final on 2 October, which electrifies the city with the collective passion of dedicated league fans.

Aqua Rugby Festival | 10-12 November

The Manly beachfront isn’t the first location you’d think of when seeing a pro rugby game unfold, but the Aqua Rugby Festival (10–12 November) isn’t your usual sporting match. Watch from the shore or from a boat as professional and amateur teams battle it out on a floating pontoon. Spoiler alert: there’s plenty of tackles into the water.

Sydney Super Cup |17, 20, 23 November

Join the throngs cheering for their Premier League favourites during the Sydney Super Cup (17, 20 and 23 November)

News Source: Destination NSW

Image requires a mandatory credit: Blackmores Sydney Running Festival
Description: Runners partaking in Blackmores Sydney Running Festival running past the Sydney Opera House
Copyright status: Destination NSW Copyright

Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Features Australia/NZ, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), Seniors' Health

Celebrities combine forces and voices to support people impacted by dementia, plus National Dementia Helpline now 24/7

Dementia Action Week takes place from 19 – 25 September 2022 in Australia.

Celebrity supporters, Ambassadors, Patron Ita Buttrose AC OBE and a person living with dementia have combined forces and lent their voices to an audiobook version of Dementia Australia’s Dementia Guide.

“The Dementia Guide is the go-to online resource for any person impacted by any form of dementia, of any age, in any location across Australia,” Ms Buttrose said.

“Speaking for the voices team, I know we have all been thrilled to contribute to The Dementia Guide Audiobook to increase the accessibility to vital information about dementia and the support available.

“Each person who has shared their voice has had an experience of dementia in their family and we have done this to raise awareness and help others to know they are not alone and that there is support available.”

Dementia Australia Ambassadors and voices Natarsha Belling, Stephanie Bendixsen, Takaya Honda, Mark Seymour, Denis Walter OAM, Pat Welsh and celebrity supporters Rhonda Burchmore OAM and Geraldine Hickey wholeheartedly echo Ita’s words and have enthusiastically backed the project.

Not just for people living with dementia, The Dementia Guide is also for friends, families and carers, and talks to the impact dementia may have on a person, the treatment, support and services they may need, and how loved ones can provide support.

Stephanie Bendixsen, video game critic and television presenter, said she added her voice to the audiobook as she sees the value in a more accessible resource for families, such as hers, who need to navigate life with dementia.

“My mother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, and we really knew so little about dementia when she was diagnosed,” Ms Bendixsen said.

“This made it difficult to understand why certain things were happening with her behaviourally, and we struggled to understand what was truly going on inside her brain, how her physicality was affected and how best we could support her and my Dad, her main carer, as a family.
“Resources like this are so very valuable, and their accessibility even more so. Even though I consider myself a big reader – finding the time to sit down and read a book can be tricky when you have a busy lifestyle. I switched to audiobooks years ago so that I can absorb books while I’m driving, walking the dog, doing chores – it’s been life-changing. An easily accessible resource like this would have made a wonderful difference to me and my family when we were coming to terms with how Mum’s – and our lives – would change.”

The audiobook includes a welcome from Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM and a chapter recorded by Ann Pietsch, who is a Dementia Advocate and lives with dementia.

“I was invited to read one of the chapters and I personally think that The Dementia Guide is a valuable resource, making it available as an audio book is a great idea as it will now be easily available to more people living with dementia, carers, and families and the wider public,” Mrs Pietsch said.

This media release has been provided by DementiaAustralia.org media release issued on 17 August 2022.

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AFTNews, Commonwealth Games, Features Australia/NZ

Women’s sport celebrated at Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

International Working Group on Women and Sport calls for more to be done to drive global gender equality

August 4, 2022 via PRNews/GIG – Key figures from sport, media and politics have gathered to celebrate the success of women’s sport at the Commonwealth Games at a special event at New Zealand House. The event, staged in partnership with the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport, was also an opportunity for global leaders to discuss what more can be done to achieve gender equality in sport and the benefits of doing so.

Birmingham 2022 is the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men, while the debut of women’s T20 cricket has proved one of the success stories of the competition so far. 

The event at New Zealand House, which is part of the official handover of the IWG from Aotearoa New Zealand to the United Kingdom, saw CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE, IWG Co-Chairs Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY and Raewyn Lovett ONZM, Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister, Grant Robertson come together to celebrate the growing success of women’s sport. It was also an opportunity to reflect on the work still to be done to bring about true equality given:

  • Only 7% of Chairs and Presidents in Olympic and Paralympic sport are women ;
  • According to Forbes, only one of the top 50 highest paid athletes in 2020 was a woman;
  • In 2018 the Lancet Global Health found that more than a quarter of adults globally are insufficiently physically active and across most countries, women are less active than men which means that millions of women globally are missing out on physical health, mental health and social rewards of taking part in sport and activity.

