New taskforce to investigate stolen wages of indigenous workers: The State Government has announced a significant commitment to indigenous reconciliation in Western Australia. Indigenous Affairs Minister Michelle Roberts said a taskforce would be established to investigate stolen wages of indigenous people in the State. “The State Government is addressing and trying to resolve some of the injustices committed against indigenous people in the past,” she said. “This is an important step in working towards reconciliation and a positive future for indigenous people in this State.” The announcement coincided with the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum that changed the Commonwealth Constitution to allow the Commonwealth Parliament to make special laws regarding indigenous people and enable indigenous people to be included in the national census. For full media release please click here.

Airwaves bring culture to the classroom: The State Government has announced a partnership with 6EBA-FM’s Whadjuk radio that will bring indigenous cultures and stories to Western Australian schools. Indigenous Affairs Minister Michelle Roberts announced the PALS (Partnership, Acceptance, Learning and Sharing) sponsorship to Whadjuk Indigenous Radio at its Maylands studios, before members of the Riverlands Montessori Community School and elders from the Autumn Centre in Bayswater. Riverlands and the Autumn Centre have participated in the award-winning PALS project for the past two years and are planning to extend their involvement in 2007. Mrs Roberts said PALS was a school-based program that encouraged students to become actively involved in reconciliation, building understanding and strengthening relationships with the indigenous community. It was a joint initiative of the Department of Indigenous Affairs and BHP Billiton Iron Ore. For full media release please click here.

Year 12 Seminar 2007: School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Western Australia is holding an annual residential seminar for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 12 through out Western Australia. The seminar is geared towards enabling students who have academic ability and an interest in studying at university level in Perth. The seminar provides a range of visits, guest speakers, learning seminars and workshops as well as social and cultural activities. The seminar will be held in Perth at the Department of Sport and Recreation's Point Walter Recreation and Conference Centre, Stock Road, Bicton. All student costs including travel, meals and accommodation are being sponsored by DEST. For more information please contact Brendon DeGois or Candace Gibson on tel: (08) 6488 3428, email: Brendon.DeGois@uwa.edu.au or website: www.sis.uwa.edu.au.

Community Violence Among Young People: The Injury Control Council of Western Australia (ICCWA) presents a lunchtime  televised talkback seminar on The Community Violence Among Young People research project. This forum will present the results of the  of the qualitative research done with young people, community residents, stakeholders and perpetrators of community violence in Fremantle and Rockingham. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, 13 June from 12.30pm - 1.30pm - light lunch will be provided. Please RSVP by Tuesday, 12 June tel: 9420 7212 or email: iccwaevents@iccwa.org.au.

New Legend Book Launch: Mr Joe Brown, Chairman of the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC), invites you to hoin him and other members of the KALACC Executive in the West Australian launch of our publication New Legend, 8 June at 4pm at the Perth Museum. New Legend has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Premier's Book Awards, with winners to be announced on the evening of 8 June. For further details please contact Wes Morris tel: (08) 91915317 email: kalacc.wes@bigpond.com.au.

I am woman: Austrade's Trade Day leads into APEC meeting: With women fast becoming the new economic forces in business world-wide, Austrade, for the first time, will hold a Trade Day for women to kick-off the APEC Women Leaders Network (WLN) meeting in Port Douglas this month (details below). Australian Government Minister for Trade Warren Truss will open the Austrade Women in Export Trade Day; he said there is an increase in the number of women participating in the work force and taking up senior roles in exporting. “Overall in Australia one in every 10 board members on private sector boards are women and one in every three Commonwealth board members is female,” Mr Truss said. “The latest DHL Women in Export survey of Australian businesses shows one in five has women in either a chief executive officer (CEO), or head, of exporting role. “Women in business in APEC economies are performing extremely well, particularly in service related sectors.  The global market for services is the fastest growing sector of world trade and in APEC economies that is no exception.  The services sector is one that women can get involved in and in many cases can export without having to travel,” he said. for full release please click here.

Interpretation Guidelines launched: West Australian Heritage Minister Michelle Roberts launched Sharing Our Stories: guidelines for heritage interpretation on 18 May, International Museums Day. The document was a collaborative project between the National Trust of Australia (WA), Museums Australia (WA) and Lotterywest. Sharing Our Stories is a comprehensive but easily accessible document providing tools for planning and delivering a range of interpretation projects including walk trails, museum exhibitions and educational programs. It is aimed at anyone interested in interpretation from community groups, local and regional museums, heritage sites, keeping places and state and local government bodies.  Copies can be downloaded from www.ntwa.com.au/sharingourstories for free. For more information or to purchase a hard copy of the document contact the Museums Australia (WA) office on 08 9427 2770 or email ma_wa@museum.wa.gov.au.