First Nations First

The Northern Territory justice system is under fresh scrutiny amid allegations people are being held in overcrowded cells for long periods of time without adequate healthcare in a Darwin correctional facility. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections has said in a statement that the Darwin Transitional Custody Centre accommodates prisoners for a maximum of four weeks. They said prisoners undergo intake and medical screening to ensure they don't have any serious health concerns and are well suited to the environment. The spokesperson also said prisoners do have access to phones and can contact family. But this week, the North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) accused the government of failing to fully address the issue, saying parts of the Darwin City Watchhouse had been renamed and transferred to the control of the corrections department – while conditions continue to resemble a watchhouse. NAAJA CEO Ben Grimes is being interviewed here by Tee Mitchell.

Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man Travis Lovett is now well into his 800 kilometre walk from Melbourne to Canberra. The former Yoorrook Justice Commissioner is leading the five-week long 'Walk for Truth' to call on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to establish a National Truth Telling Process. SBS reporter Angelica Waite spoke with Mr Lovett when he was in Seymour, about 150 kilometres into his journey.

WARNING Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who has passed away. THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRESSING FOR SOME LISTENERS. The desperate search for a five-year-old missing in the Northern Territory has ended in tragedy. Police believe they've found the girl's body. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro says the entire Northern Territory is mourning the family's loss.

[[WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should exercise caution when listening to this audio as it contains names and images of deceased persons, which may cause distress to members of these communities.]] Since the First World War, Indigenous men and women have served in Australia's defence forces, despite the government's refusal to recognise their rights. NITV Radio's Kerri-Lee Barry has spoken to Michael Bell about members of her own family who served in Australia's defence forces.

A trailblazer of Australia's arts and cultural landscape, Aunty Rhoda Roberts has been laid to rest on Country in her hometown of Lismore. Hundreds gathered to honour a life dedicated to the arts and elevating Indigenous voices.

Tributes are being made to SBS Elder-in-residence and Widjabul Wia-bal woman, Auntie Rhoda Roberts, who has died at the age of 66. Her short battle with a very rare type of ovarian cancer ended on Saturday afternoon on her country surrounded by family. The decorated writer, actor and director was awarded an Order of Australia in 2016 for her service to performing arts and immense impact on and off the stage and screen. Rhoda Robert’s family has granted permission for SBS to broadcast images and audio, to honour and celebrate her life and enduring legacy.

New data from the Productivity Commission reveals that the national effort to Close the Gap is failing. As the 2031 deadline looms, Indigenous leaders and advocates are calling for an urgent shift away from "band-aid" government strategies toward genuine community-led action and structural reform.

Professor Michael Wear, a Malgana Traditional Custodian from Shark Bay, has been honoured at the 26th Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science for his groundbreaking work uniting Indigenous knowledge and marine science. He is the inaugural winner of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems. Through his company Tidal Moon, Professor Wear is leading a world-first seagrass restoration project that employs Aboriginal divers, supports sustainable livelihoods, and restores cultural connections to Sea Country. His work highlights how traditional wisdom and Western science can come together to protect Australia’s oceans and climate.

Thousands of Indigenous households across northern Australia live with prepaid power, where disconnection can happen at any moment. Now a new report has warned that without stronger protections, the system could turn deadly in extreme heat. SBS’s Christopher Tan travelled to the Kimberley to see what life is like when power is a privilege, not a guarantee.

Traditional owners in far north Queensland are calling for an iconic saltwater crocodile to be returned to country. The croc, named 'Old Faithful', featured in the Crocodile Hunter series alongside the late Steve Irwin - but he's been re-homed far from his natural habitat following concerns over aggressive behaviour.

State and territory governments in Australia will face scrutiny as part of a parliamentary inquiry on the outcomes and impacts of youth incarceration. The over-incarceration of First Nations children will also be a key focus.

A not for profit organisation says almost half of Indigenous communities living cut off from the world face extinction within the decade due to logging, mining and tourism. Survival International says they want the world - especially governments and industries - to recognise and address the problem as a global emergency.

Victoria's First Nations community is celebrating a historic milestone - legislation to establish the first treaty in Australia's history passed through state parliament on Thursday night. It's expected to enter force by the end of the year, after an official signing ceremony and royal assent from Victoria's governor, in the culmination of a whole decade of negotiations. The legislation establishes a permanent Aboriginal advisory and decision-making body, to be known as Gellung Warl, which will remain outside the state's constitution. Aunty Jill Gallagher is the C-E-O of the Victorian Community Controlled Health Organisation, and served as the Treaty Advancement Commissioner in 2018. She's been talking to SBS's Tee Mitchell.

After almost a decade of activism and community efforts, Victoria has passed Australia's first ever treaty legislation establishing a permanent Indigenous representative body in the state parliament. The landmark agreement between the Victorian Government and the First People's Assembly of Victoria marks a historic step towards recognising and reckoning with Victoria's violent colonial history.

The Western Australian Governor has apologised for his predecessor's role in a state-led violent attack against Noongar men, women and children almost 200 years ago, known as the Pinjarra massacre. Descendants of the Bindjareb Noongar people received the long-awaited apology saying it is a meaningful step towards reconciliation.