Established almost 30 years ago in Brighton, the IWG is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equality in sport and physical activity. The network is committed to leading positive change which aligns to the UN Sustainable Development Goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

The IWG is currently hosted by New Zealand; with the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport taking place in Auckland on 14-17 November 2022.

The UK will then receive the hosting baton for the quadrennial period of 2022-2026, with the 9th IWG World Conference taking place in Birmingham in four years’ time.
The event at New Zealand House helped to profile the upcoming conference in New Zealand, as a Graphic Illustrator captured discussions for a piece of artwork that aims to showcase the rise of women and sport, while outlining hopes for the future of gender equality.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “A key focus of our Games is women’s sport. 

“In that respect, Birmingham 2022 is quite special as the first major multi-sport event in history to have more medals for women than men. We can be so proud of the progress we have made and we have come a long way towards gender equality in sport, but there is still much more to be done.

“So, while today is a celebration of women’s sport, it is also a chance for us to look ahead and to continue to collaborate to bring about further progress.

“To that end, we are proud to help promote the work of the International Working Group on Women & Sport as they continue to advance gender equity and equality in sport across the world.” 

IWG Co-Chair Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY said: “In the week when England won the women’s Euros, helping to catapult women’s sport into the spotlight like never before, it’s the perfect time to be pushing to achieve gender equality across the globe. 

“The IWG network is a platform to both advocate for change and share insights and learnings to help advance gender equality, harnessing the knowledge and momentum from within the IWG movement.”

New Zealand Co-Chair of the IWG, Raewyn Lovett said: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to have been kaitiaki – to have been the guardian – of the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport, physical education and physical activity. 

“Today, we opened the circle, with IWG UK taking over Secretariat leadership globally. IWG New Zealand will continue to lead delivery of the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport through to its staging in Auckland this November: where we will close the circle and complete the handover.

“The people and organisations in the room today have extraordinary power and influence and the ability to positively impact the lives of women and girls the world over. We issued them with an invitation to bring this expertise to the table in Auckland, to help us drive change through sport.”

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It’s been a seismic week for women’s sport with the Lionesses’ stunning victory at Wembley and many incredible performances at Birmingham 2022.  

“While women’s sport continues to go from strength to strength, we know there is more to be done to support women both on and off the field of play.

“The handover of the IWG is an incredible opportunity to build on the success so far and to push for true gender equality in sport.” 

CEO of UK Sport, Sally Munday, said: “The handover of the IWG from New Zealand to the UK is an opportunity that goes far beyond the four years that we will host it.

“The important thing is that we are consciously making decisions which nurture a strong legacy for gender equality globally. Being part of the world’s largest network that is devoted to achieving gender equality in sport means we all have a responsibility to inspire positive change. The impact that this change will have on the next generation of sport is in our hands.

“What we have witnessed both at the women’s Euros and over the last week here in Birmingham reflects what an exciting time this is for female athletes and all of us involved in sports administration to be promoting change. The scope for progress in this space is immense and I am looking forward to seeing women and girls in sport thrive in the future.”

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said: “The UK taking the baton as hosts of the IWG could not be coming at a better time as we look to capitalise on the incredible success of so many of our brilliant female sporting stars. 

“Their achievements are a reminder that the work to break down the barriers that stop so many women and girls from participating fully in sport must continue to be a huge focus for us all. 

“Becoming hosts of the IWG provides an important and exciting catalyst for this work, and we must ensure that we use its potential to bring decision-makers and influencers together to create lasting change.”

Dame Janet Beer, Chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said: “I am delighted that the collaborative work led by the Sport and Recreation Alliance for the last two years has now officially reached the stage when the Secretariat for this prestigious group moves to the UK. As a part of the Alliance’s strategic commitment to support the improvement of equality, diversity and inclusion, the most influential, impactful and diverse voices from sport and recreation were convened to make this happen and we look forward to playing our part as leaders from across the global sporting stage.”

New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Nicki Nicol: “New Zealand’s female athletes have contributed to New Zealand’s proud Olympic and Commonwealth Games History and at Birmingham 2022 we have, for the first time, more women than men in the team. Their feats of strength, speed, resilience and commitment contribute to building our nation’s identity. Their potential to connect with and inspire new generations of young boys and girls cannot be understated and we are delighted to be supporting conversations and progress around women in sport.”

