Australian Indigenous

This section contains information on recent conferences. If you are aware of any conferences that would be appropriate for inclusion in this section please contact us.

• 2005 Charles Perkins Memorial Oration added 12 December 2005
• 9th Annual Chronic Diseases Network Conference added 3 October 2005
• Imagining Childhood: Children, Culture and Community Symposium added 23 November 2005
• Seminar about the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage, key indicators 2005 report added 1 November 2005

You may require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view documents from the following conferences. Click on the image to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe's Internet site.

2005 Charles Perkins Memorial Oration
27 October 2005, Sydney, New South Wales

The Charles Perkins Memorial Oration took place on 27 October 2005, at the University of Sydney. It was given by Chief Justice James J. Spigelman and addresed the theme of 'vision, leadership and future'. Chief Justice Spigelman's presentation provided an historical perspective on Aboriginal people's involvement with the criminal justice system. It highlighted the success of contemporary circle sentencing, through which Aboriginal elders and victims discuss an offence with the Aboriginal perpetrator(s) and develop a suitable sentence together. He explained the benefits of circle sentencing (as found in trials on the south coast of New South Wales) including its capacity to reinforce the position of Aboriginal community leaders and empower communities.

The 2005 oration (view oration - PDF - 50.6KB) is available on the Charles Perkins Memorial Oration web pages (view web pages) of the Koori Centre of the University of Sydney (view website).

9th Annual Chronic Diseases Network Conference
8 - 9 September 2005, Darwin, Northern Territory

The 9th Annual Chronic Disease Network Conference focused on childhood influences on adult chronic disease. The theme was: ‘Making the links, improving the outcomes’. The aim of the conference was to explore links between the early years and adult health and wellbeing.

Presentations associated with Indigenous health include:

• Houston S. Aboriginal health and families
• Sayers S, Mackerras D, Singh G. The ABC of life: Aboriginal Birth Cohort
• Senior K. Walkin’ about at night- sexual decision making and teenage pregnancy in a remote Aboriginal community
• Aquino D. Sharing child health with mothers in Katherine West region with the Karu, Kurdu, Jarlik (baby) book
• Garnggulkpuy J, Lawurrpa Maypilama E. Yalu Marnggikunyaraw, nurturing Galiwinku youth
• Singh G, Sayers S, Hoy W. Maternal alcohol ingestion during pregnancy predisposes to smaller kidneys and Albuminuria in Aboriginal children: findings from an Aboriginal birth cohort
• Sweeney N, Borsi T, Fejo K. More than just Play
• McElligott S, Wright J. Health care through self care: an innovative approach to women’s health in remote Aboriginal communities
• Liddle M. Strong women, strong babies, strong culture
• Currie K. A lifetime of hearing disability
• Vadiveloo J. Yarrenyty-Arltere Learning Centre - a community answer
• Nagel T, Thompson C, Mills R. Childhood determinants of mental health
• Gunthorpe W. The strong souls study: evaluating instruments to measure mental health risk among Aboriginal people in the NT
• McDonald M, Brown A. What breaks a child’s heart? Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Aboriginal children.
• Bailie R. Housing and child health in remote Indigenous communities

The full program and abstracts are now available (view abstracts - PDF 1.76MB - large file warning!).

Imagining Childhood: Children, Culture and Community Symposium
20-22 September 2005, Alice Springs, Northern Territory

The Imagining Childhood Symposium, organised by the School for Social and Policy Research, Charles Darwin University, focused on the diverse experiences of childhood across social and cultural contexts. The symposium included critical evaluations of key institutions affecting children's growth and development, and current systems, policies and practice. Presentations also detailed children's art, play and imagination, and their significance for learning and development.

The conference included the following speeches:

• Silburn S, Zubrick S, Kickett-Tucker C. Western Australian Child Health Survey: are there any policy implications?
• Adams I. Early childhood development for Indigenous children: influences and issues
• Eickelkamp U. The artifice of play
• Fietz P. Socialisation and the shaping of youth identity at Docker River
• Briscoe G. From Baldwin Spencer's protection to new assimilation: control of half-caste children, 1911-1952
• Stefanoff L. Snake Dreaming: Stolen children and the mediation of historical trauma and imagination on screen
• Andrews J. Bringing up our children: Aboriginal families in Victoria
• Wigglesworth G, Disbray S. A longitudinal study of language acquisition in Australian Aboriginal children in three communities
• Gray B. Changing the institutional reality of Indigenous education

Papers and audio recordings (view presentations - HTML) are now available on the Imagining Childhood website (view website).

Seminar about the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage, key indicators 2005 report
16 September 2005, Sydney, New South Wales

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, the Productivity Commission and Reconciliation Australia co-hosted the seminar about the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage, key indicators 2005 report.

The seminar included speeches by:

• Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice Commissioner
• Jackie Huggins, Reconciliation Australia
• Mick Dodson, Australian National University
• Kerry Arabena, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Papers and audio recordings (view presentations - HTML) are now available on the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission website (view website).

For further information about the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage, key indicators 2005 report:
View HealthInfoNet abstract
View report (HTML)
View overview (PDF – 2.1MB – large file warning!)

Last updated: 20 December, 2005