NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (from Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
NAIDOC Week, as a week-long celebration, began in 1975. However, its origins trace back to the 1938 Day of Mourning, a protest organised by Aboriginal leaders to mark the 150th anniversary of the First Fleet’s arrival in Australia. This event was pivotal in advocating for Indigenous rights and recognition. This year we mark NAIDOC Week’s 50-year anniversary with the theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” celebrating not only the achievements of the past but the future ahead.
Every year, the NSW Public Service celebrates the importance of NAIDOC week, and PSA members are holding events to recognise 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. This year Stewart Little, PSA General Secretary and PSA Senior Organiser Chris Auld were invited to join Fairfield Community Corrections members by Manager, Samah Hasham for their NAIDOC morning tea.
The event was chaired by Brooke Toli ACECO (Aboriginal Community Engagement and Culture Officer) and events throughout the week include encouraging staff, visitors, and clients to paint images and to add on the cultural tree.
Historically, unions in Australia have been rightly criticised for not doing enough to support Indigenous workers. The PSA, because our membership has long-included Aboriginal people, was a union that has had a stronger recognition of Indigenous rights within the workforce for many decades. Our Aboriginal Council was one of the first to be established in the country. The PSA is a strong supporter of our Indigenous comrades in the public service and has always recognised the importance of NAIDOC week.
There are NAIDOC Week events all across NSW, most of which you can find by searching the NAIDOC website.
The Public Service Association of NSW and Community and Public Sector Union (SPSF Group) NSW Branch acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work and the places in which we live. We pay respect to Ancestors and Elders, past, present and future. We recognise the unique cultural and spiritual relationship and celebrate the contributions of first nations peoples to Australia.
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