Ends.

About the CGF
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games, and for delivering on the vision of the Commonwealth Sports Movement: through sport, we build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth. 

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AFT Features, AFTNews, Events, Features Australia/NZ, What's On ?

Academy-award nominated filmmaker Baz Luhrmann joins Vivid Sydney line-up at ideas talk & Sydney premiere of ELVIS

The visionary filmmaker joins Aaron Sorkin, Gretchen Carlson & Troye Sivan as headline talent for Vivid Ideas.

Vivid Sydney 2022 presents renowned filmmaker and global storyteller Baz Luhrmann at Vivid Ideas: The Business of Baz followed by the highly anticipated Red Carpet Gala premiere of ELVIS – fresh from its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Both events will take place at the iconic State Theatre in Sydney on 5 June 2022.

The Business of Baz is an intimate, one-of-a-kind conversation hosted by acclaimed journalist and podcaster Marc Fennell. Baz will discuss his remarkable career, the power of storytelling, creativity in chaos and his multi-faceted partnerships with Catherine Martin and Craig Pearce, enthralling audiences with behind-the-scenes tales from the filming of Elvis.

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis will be released across most Asia Pacific cities on 23 June, 2022. More dates here.

I am delighted that Baz Luhrmann, one of our nation’s greatest cultural luminaries, will be part of Vivid Sydney 2022. His dynamic artistic talents traverse film, television, opera, theatre, music, and recording. His insights into the fashion and art worlds make him incredibly interesting and highly relevant for the Vivid Ideas program.

A seat at an audience with Baz will be one of the hottest tickets in town. This is a one-off opportunity to get first-hand insight into the genius behind his art, his career and of course, his latest movie Elvis. Culminating in the Sydney premiere of his highly-anticipated biopic about another cultural icon–the first time in the festival’s history we have included a film premiere.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres

Baz Luhrmann joins a powerful, thought-provoking Vivid Ideas line-up for 2022, as a Global Storyteller alongside Aaron Sorkin, Gretchen Carlson & Troye Sivan. Baz is a creative visionary with a body of work that embodies everything Vivid Ideas is about–celebrating those who push creative boundaries, tell stories that challenge the status quo and drive change for good. Both he and Catherine Martin personify Sydney style and creativity.

Vivid Sydney 2022 Festival Director, Gil Minervini

Coming from a very small town about four hours north of Sydney, it’s not an exaggeration that David Williamson’s description of it as the Emerald City was spot on, for I always looked toward Sydney on my journey down the yellow brick road. From growing up on the northern beaches, opening The Bond Theatre Company and creating experimental opera, during my time at NIDA, and throughout the development and shooting of my first film, Strictly Ballroom, Sydney has been a haven for me and a place abuzz with energy”. “CM and I will never forget the romance of this majestic city, which is forever in our hearts. We created our first-ever Australian opera, La Bohème, at the Sydney Opera House back in 1993, so, it’s only fitting that we return to the Emerald City to share our latest work, Elvis, fulfilling the dream that we Australians can conceive of anything, bring it to life here, and deliver it to the world.

Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann is appearing as part of Vivid Idea’s Global Storytellers series, which include fearless women’s rights advocate and Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Gretchen Carlson, Oscar and Emmy Award-winning theatre and film director Aaron Sorkin and iconoclastic musician, fashion maverick and creative powerhouse Troye Sivan.

ELVIS is in cinemas in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Australia from 23 June. More dates here.

Event details:

  • Baz Luhrmann and Marc Fennell discussing the Business of Baz, Sunday 5 June, 3pm–4pm, State Theatre, Sydney: A household name synonymous with fantasy, romance and decadence, Baz Luhrmann is a creative visionary and has captured audiences around the world with his highly theatrical and flamboyant productions–he will chart his rise from small town NSW to the heights of Hollywood and the trials and tribulations along the way. Purchase a ticket to the Business of Baz Ideas talk now: https://www.vividsydney.com/event/ideas/the-business-of-baz.
  • Warner Bros. Pictures and Vivid Sydney present the Sydney Premiere of Elvis, Sunday 5 June, From 6pm, State Theatre, Sydney: Vivid Sydney is proud to present alongside Warner Bros. Pictures the Sydney premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s latest work, Elvis. Starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks, the film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). Australia native Olivia DeJonge also stars as Priscilla. Purchase an Elvis Premiere Package now, including a ticket to both the Business of Baz Ideas Talk and the Elvis premiere: https://www.vividsydney.com/event/ideas/the-business-of-baz

Vivid Sydney, the annual festival of creativity, innovation and technology, will transform Sydney’s CBD into a fusion of Light, Music and Ideas for 23 nights, from 27 May to 18 June 2022. Business of Baz joins more than more than 85 intriguing talks and workshops as part of the Vivid Ideas program, which explores the forces that shape not only Sydney’s unique community, but all great cities around the world.

