Agencies, publishers and industry bodies came together last week to celebrate National Aborigines' and Islanders' Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC).
Across Australia the industry recognised the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from hosting educational events, undertaking inclusion training, participating in marches, making charitable donations and much more to connected with this year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘For Our Elders’.
With every generation, Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in communities and families, the NAIDOC Week committee said.
"They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones. We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them.
"In 2023, how will you celebrate For Our Elders?"
SBS
SBS hosted a oration by Elder in Residence and proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung nation, Rhoda Roberts. Rhoda is a pioneer in the arts and creative sector and has been SBS's Elder in Residence since 2021.
Filmed in front of a live audience in the Artarmon studio and streamed to SBS Staff, the oration aired on NITV on July 9 and is now available on SBS On Demand.
SBS' atrium was full with with staff listening to her special oration and performances from the Brolga Dancers and Harbour Beizam.
Media Federation of Australia
The MFA launched two opportunities for members, including the SBS inclusion training for free and a new Voice to Parliament module.
Alongside other topics including core inclusion, generational diversity, disability, LGBTQI+, and cultural diversity, the new module covers the procedure required to enshrine a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution; and what part does the Uluru Statement from the Heart play in the Voice. In three short videos and an accompanying quiz MFA members can come away with an introduction to the Voice - in under 12 minutes.
The Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA)
The IMAA secured Salty One - AKA Lowell Hunter, a multi-award winning creative sand artist and 2022 national NAIDOC award winner for a webinar where members, media partners and trade press attended.
The IMAA has paid for this speaker, as a pledged to educate the wider media industry to take tangible action towards Reconciliation Sam Buchanan, CEO at IMAA, told AdNews.
"As our objective is all about education, we have also got from cuppa some snackable videos on what Naidoc means to different indigenous people to circulate and a podcast is on the agenda," Buchanan said.
IMAA for the second year is taking 15 media owners and Agency leaders on an immersion trip to Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Picture below is from last year's trip to Kings Narrative.
The Media Store
The Media Store team joined the IMAA NAIDOC webinar to hear Salty ONE, aka Lowell Hunter, a multi-award winning creative sand artist and 2022 National NAIDOC Award Winner, speak. The team also completed the SBS Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander training module.
As part of the agency's move to its new offices, The Media Store talked to local First Nations people to help name its meeting rooms in line with local Indigenous places and names.
GroupM
GroupM marked NAIDOC week with a powerful panel as part of its ‘Better for All’ DEI series in partnership with TikTok.
Bundjalung woman Rhoda Roberts hosted a panel discussion about the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum. She was joined by Naomi Moran – a Nyangbal, Arakwal and Dunghutti woman and GM of Australia’s only independent Indigenous newspaper, the Koori Mail, Thomas Mayo, Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man and author of The Voice to Parliament Handbook, and Dr Todd Fernando – a Wiradjuri man and Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities and ambassador for the ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ campaign.
They each shared knowledge, stories and experiences and how they use their sphere of influence to enact change Aimee Buchanan, GroupM ANZ CEO, told AdNews.
"It was a powerful and insightful session that celebrated their achievements, but also the importance of everyone taking responsibility to learn more about Australia's First Nations people and Indigenous history, particularly as we approach the Voice Referendum later this year," Buchanan said.
Mindshare
Mindshare held several events in support of its charity partner Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which provides books and learning resources to children in remote Indigenous communities across Australia.
In exchange for a donation to ILF, anyone can borrow a book from the Mindshare Book Share will run throughout July. The agency team are each bringing in a favourite book that has inspired them, to swap with their teammates. For every $10 donated, the ILF can provide a culturally relevant children's book to remote communities through its Book Supply program.
Mindshare also has a library of ILF’s children’s books on offer as part of the swap to encourage families to engage with the books which aim to maintain Indigenous languages and culture through storytelling. As part of GroupM’s Family Day, Mindshare hosted a book raffle raising more than $1000 to support their Book Supply.
Nine
Nine curated a range of activities to support our employees to discover, learn and develop cultural knowledge during NAIDOC week.
