the dharriwaa elders group (deg) is a vital organisation actively working to improve the lives of residents in walgett, australia. through a range of community-focused programs and advocacy efforts, deg aims to foster positive change and address critical local issues.
community support and fine debt reduction
deg is dedicated to assisting walgett residents with managing financial burdens, particularly in relation to fines.
their "dealing with fines" team, comprising wendy rose and steven dennis bungee, collaborates with clients to find solutions. this often involves working alongside the aboriginal legal service (als) fine debt team and implementing "work development order" programs. these programs allow individuals to clear fine debt through participation in approved activities, including those offered by deg.
youth wellbeing and engagement
recognising the importance of supporting younger generations, deg has successfully re-launched its youth wellbeing service.
following a four-week activity trial in december, which saw enthusiastic participation from walgett's young people, deg is committed to providing a range of engaging activities designed to foster positive development and provide a safe space for youth.
leadership and organisational sustainability
deg is proud to introduce its new leadership team, tasked with guiding the organisation towards a sustainable future and ensuring continued leadership for the community.
the group places a strong emphasis on understanding its progress and evaluating the outcomes of its work, as demonstrated by its commitment to producing an evaluation and learning report.
access to clean drinking water
since late 2018, deg has been actively providing chilled, low-sodium drinking water to walgett residents through its gali initiative.
a running tally of dispensed litres is maintained, with plans to install a second gali at their new galumali premises at 82 fox street. this service directly addresses the ongoing need for safe drinking water in the community, highlighting that residents are still purchasing water.
advocacy and policy engagement
deg actively engages in advocacy to achieve necessary changes and optimal outcomes for the walgett community.
a significant contribution was made on october 6th with a submission to the productivity commission review of the national agreement on closing the gap draft report. this submission shared valuable insights derived from deg's partnership with unsw, known as yuwaya ngarraali, aimed at closing the gap.
a key focus for deg has been understanding the extent of government investment in service delivery and infrastructure for the walgett aboriginal community.
this understanding is crucial for evaluating the value and effectiveness of such investments from a community perspective.
housing and design needs
in 2017, deg welcomed samantha rich, a wiradjuri building designer and architecture student, who quickly became an invaluable member of the yuwaya ngarraali team.
her initial task involved listening to deg elders to understand their specific housing and home design requirements, demonstrating a commitment to culturally sensitive and community-led solutions.
addressing homelessness
on july 13th, deg and the walgett aboriginal medical service (wams) issued a joint statement addressing the high levels of homelessness in walgett.
this statement was released in response to homelessness nsw preparing a campaign and outlined deg's understanding of the situation, supported by evidence from their past advocacy efforts.
environmental stewardship and water quality
deg's commitment extends to environmental stewardship, particularly concerning the health of local waterways.
a photograph taken by the walgett river rangers on september 19th on the namoi river starkly illustrated the poor water quality experienced in walgett, with reports of blue-green algae prepared by water nsw underscoring the ongoing challenges.
the dharriwaa elders group is resolute in ensuring that voters and decision-makers are informed about the condition of rivers and waterways within deg's area of interest in the northern murray darling basin.
the yuwaya ngarraali caring for country program convened a crucial meeting of all deg's collaborators involved in water-related country care work.
this facilitated an environment for collaborators to connect, learn about each other's efforts, and understand their combined impact.
river ranger program
deg's river ranger team plays a critical role in monitoring the local environment. their new tinny provides enhanced access to areas of the river that were previously difficult to reach due to landholder access restrictions.
these rangers are the organisation's eyes and ears on the ground, diligently observing and documenting the concerning state of the rivers.
in february, the river ranger team documented the unfortunate presence of dead dhagaay (yellowbelly) in the waterways.
walgett's location at the confluence of the baawan and ngamaay namoi rivers should ideally ensure ample water access. however, due to upstream irrigation and mismanagement, the community frequently faces water scarcity.
advocacy for essential services
in february, staff from wams and deg travelled to sydney to advocate for the nsw government to provide low-sodium drinking water to walgett and to enhance the capabilities of the walgett shire council.
this advocacy highlights the ongoing efforts to secure vital services for the community.
dharriwaa elders group and yuwaya ngarraali youth team
yuwaya ngarraali, the partnership between deg and unsw, recruited three members for a new youth team in 2019.
under the leadership of peta macgillivray, this team collaborated to develop a holistic, community-led model.
community response to pool closure
deg expressed significant concern in early july upon learning from the abc that the walgett shire council had resolved to "decommission the walgett pool." in response, deg, alongside wams, the walgett swimming club, and the broader swimming community, mobilized to take action and advocate for the pool's preservation.
addressing homophobia and supporting lgbtq+ indigenous individuals
recent discussions have brought to light the challenges faced by lgbtq+ indigenous individuals, particularly in regional areas.
comments made on social media, such as "it's ok in our culture that ain't in our culture and our ancestors would have their head for it! like my dad told me god made adam and eve not adam and steve," reflect deeply ingrained, outdated views.
personal accounts detail experiences of homophobic slurs and discrimination.
one individual recounts being called a "poofter" for the first time, a term they didn't understand but recognised as negative due to the tone. another shares how homophobic insults were used during arguments, highlighting the pervasive nature of such prejudice.
these experiences underscore the devastating impact of stigma, which can contribute to significant mental health issues, including depression and high rates of suicide.
experts indicate that suicide, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and risky sexual behaviours are disproportionately higher among the indigenous lgbtq+ community.
individuals from regional areas, particularly those who are indigenous and identify as gay or transgender, often face compounded challenges due to prevailing old-fashioned views.
this can leave them at a significant disadvantage when seeking support.
the story of conway, a successful rugby league player who battled the fear of backlash for coming out as gay, highlights the internal struggles many face. today, conway actively promotes open and honest conversations about mental health within the indigenous community and champions pride in identity and sexuality among young people.
support resources
for those seeking information and support regarding mental health, resources are available through organisations like beyondblue australia and reachout.
individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts can immediately contact lifeline australia on 13 11 14. for those in the us, the national suicide prevention lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.