Among some of the highlights at Vivid Sydney 2022, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and ‘Our Connected City’ will be illuminated. Photo credit: Mandy Lights/Destination NSW

To book tickets to Vivid Sydney events and performances, and for more information on the program go to www.vividsydney.com.

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AFT Features, AFTNews, Features Australia/NZ, PRNews, Seniors' Health

New report reveals staggering future $442 billion cost of Alzheimer’s disease

The University of Canberra’s National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) has revealed the staggering future economic cost of Alzheimer’s disease, and its impact on Australia’s workforce, patients, families and communities.1

The report, The Economic and Societal Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease in Australia, 2021-2041, commissioned by Biogen Australia and New Zealand, builds on NATSEM and Dementia Australia’s Economic Cost of Dementia in Australia 2016-2056 Report released in 2017 and projects a 20-year $442 billion impact of Alzheimer’s disease to the Australian economy.1

Lead author Emeritus Professor Laurie Brown from NATSEM said the number of people aged 50 and over with diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease is expected to increase by 73% from 153,888 in 2021 to 266,114 by 2041. This increase will lead to an annual cost of $26.6 billion, including direct costs (aged care, hospital and out of hospital services) of $9.8 billion and indirect costs (informal care, lost productivity, and income support) of $16.8 billion by 2041.1

“The modelling paints a significant challenge to government, health and aged care systems into the future,” said Professor Brown. “The numbers also provide insight into the ripple effect on families and the community as they struggle to care for people living with the disease.”

Under current care, the number of people in Residential Aged Care Facilities with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease is expected to increase by more than 72 per cent over the next 20 years, with the numbers increasing from 42,478 persons in 2021 to 73,172 in 2041.1

“This is a huge challenge for an aged care system already under pressure. It will see financial impacts of formal residential and community aged care rising by almost $3.6 billion annually and requiring a paid workforce of 18,652 in 2041 to support those living with Alzheimer’s disease in the community alone, up from 10,752 in 2021,” said Professor Brown.

Associate Professor Michael Woodward AM, geriatrician and Head of Aged Care Research, Austin Health said importantly the report also provides an opportunity to quantify the societal costs outside the health system.

“The impact I see on carers and the community each day is often the most challenging to quantify. However, with an expected additional 80,000+ people with Alzheimer’s disease in the community by 2041 compared with today we can’t afford not to consider this impact in any future approach,” Associate Professor Woodward said.

The report also investigated the potential impact of a disease modifying therapy on the numbers.1 Disease-modifying therapies target the pathogenic pathway of Alzheimer’s disease to delay the onset or progression of dementia.2 The modelling indicates there is an opportunity to reduce the burden on aged care over the 20 years by $7.9 billion, the cost of residential care by $7.0 billion and formal care in the community by $880 million. With fewer people having moderate or severe AD dementia, the cost of informal care is also reduced by $4.3 billion – giving a total savings of $12.2 billion.1

“While the modelling suggests that the introduction of a disease modifying therapy has the potential to lessen the future impact of Alzheimer’s disease, it is only part of the solution,” said Associate Professor Woodward.

“The findings in this report attest to the importance of developing and implementing a system and society-wide approach, in alignment with the anticipated national dementia strategy to ensure we can provide the best possible clinical outcomes and quality of life in the future. We do not have time to delay,” Associate Professor Woodward continued.

This data reinforces the findings from the recent White Paper on the Future of Alzheimer’s disease in Australia that revealed the need for urgent collaboration and action in the healthcare system to manage the growing impact of the disease.

Article and image provided by SenateSHJ on behalf of the University of Canberra and Biogen Australia and New Zealand.

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AustraliaFitnessToday.com provides this article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. When publishing, please enable back links and quote source: https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/2022/03/21/new-report-reveals-staggering-future-442-billion-cost-of-alzheimers-disease/

References:

1. Brown LJ., Li J. and La HA (2022). The Economic and Societal Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease in Australia, 2021-2041. NATSEM, University of Canberra, Canberra.

2. Cummings, J & Fox, N (2017). Defining Disease Modifying Therapy For Alzheimer’s Disease. J Prev Alz Dis. 4(2):109-115.