Anangu traditional owners have marked 40 years since Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park was handed back to their people. The handback was a landmark moment for Aboriginal land rights in Australia and a powerful recognition of the enduring connection between First Nations peoples and Country. The official celebrations have included a trip to London for a delegation of nine Anangu traditional owners, who met with High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith, and King Charles, as part of the official commemorations.

The Victorian Government is debating a historic Statewide Treaty Bill, establishing Australia's first ever Treaty agreement between a state government and First Peoples in Victoria. If signed into law, the Treaty Bill will forge a path forward for First Peoples in Victoria to negotiate and influence the policy that affects community.

This weekend will see the largest annual gathering of Indigenous people in the country at the New South Wales Koori knockout rugby league tournament. It's a sporting competition... but also, so much more.

A group of young First Nations men and women have blazed their way through a training program for firefighter hopefuls. The initiative is a partnership between TAFE and the New South Wales Fire Service - to help young Indigenous people get into their dream job.

The Northern Territory has been engulfed by significant backlash regarding the sentencing of a driver who fatally struck an Aboriginal man in a hit and run and his familial connection to the Territory's Attorney General. First Nations communities and legal experts argue the sentence given to Jake Danby, a 12-month community corrections order, is inconsistent with the 'tough on crime' approach of the Country Liberal Party government.

In Western Australia's Wheatbelt, a region long shaped by industrial farming practices, a new model of regenerative agriculture is taking root. At Yaraguia farm, Ballardong Noongar man Oral McGuire is healing Country, reconnecting First Nations knowledge of caring for Country with modern land management to restore ecosystems and produce food that benefits both the land and the community.

Politicians are warning against the risks of extremism and political violence, after rival rallies were held in Australia's capital cities and regional centres.

An Aboriginal gathering place and burial ground was attacked in Melbourne on Sunday by participants in the city's anti-immigration rallies. Police are investigating the incident, which witnesses say involved self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell and up to 100 others. The incident has been condemned by political leaders, with Senator Lidia Thorpe calling for a federal inquiry.

This week marks the 50th anniversary since the Gurindji land handback, an historic turning point for Aboriginal land rights in Australia. Fifty years on, people from all over Australia have gathered for the Gurindji Freedom Day Festival to celebrate the anniversary of the land hand-back, and remember the iconic events of the 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off.

Surrounded by the stringybark forest of Northeast Arnhem Land, a group of Yolngu cultural educators are passing on knowledge of bush medicine to a new wave of First Nations doctors. The remote placement, formed in partnership with Flinders University, explores traditional healing methods, while building cultural awareness in modern practices.

Around Australia, some educational and fun workshops for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are aiming to contribute to an inclusive and diverse future science and technology workforce. Victoria’s largest health service and an Indigenous-owned organisation are helping to guide students from an Aboriginal high school to meaningful STEM related career pathways.

An art exhibition in Melbourne is showcasing the work of three Aboriginal sisters in a collection entitled 'Connected Through Country'. Artists Amunda, Grace and Myra Gorey own their own art collective called No Fixed Gallery, which is dedicated to celebrating 65,000 years of Arrernte culture through contemporary art. In this episode of Weekend One on One, Biwa Kwan spoke with Amunda Gorey about the inspiration for the latest collection - and how her art intersects with her work with non-profit Children's Ground to deliver change and impact for First Nations children through a pioneering model blending lifelong learning and confidence in culture and language.

The very first Garma Festival was held just before the turn of the millennium in 1999, led by the late Yunupingu. But the mission of its founders remains: to be a cross-cultural meeting of leaders to discuss improving standards of living for all First Nations people. And a warning - this feature contains the voice of someone who has died.

The Northern Territory is the worst-performing jurisdiction in the country on Closing the Gap, new data has revealed. Youth advocates and experts have condemned a string of recent NT Government reforms amid worsening progress on incarceration and youth detention. It comes as Indigenous leaders prepare to meet with the Prime Minister at the annual Garma Festival in north-east Arnhem Land this weekend.

A new report has found that First Nations Australians are twice as likely as other Australians to have trouble accessing their superannuation. The independent research highlights the systemic barriers First Nations peoples face which include rigid policies, inaccessible customer service and a lack of accountability. Financial counsellors say reforms are badly needed to address this.

An Indigenous-owned business in Western Australia is drawing on traditional knowledge to bring back Australia's first ever export - the sea cucumber. Tidal Moon exports the coveted delicacy to South East Asia, creating employment in a region where jobs are limited.

The opening of Emily Kam Kngwarray at the Tate Modern marks the first major solo exhibition of the First Nations artist in Europe. Five years in the making, the show is a collaboration with the National Gallery of Australia and showcases the works of one of Australia's most renowned artists.

A landmark report released this week has found Indigenous businesses are helping to make progress on Closing the Gap targets, creating $42.6 billion in social value each year. That means every dollar invested equates to $3.66 in social value. The report by Supply Nation, which runs the largest directory of Indigenous businesses in Australia, says it leads to improved mental health conditions, increased pride among communities, and a better connection to culture and Country. Supply Nation CEO Kate Russell spoke with Stephanie Youssef about the report's findings.

