Yarramundi Lecture
Now in its 16th year, the annual Yarramundi Lecture was held on the Hawkesbury campus as a key part of the 2012 NAIDOC Week celebrations.
The lecture aims to commemorate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within Australia, and provides an opportunity for the University community to embrace a spirit of co-operation and sharing, guided by genuine understanding and mutual respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Professor Janice Reid, Vice-Chancellor welcomed notable attendees including Professor Peter Shergold, Chancellor, Freda Whitlam, Councillor John Thain (representative for Penrith City Council), The Honourable John Aquilina, Aunty Sandra Lee, Darug Elder, Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Darug Elder and Elders on Campus – Aunty Mae Robinson, Community Elder, Aunty Norma Shelly, Community Elder and founding member Aunty Pearl Wymarra, Community Elder and former employee of UWS.
This year Warren Mundine, recently appointed CEO of GenerationOne, was invited to speak at the lecture.
As a leader and descendent of the Bundjalung people, Warren’s objective in his new role is to end the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians through employment and training. Warren highlighted the significance of the employment and training agenda to close the gap and acknowledged Melissa Williams, Director, Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Engagement in his address.
Warren also reflected on the history of the Tent Embassy, as well as more recent events.
“On Australia Day this year we saw a small number of people hijack the Tent Embassy for their own agenda which resulted in ugly scenes in Canberra, including security guards whisking our Prime Minister away into a car, losing her shoe on the way... This only damaged the reputation of our country and these radical activists negatively portrayed all Aboriginal people, nationally and internationally.
As more and more of our young people graduate and become doctors, lawyers, teachers, and political leaders, our focus must remain on those who believe there is no opportunity for them in the modern economy. We must bust that myth, and shake the cycle of hopelessness by helping our people to believe in themselves, and the power they have to live the change they want to see.”
Jo Galea, Indigenous Project Officer from the Office of Schools Engagement and a Wiradjuri woman (pictured second from the left), says that the lecture series is a positive initiative supported by the University.
"It is a wonderful way of getting people together," says Jo.
"The lecture provides a platform for the community to discuss relevant issues in relation to our people."
The 2012 Yarramundi Lecture is available to view in full online, and is also currently broadcasting across Koori FM and TVS.
Watch the 2012 Yarramundi Lecture online(opens in a new window)
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