AFT Interviews, AFTNews, AFTNews, Features Australia/NZ, Men's Health

Introspection III by Kenneth WH Lee (Malaysia-Australia)

AFT speaks to Malaysian-Australian artist Kenneth W.H. Lee about his third solo art show, “Introspection III”.

AFT: Tell us about your environment while growing up.

Kenneth WH Lee: I come from a family of six with “por-por” my mother’s mom. I’m the eldest of three and have two other siblings. We grew up in a small sleepy town of Banting in Selangor (I was born in the famous Klang town, known for its culinary delights). My parents were both secondary teachers; Mom taught English and Art and Dad taught PE and Art, so the artistic lineage was unavoidable and pre-determined. Mom tells me she noticed my bold strokes at age two with an Artliner pen. I had a happy, care-free childhood playing in the dirt (catching fish in drains and climbing guava trees) after school till dusk and I remember being yelled at to get home for dinner!

AFT: What do you think influenced your artistic eye?

Kenneth WH Lee: My parents clearly gave me that early exposure in appreciating the finer points in art and understanding the basics of drawing and painting – with that early knowledge I loved experimenting in my own way, breaking the rules along the way as much as I dared, whilst paying homage to the greats. I soaked up (art) like a sponge going through drawing and sketching teaching books and journals, learning as much I could myself. My parents took to me art galleries, and we would walk through museums of art. I first experienced the body of work by professionals like the late (Malaysian artist), Ibrahim Hussein. His art show is stuck in my mind – I was probably 10 then. The great French artists in the Impressionist (and Fauvism) movement really caught my imagination and left an everlasting mark. We migrated to Sydney when I was 18, and I studied art in high school, learning European art literature and was really drawn to the late Brett Whiteley’s work.

AFT: Which piece of work have you recently submitted for a competition or auction and why?

Kenneth WH Lee: I submitted artworks for both for the Archibald (a prestigious Australian portrait art prize administered by the Art Gallery of NSW) and a landscape piece for the Wynne prize (one of Australia’s longest-running art prizes for landscape painting or figure sculpture).

For the Archibald, I submitted a portrait in oils of an amazing gentleman and aboriginal leader, Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden of Alexandria, NSW and a large abstract piece for the Wynne prize titled “Sydney Spring – Gratitude Series II” measuring 1200 x 1200 x 35 mm in oils/acrylics/charcoal/pastels/ on canvas. They unfortunately didn’t make the finals. It’s the second consecutive year of submissions in both the above Prizes after 25 years of shying away from any art competition.

For one, I gave up painting for those number of years to focus on my finance/asset/funds management career in Australia and South East Asia and I didn’t find the need to receive external validation for my art. Now, staying relevant and visible by putting out content is part of being a professional artist. 

I recently donated a portrait piece of St. Charbel, the patron saint of Lebanon for a fundraising event held in conjunction with Steps of Hope and Madison Marcus law firm. I’m pleased that raised A$26,000 in a blacktie function to help with relief work for the victims of the Lebanon port blast in August 2020.

AFT: Did you paint during COVID19? What did you do to pass time?

Kenneth WH Lee: Yes, I painted during Covid-19 lockdowns. I completed art works for the Archibald and Wynne Prizes submissions in 2020. I continued to work at frenzied pace to build a new body of work as I planned towards my third solo exhibition titled “Introspection III” – an aptly named show in current times of needing to be more reflective taking stock of where we are as a human race and more importantly individually in our own personal journeys and awakening – our passions, dreams and who we stand for, next to our loved ones. During this time I was also actively creating works for charity fundraising for the likes of the CMRI Children’s Medical Research Institute for research into cures for all sorts of serious illnesses children suffer early in their lives. I also supported the Jeans4Genes cause by painting a portrait of singer Guy Sebastian utilising his donated signed jeans as part of the collage-portraiture. That item went on an online auction. A painting of St Charbel, patron Saint of Lebanon, was also donated toward fundraising for the good people recovering from the unfortunate disaster and with the onset of winter then. I’m about to start on portraits of the three Abdallah children and their cousin to be gifted to the family to help ease the pain and to remember their young lives taken away at such young age in that freak Oatlands accident by a drunken driver with his passenger both intoxicated while the kids were walking for ice creams around corner from their home. I don’t get to spend time with my kids during their school holidays but at least I get to do something for someone else.

AFT: What is the one thing you strive to do with your art? Have you been successful?

