2006 Speeches

Address by TSRA Portfolio Member for Women & Families  

Mrs Margaret Mau

“Foot Prints in Time” Presentation, Thursday Island

15 November 2006

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. May I begin by firstly acknowledging:

• The traditional owners of this land, the Kaurareg people
• Elder Mr Joshua Wasaga
• Father Ted Loban
• TSRA Chairperson, Mr Toshie Kris
• TSRA Board Members 
• TSRA General Manager, Mr Wayne See Kee
• FaCSIA Director, Ms Melissah Feeeney
• FaCSIA Assistant Director, Ms Sharon Barnes
• Ladies & Gentlemen

Thank you for being here today to take part  in this presentation of the Australian Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs’ (FaCSIA), “ Growing up in the Torres Strait Islands: a Report from the Footprints in Time trial.”

This Report is the culmination of two years of intensive work in the region, involving families from 21 communities on our islands and in the Northern Peninsula Area.

The Project examined the challenges and experiences of growing up in the Torres Strait.

Recorded were the stories from family members – grandparents, parents and children – providing an important insight on how they view life, and how it has changed from one generation to the next.

Their personal accounts include that of life with an extended family, as well how culture, language, education, nutrition, services and general island life have impacted how they go about their daily activities.

This valuable information can now be used by government, service providers and communities to select and develop appropriate programs and resources for our communities, to ensure that our children have a strong and healthy start to life.

I would like to thanks FaCSIA for choosing the Torres Strait to conduct this research, as a trial leading up to its National Longitudinal Study.

During the Project’s time in the Torres Strait, FaCSIA employed a local Regional Coordinator and six Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) to ensure that the procedures and methods used for the project were culturally appropriate.

The CLOs visited and engaged community members to participate in this important study, and I congratulate them and FaCSIA, as without their hard work, today’s report would not have been possible.

In closing, I would like to thank the families who welcomed this project into their lives - their valuable contribution will help to ensure that the needs of Australia’s Indigenous children are recorded and available for stakeholders to develop future programs, services and policies that will build a strong foundation for our next generation.