First Nations First

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 t...

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 weeke...

Who gets awarded for bravery and why? In the final episode of Uncle Charlie: The Invisible Hero, host Paulien Roessink speaks to community members who know a lot about awarding bravery. We’ll hear from David Arden, the president of the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, and Michael Bell, Indigenous Liaison for the Australian War Memorial, alongside previous guests of the series. We'll find out w...

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.

Two years after the Broome air raid—when Japanese Zero fighter planes attacked and more than 80 lives were lost—local Bardi man Charles D’Antoine was awarded a medal by the Kingdom of the Netherlands for saving three Dutch nationals. Now, 83 years on, the Australian government has yet to formally acknowledge Uncle Charlie’s act of bravery. In the second episode of this 3-part series, host Paulien...

On a hot autumn day in Broome, 1942 a young Indigenous man named Charles D’Antoine is cleaning boat planes along Roebuck Bay. Charles, also known as Uncle Charlie to his loved ones, couldn’t have imagined the carnage that was about to be unleashed on this small regional town. Japanese Zero fighter planes launched a devastating air raid on Broome, leaving approximately 80 people dead. Amid the chao...

The Federal Court has dismissed a landmark case which argued the federal government breached its duty of care to protect the Torres Strait Islands from climate change. The case, brought by Traditional Owners Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai in 2021, argued the government held a duty of care to the Indigenous peoples and alleged that its failure to adequately reduce emissions has contributed...

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, incr...

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...

On 3 March 1942, Japanese Zero fighter planes launched a devastating air raid on Broome, Western Australia. Charles D’Antoine, a young Indigenous man, was cleaning flying boats in Roebuck Bay when the bombs fell. Amid the chaos Charles, also known as Uncle Charlie to his loved ones, saved the lives of three Dutch citizens. For his bravery, he was awarded a Silver Medal by the Dutch government. But...

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...

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 h...

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 provi...

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.