Kenneth WH Lee: I love combining impressionist style with abstract designs – whether it be a large landscape or a portrait. I love both forms of art on its own but combining them is challenging and satisfying – and I think I have been successful with the outcomes. I love to constantly challenge myself to paint something new, something I hadn’t done before. I’m excited that my art designs are now being sold and licensed as lifestyle products in Australia. Also American and New Zealand online wall art companies are selling and promoting my images/copies reprinted on canvas and shipped around the world.

AFT: Is there any work that you have not finished or can’t complete? What happens then?

Kenneth WH Lee: I have had pieces of work that had taken years (up to five years) to complete as the initial stages did not show potential and I lost interest in it and moved on to other newer pieces. Whilst the earlier pieces sat unloved, I hadn’t forgotten about it – still constantly pondering its future and design input. Or a complete design change and direction to revamp the entire piece. Sometimes midway I find no inspiration to sit or stand in front of a piece and continue painting. I would walk past it without a thought lacking the need to touch it. Then an idea would pop in my head (or sometimes a memory from a relationship whether in a happy mood or post-breakup in complete despair) and I will dive into that piece non-stop for hours to complete it. It’s all about the flow and feel at that point in time – sometimes it comes to me and sometimes its empty. So I have to be patient and tune in to what I am really creating. At times when I paint, its akin to having a conversation with a person or persons. The deeper the feeling and intensity of the conversation in my head the more interesting the piece becomes. I somehow can translate raw emotion at a particular time and pour it onto the canvas – its like a life diary of emotions coloured by paint.

AFT: Is health and fitness important to you as an artist? Tell us about your daily routine…

Kenneth WH Lee: Yes, health and fitness is key to me as an artist. Though I love to work late at nights when it is really quiet and paint for hours till the wee hours of dawn sometimes….I know to catch up on my sleep and rest which is key to wellbeing. I am a diehard foodie too and love to cook my favourite foods – usually traditional Malaysian hawker dishes and spicy dishes. I then balance this with great bowls of greens making wonderful salads, blended fruit juices and hydrate well. I do some iron work in the backyard with some weights and a punching bag and then go for a walk around the neighbourhood. Though I’ve given up badminton for over 20 years, I’ve recently joined a badminton club to get my heart rate going and burn off some calories. Its been fun getting back to the game that I used to love and was great at, having been a state representative for the Federal Territory as a school boy in Malaysia and later as an All-Australian Universities rep.

 

AFT: What’s your ultimate favourite thing to do?

Kenneth WH Lee: It would be hard to go past having an Italian coffee in hand and having the morning free to start on a large empty wooden panel or canvas, in beginning a new piece of abstract or an impressionist landscape work. It could also be the excitement and anticipation of continuing on a large piece, progressing with developing textures, depth and tonal values – it’s always a mindful challenge in solving the piece’s balance in design and colour and its imbalance… the statement that one is trying to convey. Usually I work very fast when an idea is born, my hands move the brushes and palette knives at a frantic pace across the white spaces then I’d spend more hours pondering and analysing the piece midway, tweaking it as I go – I find at different natural lighting the look and feel changes and my mood flows with it and I paint accordingly. I get inspired again when that look and feel hits me, and I will be hitting the canvas hard and fast frantically until I am exhausted.

Video footage/edit by: Campbell Wilson, photographer and founder of yoga4.tv

“Immerse in Art”: Art Talk by Kenneth WH Lee

This event was held online on 10th July 2021 from 1:00-3:00pm (SYD/AEST/+10GMT).

RSVP

Only RSVP if you wish to attend the live event.

“Introspection III” solo art exhibition is on display at Sydney Haymarket’s Bendigo Community Bank’s branch at Darling Square 11 Little Pier St Shop NE12 until 30 August 2021.

Team AFT thanks the artist Kenneth WH Lee, his management at ArtSHINE and exhibition venue sponsor Bendigo Community Bank for this interview.

 

Who is Kenneth WH Lee?

Malaysian-born Kenneth has exhibited twice in his Sydney Solo Shows “Interiority Of My Introspection I & II” in late 2019. On the commercial front, he works on private client commissions, consults on client fine art needs pre- and post-renovation, paints for charity art auctions and family portraits like the St Charbel portrait painted for Lebanon’s Blast victims/families and Guy Sebastian portrait utilising his custom signed jeans in fundraising for the CMRI Children’s Medical Research Institute – Westmead Children’s Hospital / Jeans4Genes. KWHLEE art designs are also available via its e-commerce shop for consumer retail and B2B wholesale.

Kenneth W H Lee is a represented artist managed by ArtSHINE.

Follow his Instagram account to view current artworks: @kennethwhlee.

