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Support network launched
By Cpl Mike McSweeney
Edition 1171, July 26, 2007 |
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Smoking area: Anthony Williams, aka Dumi Yabbie, performs a smoking ceremony before CDF ACM Angus Houston and guests at the NAIDOC Week service in Canberra.
Photo by Gary Dixon |
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AS the drone of a didgeridoo faded away, CDF ACM Angus Houston launched a support network for indigenous personnel in Canberra on July 10.
“The Defence Indigenous Network has been established to provide an environment that’s supportive of our indigenous members and can assist retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders,” ACM Houston said.
At the launch, Ngunnawal elder Agnes Shea welcomed those present before Duncan Smith gave a magical didgeridoo rendition.
“Our ancestors believed in the importance of people gathering together for the purpose of building relationships,” Ms Shea said.
ACM Houston said the Defence Indigenous Network would be a place where employment issues could be discussed and ideas and experiences could be shared.
He said Defence was committed to providing a workplace that valued diversity. “I am deeply committed to raising the profile of indigenous culture and indigenous people in Defence,” he said.
The CDF said in World War II there were several thousand indigenous people in the ADF.
“And yet today less than 1 per cent of our people in the ADF are indigenous. There is great potential to increase that to a much higher figure,” he said. “I’m deeply impressed with the quality of the soldiers I’ve seen when I visit Norforce and, of course, they are making a difference in supporting the various activities on Operation Outreach in the NT at the moment.”
ACM Houston said Defence was involved with indigenous Australians through AACAP and cadets.
He said the Defence Indigenous Cadet program funded initiatives designed to address the under-representation of indigenous youth in Defence.
On the DRN Global Microsoft Outlook system, a folder for the Defence Indigenous Network can be found at the following link – Public Folders/All Public Folders/DRN Global/Indigenous Network. |
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