Taking time to focus

I heard yesterday that journalists and news editors are not that interested in the “National Day of …”. These are apparently days when people focus in a simplistic or hollow way on the issue of the day.

I get that. There’s lots of these “consciousness raising” days, and it can become tedious I suppose.

But I love them! I welcome the opportunity to focus our thinking and and renew action in particular areas.?

This week was both Science and Technology Week and Homelessness Week. In particular for us Homelessness Week strikes a chord knowing as we do how concerning the interface is between distress and homelessness. As the cost of living rises the concern that homelessness will also rise is palpable. A growing crisis in part due to the lack of affordable housing. Our position statement on Housing and Homelessness is HERE

The standout for me this week was on Thursday. It was National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day?and its been run since 1988.

This year's?theme was, “Their dreaming is part of our history, while their futures are their own to shape”.

Australia’s National Children's Commissioner Anne Holland said, “It’s heartbreaking to see young children suffering because Australia is not listening to kids and their families. We are out of step with other developed countries and we continue to to breach our human rights obligations. A roadmap for urgent system reform for prevention and early intervention is needed and we need to start now”.

What’s new and provides real hope for children and future generations is the move that we are finally making towards constitutional recognition for First Nations people. The commitment made last weekend by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the lands of the Yolngu takes us towards a national referendum on Constitutional recognition.?

Let’s talk and listen and act together to go forward.

Enshrining a representative voice alongside practical system reform to address the very real challenges faced by children and families and communities must both be addressed, now.

Happy National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day!