More: https://linktr.ee/kennethwhlee.

AFT Features, AFTNews, AFTNews, Events, Features Australia/NZ

Celebrating NAIDOC Week 4-11 July 2021 in Australia

AsiaFitnessToday.com acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website contains images or names of people who have passed away.

Team AFT (Australia Fitness Today) has compiled this article from published news releases, articles from websites and also music videos from across Australia in celebration of NAIDOC Week and to pay tribute to close to 30 years of Reconciliation Australia.

It’s NAIDOC Week in Australia and what does that mean?

NAIDOC Week 2021 is celebrated from 4-11 July 2021 around Australia. This year, NAIDOC Week will be celebrated differently to ensure those most vulnerable in the community such as Elders and those with pre-existing health conditions are protected from COVID-19.

History NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Before the 1920s, Aboriginal rights groups boycotted Australia Day (26 January) in protest against the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians. By the 1920s, they were increasingly aware that the broader Australian public were largely ignorant of the boycotts. If the movement were to make progress, it would need to be active. Read more about the history of NAIDOC in the official website.

Celebrating NAIDOC Week There are many ways to honour the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples during NAIDOC Week. The NAIDOC committee has come up with these 20 ideas to help celebrate NAIDOC Week 2021 in a COVIDSafe way.

This year’s National NAIDOC Poster, ‘Care for Country’ was designed by 21-year old Gubbi Gubbi artist Maggie-Jean Douglas from South East Queensland. Her entry was chosen from 260 entries in a nationwide competition. The artwork includes communities, people, animals and bush medicines spread over different landscapes of red dirt, green grass, bush land and coastal areas to tell the story of the many ways Country can and has healed us throughout our lives and journeys. Find out more about the story behind the 2021 National NAIDOC Poster and download your copy of the poster today.

  1. Virtually attend one of the many of the online events available in the NAIDOC Week Official Calendar
  2. Download and display this year’s NAIDOC Week poster or look through the previous poster gallery.
  3. Call someone in your community to have a chat about this year’s theme ‘Heal Country!’ and what it means to you
  4. Watch special NAIDOC Week programming on SBS/NITV and ABC
  5. Learn more about the Country on which you live and work using the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia
  6. Find a book to read, written and published by Indigenous authors and illustrators through Magabala Books or suggest one for your next book club
  7. Check out some music and podcasts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators on Indigitube.
  8. Take a look at how you can support Indigenous businesses through the Supply Nation Indigenous Business Direct.
  9. Learn more about how deliver an Acknowledgement of Country
  10. Find out more about the history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and how you can fly them.
  11. Get creative in the kitchen using Australian bushfood and native ingredients such as kangaroo, macadamia or lemon myrtle.
  12. Use this year’s theme to connect to Country by going for a walk (if restrictions permit), exercising outside, visiting a local park or gardening.
  13. Research Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history or start some family history research.
  14. Host an online quiz and test the knowledge of your friends and family on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures or histories.
  15. Be inspired by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and crafts or get creative at home.
  16. Try colouring in the NAIDOC Week poster.
  17. Consider nominating someone for a National NAIDOC Award. While submissions for the National NAIDOC Awards are currently closed, you can begin preparing nominations for the 2022 awards for when they open later this year.
  18. Visit the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander exhibitions of museums and galleries in-person or online.
  19. Plan your Australian travel bucket list including Indigenous sites of significance or interest. 
  20. Join the conversation online using the NAIDOC Week hashtags #NAIDOC2021, #NAIDOCWeek and #HealCountry

For the latest advice on COVID-19 in Australia, visit www.australia.gov.au.

What is Reconciliation Australia 2021?

Reconciliation Australia celebrates close to three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process. It was observed from 27 May to 3 June and Australians are invited to acknowledge the traditional owners of the Country on which we live, work, learn.

WHY IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY IMPORTANT?

Download PDF

This practice raises awareness of the histories and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Acknowledging Country shows you accept and understand that no matter where you are across this nation, you are on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands, and you acknowledge ongoing connection to Country.

WHO CAN GIVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY?
Everyone. It can be given by both non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

WHAT DO I SAY?
This suggested wording will help you capture your Acknowledgement of Country.

“This National Reconciliation Week, I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which I stand.  I acknowledge the (people) of the (nation) and pay my respects to Elders past and present.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people may wish to also acknowledge their own families and Nations.

HOW CAN I DO IT VIRTUALLY?

Here are some ideas for how to Acknowledge the Land you are on and join in via social media.

