Benarrawa Community Development Association

27/05/2026

Ricky Hampson spent most of his life believing he had been adopted before learning several years ago he is a survivor of the Stolen Generations. Today, he is calling for more action and truth-telling.

27/05/2026

Neighbourhood Centres Queensland are here to support the community, and we welcomed over 2.6 million visitors in 2025. 🫶 This figure has stayed on par with 2024, but has increased by 1 million visitors since 2021.

You can find the full 2025 Sector Impact Report here, containing more information on visitor numbers and other key data from surveyed Centres around the state: https://bit.ly/NCQ2025SIR-page

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

Julie Tongs Close the Gap on Racism: Governments across Australia are being urged by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations to recognise racism as a public health crisis and treat the elimination of racism as a national priority.

In a submission made to the Joint Standing Committee inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the National Indigenous Health Leadership Alliance (NIHLA) said, “when we eliminate racism, we create systems that work better for everyone and a nation that is stronger in its diversity and unity”.

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Affairs/Responsestoracism

The Indigenous Australian Lived Experience Centre (IALEC) recommends holding digital platforms accountable for online racism and funding digital social and emotional wellbeing initiatives.

Strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector, embedding cultural safety across all systems, including health, justice and education, are some of the other key recommendations made to the inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association together with the Lowitja Institute, Australian Indigenous Health Infonet, Partnership for Justice in Health, the Australian Medical Association and other key health organisations, has called on the Australian Government to adopt and implement the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Anti-Racism Framework in full across all areas of government.

In a joint statement with its partner organisations, AIDA said: “Racism directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a systemic issue with profound consequences for health, wellbeing, safety and participation.

“It cannot be addressed through isolated initiatives or sector-by-sector responses alone. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, racism is embedded in the structures, policies and practices that shape access to healthcare, education, employment, justice and public life.

“This is an opportunity for government to move beyond acknowledgement and commit to sustained action.”

Read full article

https://www.croakey.org/calls-for-racism-against-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people-to-be-treated-as-a-public-health-crisis/

27/05/2026

Between the mid-1800s and the 1970s, Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families. What happened to those children, and what's the impact of the Stolen Generations today?

27/05/2026

Aunty Ruth Hegarty – a national treasure – spent her childhood wondering who she was and where she came from. A Stolen Generations survivor, she was removed from her mother at just four and a half years old.

The acclaimed author, activist, and survivor, Aunty Ruth (Guggurri) spoke about her many adults and children’s books at a Story Time Event at Queensland State Library.

Her most well-known book, “Is that you Ruthie”, shares her story of her time growing up in the Cherbourg Girls Dormitory – she promised the dormitory girls that she’d write about their time there.

Of the 75 girls in the dorm from Aunty Ruth’s time, she is the last one of her group in the dormitory who remains, at aged 97.

“I was a storyteller in the dormitory, that’s where I got into trouble.”

“I told ghost stories. But I never told a lie. I just wanted to write,” she recalled.

Whilst beginning with writing adults books, she then turned her talented hand to children’s books. She first wrote about the duck pond, the only place the dormitory girls could go, outside the barbed wire fence that surrounded the dormitory.

“It was our favourite place, a very special place. We’d go down there and turn into someone else. It was the only place we could go without supervision. This was freedom time,” she recalled when she spoke about her first children’s book, The Duck Pond, which she read from during the event.

Books authored by Stolen Generations survivors are a way to learn about the impacts of Australia’s history of forced removals, through the voices of survivors.

In every state and territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were systematically removed from family, community, Country and culture, under policies deliberately aimed at erasing their identity. Children were placed in missions and reserves all over Australia.

Explore the map for yourself:
https://www.healingfoundation.org.au/stolen-generations/institutions-map/

27/05/2026

The photograph is of the first gathering at Teralba Park, so long ago. The Sorry Day commemorations on the 26th May 2026 will be the 29th year of acknowledging the pain and suffering of the Stolen generations.

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

29 years after the Bringing Them Home report, co-author Professor Mick Dodson says Australia still hasn't fully reckoned with the truth of the Stolen Generations.

Speaking on National Sorry Day, he told The Radio National Hour why an apology without action is meaningless — and why the trauma of removal still impacts lives across generations.

🎧 Hear the ABC Radio National Hour at 6pm on weekdays on ABC listen: https://ab.co/ABCListen

27/05/2026

SHAME... this is terrible behaviour and disrespect of Elder Gaja Kerry Charlton..

PRESS CONFERENCE DISRUPTED BY GIICA ON NATIONAL SORRY DAY

This morning, Elders and community members gathered for a press conference at Victoria Park Barrambin to discuss the protection of Barrambin's sacred springs - the last functioning inner city spring in Brisbane Magandjin.

Instead of showing respect to this democratic process, GIICA chose that exact time to erect temporary fencing works directly behind the media event, creating loud disruption while Elder Gaja Kerry was speaking.

What we know:

- We understand a GIICA representative was on site from early this morning.

- We have been told that contractors were redirected to this location despite GIICA being aware that a press conference was scheduled for 9.15am.

- When workers were asked to pause the noisy work for 10 minutes the lead worker confirmed that the GIICA representative onsite had directed him to continue regardless of the request

That is disgraceful on any day. On National Sorry Day, it is outrageous.

This is not just about fencing. It is about the way this government is treating community voices, First Nations voices and the people standing up to protect Victoria Park Barrambin.

The message could not be clearer: they want to fence us out and bulldoze this through.

We say no.
No to intimidation.
No to silencing the community.
No to trampling human rights.
No to the destruction of Victoria Park Barrambin.

Your voice matters now more than ever. Please sign the community submission today and stand with the Elders to protect this land.

SIGN NOW (CLOSES FRIDAY): https://www.savevictoriapark.com/submission

IMPORTANT NOTE: this submission is different to past petitions you may have signed. If you haven't signed in the last few weeks you likely haven't signed THIS submission. Please check the link above and ensure you have signed this very important motion to stand with Elders.

27/05/2026

27 May to 3 June is National Reconciliation Week (NRW). It's a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Many Neighbourhood Centres are holding events as part of National Reconciliation Week. Find your local Centre, here: https://ncq.org.au/find-a-centre/

For more information about National Reconciliation Week: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/