An ancient indigenous rock art collection in Western Australia's Pilbara region has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traditional owners travelled to Paris for the decision, where member nations unanimously voted for the inclusion of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape. The engravings pre-date anything found in ancient Egypt or the Roman empire.

A new report from non-profit organisation Supply Nation has found Indigenous businesses are experiencing growing demand for their products, and increased exports to other countries. Indigenous businesses have been found to create more than 40 billion dollars in value each year, helping to progress Closing the Gap targets, and leading to stronger connection to culture and country.

On Flinders Island in Bass Strait sits a little-known place, significant to not only Tasmanian and Australian history ... but global history. It's known as Wybalenna and it’s a place of deep sorrow for the Aboriginal community. But in more recent years an effort has been underway to make it a more comfortable place for the Aboriginal community to spend time for healing and truth-telling. With the community gathering there this week to mark NAIDOC week and continue the truth-telling that's been happening since colonisation.

Human rights organisations are calling for urgent reform, in response to long-awaited findings from a coronial inquest into the fatal police shooting of 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker. After an almost three-year investigation, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage delivered her findings at a hearing in the town of Yuendumu, where the shooting took place. Her 683-page report found Mr Walker's death was avoidable, and makes 32 recommendations for change.

Ten Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trailblazers have been celebrated for excellence in their chosen fields at the national NAIDOC Week Awards in Perth. The annual awards ceremony honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who make outstanding contributions to improving the lives of people in their communities and beyond. Among the recipients, Jaru and Indjibarndi man Daniel Hunt has been awarded the prestigious NAIDOC Person of the Year award, recognised for his extensive contribution to Aboriginal health.

NAIDOC week this year celebrates the strength, vision and legacy of the next generation of First Nation leaders. Adnyamathanha, Luritja and Lower Southern Arrernte woman Juanella Donovan sold her first painting at the age of 12, to a tourist in the South Australian Flinders Ranges. Her work is now exhibited internationally, and she's stepped up to front a new Aboriginal art collective that's providing artists with a culturally respectful way to make an income in Port Augusta.

This year NAIDOC week is marking 50 years of honouring First Nations voices and culture. What began as a movement for justice, equality, freedom, and basic human rights has grown into a powerful national celebration, and a platform for the issues still affecting Indigenous people today.

This year, NAIDOC Week focuses on building a legacy for the next generation. That’s also the focus of an Aboriginal chef, who grew up knowing very little about his own heritage. He has since made it his business to help connect young Indigenous people with their culture – through food.

A permanent Indigenous voice to parliament is on its way for Victoria. It makes Victoria the second state in Australia - after South Australia - to establish a state-based, democratically elected body to provide advice on laws and policies related to Aboriginal people. The agreements come at the same time as the handing down of the final report of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, after four years of hearings.

In the world heritage-protected Shark Bay, 800 kilometres north of Perth, a Malgana woman is working to save biodiversity. Considered one of the world's greatest wilderness treasures, she's carrying a unique responsibility passed on by Elders who've cared for the land before her.

The biggest cohort of First Nations graduates from a single degree have been celebrated at Monash University in Melbourne. The Master of Indigenous Business Leadership aims to encourage the next generation and diversify the sector.

Thousands of people have arrived in Naarm this week, joining the Yoorrook Justice Commissioner on the final steps of his Walk for Truth. The 500-kilometre journey marks the closing chapter for Travis Lovett in his Victoria’s landmark truth-telling process - where he trekked from Portland in the state's west all the way to Melbourne.

Every year, hundreds gather to mark the Myall Creek massacre in New South Wales. Once a no-go zone, today a memorial stands at the site as a tribute to the group of 28 unarmed Aboriginal people killed by a gang of stockmen on 10 June 1838. It was one of 438 sites where the mass killing of Aboriginal Australians took place during the period called the Frontier Wars, between 1788 and 1930. The event was also the first – and only – time European settlers were successfully prosecuted for the mass murder of Aboriginal people. For Keith Munro, a descendant of the survivors, the annual gathering is a major truth-telling project brought to life by the local community - both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. Biwa Kwan spoke with Keith Munro about the significance of this year's commemoration.

After years of campaigning, Stolen Generations survivor Tony Hansen says the establishment of a redress scheme in Western Australia is a milestone moment.

Stolen Generations survivors in Western Australia will now be eligible for redress for the harm caused by forced removals of children from family and community. The state government has announced living survivors will be eligible for payments of up to $85,000 under the scheme. As Reconciliation Week events take place across the country, former Labor Senator Pat Dodson has also called for Labor to take further steps toward truth-telling and treaty.

Every year in conjunction with National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June, Australians are presented with the opportunity to learn more about the nation’s shared histories, cultures and achievements. This year, the theme is Bridging Now to Next - calling on the nation to reflect on the ongoing connection between past, present and future.

It has become a lightning rod issue: What should Australia do with its public statues celebrating leaders from the country's colonial past? One group thinks it has the answer. SBS' The Feed speaks to an anonymous group from Melbourne has been going after colonial statues – toppling, breaking or defacing them in the night.