At home

  • Record your Acknowledgement of Country via a video.
  • Take a photo of you or members of your household holding up a sign.
  • Make chalk art or signs on your driveway and upload photos or video.

At work

  • Record a video message at your workplace.
  • Ask and encourage your colleagues to take part to create a collage or compilation.
  • If working remotely, host a zoom meeting with colleagues and ask everyone to hold a sign Acknowledging the Land they are working on.

At school

  • Create paintings, drawings or signs with your students and upload photos or video.
  • Create video messages and encourage teachers and administration staff to get involved.

Remember to use the hashtag #MoreThanAWord #NRW2021

WHEN CAN I DO IT?

We will come together on social media at 9am (AEST) Thursday 27 May to make an Acknowledgement of Country.

It doesn’t need to be live, you can pre-record, pre-write or pre-create your acknowledgement however you like and post it at 9am.

If you are at an in-person event,  encourage everyone to Acknowledge Country at this time.

HOW DO I FIND OUT THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THE LAND I AM ON?

Know whose Country you are on – resources like the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia are a useful starting point, but go further.

TAKE ACTION

The Reconciliation Week committee has compiled 20 recommended ways to take action: not just know about it, but to take action. Read more here: https://nrw.reconciliation.org.au/actions-for-reconciliation/

HOW SOME OTHERS ARE TAKING A STAND

OXFAM AUSTRALIA is a non-profit organisation that believes all lives are equal and no-one should live in poverty. Oxfam started as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief in England in 1942, a group of campaigners asking for food supplies to be sent through an allied naval blockade to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World War. Oxfam Australia setup in 1953 was a merger between two leading Australian international development agencies — Community Aid Abroad and the Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign.

According to Oxfam Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are still not recognised in the Australian Constitution as Australia’s First Peoples. This needs to change. Ngarra Murray, Oxfam’s First Peoples’ Program National Manager and member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, says: “The establishment of the Yoo-rrook (Truth) Justice Commission by the Victorian Government is an opportunity for both the Aboriginal community and the broader Victorian community to begin to listen to each other and create a new relationship going forward.

“Our people will no longer have to carry the pain of our stories alone – our history and our truths become everyone’s history and truths. With this understanding, real change is urgent and inevitable. The burden is lessened and the healing can begin.

Ngarra Murray – Oxfam Australia

ZIGGY RAMO BURRMURUK FATNOWNA is an Indigenous Australian singer, songwriter and activist born in Bellingen NSW to an Aboriginal and Solomon Islander father and a mother of Scottist heritage. ZIGGY RAMO as he’s known, is a Hip-Hop artist and has become a catalyst in the music industry calling for, and inspiring change. Growing up in Perth, WA since the age of six, he started dabbling in music as a teenager and was inspired by the hip-hop genre from the US. After graduating from school, he embarked on a Pre-Medicine degree, determined to advocate for Indigenous health, before switching back to music, aiming to represent Indigenous Australian perspectives in rap.

ZIGGY RAMO: Black Thoughts ft. STAN GRANT (2016)

From ‘Black Thoughts Ep’ on Spotify: http://bit.ly/2b4kLJD
Director/Editor/ Co Producer: Jacqueline Pelczar
Cinematographer: Brandon Lee Weston
Producer: Elaine Smith
Follow Ziggy: https://www.facebook.com/ziggymusicaus https://soundcloud.com/ziggymusicaus https://www.instagram.com/ziggyfatnowna/
Black Thoughts Ep produced by JCAL & Palace JCAL: https://www.facebook.com/JCaLproductions
Palace: https://www.facebook.com/palacebeats

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the film below contains voices and videos of deceased persons.

‘Making Little Things’ outlines the development of Ziggy Ramo’s “Little Things” featuring Paul Kelly. From the land-rights movement that inspired Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody’s 1993 original “From Little Things Big Things Grow” to top of the Sydney Opera House sails, the 10 minute film offers insight into the multi-generational collaborations that created this new work.

DOP: Tyron Seeto
Drone DOP: Bill Blair, Mat Chang
Editor: Miska Mandic Archival
News footage Courtesy of ABC Library Sales
Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody footage From Little Things Big Things Grow, 1993 directed by Trevor Graham.
Footage courtesy of Ned Lander and the National Film and Sound Archive
Sydney Opera House is an Australian icon and one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world. On this channel you will find performances, behind the scenes content and stories from beneath the sails. With over 40 shows a week at the Sydney Opera House there’s something for everyone. We’re not-for-profit and raise over 90% of costs from non-government sources. Learn more at https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/give

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