From commissioning emerging and established Indigenous artists to create a unique series of art for Nine offices around the country to education sessions on the difference between a Welcome to and an Acknowledgement of country, and online modules by the Arilla Cultural Competence Training, related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
There was also a cultural cooking experience from the National Indigenous Culinary Institutes (NICI’s) Cultural Cooking. Where 200 food boxes comprising fresh produce including Kangaroo Tartare with Saltch Damper, Humpty Doo Barramundi with Lemon Myrtle Butter Sauce and Davidson Plum Ice Cream were given to staff.
Future Women also held a breakfast event in Melbourne sharing the knowledge of First Nations women, pictured below.
Seven
Seven staff recognised the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by gathering on Gadigal Country to hear from Brian James Devonshire, Seven’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan artist, and Fran Grant, chair of the Qantas employee Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander network, Daramu.
The Pistol
Members of The Pistol attended a smoking ceremony and walked in NAIDOC Week March, joining the Wurundjeri land community in honouring their heritage. The agency was also privileged to hear Lowell Hunter, through the IMAA webinar, speak about his profound connection to country and its guiding influence on his work.
Foxtel
Foxtel staff came together in the Artarmon studios and via live stream parties across our campuses to explore the important role of media in strengthening our connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Jake Duke anchored a discussion with Tony Armstrong, Kevin Yow Yeh and Nathan Moran, introduced by News Corp Australia and Foxtel group community ambassador Penny Fowler.
“Since launching its first Reconciliation Action Plan in 2008, the Foxtel Group has been on a journey to contribute to reconciliation as a broadcaster, as a corporate partner, and through a commitment to our employees," a Foxtel Group spokesperson told AdNews.
“Our vision for reconciliation is based on a core belief in the importance of diverse voices to our business, subscribers and employees."
Paramount
Paramount ANZ had a special NAIDOC Week internal newsletter was edition highlighting events throughout the country staff could participate in and recommended viewing for those wanting to watch First Nations content.
There was a special staff profile on Will Shepherd, one of two interns who joined Paramount ANZ from CareerTrackers, a national program that facilitates paid internship opportunities for Indigenous students.
Narelda Jacobs OAM, a proud Whadjuk Noongar woman, 10 News Presenter and Studio 10 Co-Host also interviewed SBS elder in residence Rhoda Roberts for Paramount staff to hear the importance of cultural communication, structures, and sensitivity in a fast-paced media landscape.
10 News First used traditional place names on their weather maps, as well as in voice overs. 10 News Midday showed traditional place names on weather maps and have bespoke NAIDOC Week stories every day. The Project always displays traditional names for locations but they also branded their background in the NAIDOC artwork.
Melbourne's outdoor advertising space at the Como Centre featured the artwork ‘Interconnected’ by Christinaray Nadya Weetra, a Warumungu and Arrente woman. Christinaray Nadya Weetra said: "Like the water ways, we are spread out globally all over the country, leaving our mark on people and communities. Water not only represents connection but also works hard as it carves its way over time to make rivers, working against gravity."
The Hallway
The Hallway started the week with Sue Davies, head of people and culture, taking the agency through her experience with Elders in Galupa through to a brilliant smoking ceremony at their Gadigal office with Deborah Lennis, a local elder and Cultural Advisor to the Inner West and member of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee member.
Half Dome
Half Dome attended a panel discussion hearing from three inspirational First Nations leaders hosted by Maurice Blackburn, a long-standing client. Panellists Sheena Watt MP, Melia Benn and Sonja Stewart provided valuable perspectives on their journey in law and business as well as the upcoming Voice Referendum, highlighting the constant pressure and energy required to continue their advocacy as professional Indigenous women.
Renee Murray, Half Dome Head of People and Culture, said: “The event was both uplifting and grounding. It was vulnerable and powerful, educational, and moving – a new and compelling perspective through the lens of three incredibly impressive professional indigenous women on the challenges they have overcome and continue to face.”
Mediabrands
Mediabrands, in collaboration with Tonic Media, hosted a panel featuring three prominent Australians dedicated to providing a useful resource for The Voice referendum. The panel was facilitated by Dr Norman Swan, featuring the co-writers of “The Voice to Parliament Handbook”, Thomas Mayo and Kerry O’Brien.
Sharing personal stories and providing clarity on aspects of The Voice, they also answered questions presented by some of the 150 people who attended across Mediabrands. As Mediabrands mission is to respectfully engage and to offer resources to help people inform their views on The Voice, attendees were offered a copy of Handbook if they wished, generously sponsored by Tonic Media.
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