Anmatjere News

Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) Aged Care workers are now being vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. In Engawala, all staff and clients have been fully vaccinated, having received two shots. The staff were a little unsure at first but after Traditional Owner Kevin Bloomfield volunteered to go first the staff followed.

In other communities the staff have had only one shot, and in others still they are waiting for the next round of vaccines to arrive.

Photo: Wayne Porter, Aged Care Coordinator in Nyirripi, receiving his first Pfizer vaccine shot.

Anmatjere celebrated their NAIDOC Week early on Tuesday 22 June at the Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) office in Ti Tree. NIADOC Week is July 4 – 11 this year but Anmatjere got in early so Ti Tree School could be involved. This year’s theme is ‘Heal Country!’

There was a great turnout for the event, including local community members from Ti Tree town, Pmara Jutunta, Nturiya and Wilora, Traditional Owners, CDRC Local Authority members and Councillors, CDRC staff, Local Police and Liaison Officer and of course special guests Ti Tree School.  The school students participated heavily in the NAIDOC Art Competition and produced some fantastic artwork, with the winner to receive a prize of $20 voucher to spend at Ti Tree Farm Garden.

On 6 June, Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) Community Safety Patrol (CSP) teams from Yuelamu, Laramba, Nturiya, Pmara Jutunta, Atitjere, and Engawala travelled to Alice Springs for three days of training in Introductory Mediation and Peacemaking.  The program was delivered by Troy Degenhardt and Matthew Panayi of Northern Territory Alternate Dispute Resolution.

Over the three days, the group discussed traditional processes of dispute resolution and peacemaking, and were surprised to find that they were so similar to a formal mediation process.

Players from Atitjere, Engawala and Laramba will travel to Ti Tree on Wednesday 23 June to play in the Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) Intercommunity Softball Tournament. The four communities will play in a round robin competition, with the winner to represent CDCR at the upcoming Mparntwe Shield in Alice Springs.

It is expected that there will be a big crowd and the Pmara Jutunta community will make plenty of noise to support their home team.

Games will commence at Pmara Jutunta softball oval from 11:00am, with a community BBQ from 12:30pm. There will be giveaways for participants and medals for those lucky enough to win the tournament.

Last week, Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) Community Development Program (CDP) spent two days planting trees in Nturiya as part of an Anmatjere Local Authority project.

Fifty trees were planted on either side of the entrance to Nturiya. The project was led by CDP Activity Supervisor Rodney Baird with Ryan Nelson and Philip Slee (CDP Client Service Officers) closely supported by CDRC Works Team Leader Alan Davis and Works Crew Elias Birch-Baird, Jake Lerm and Michael Morozak-Smith. 

Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May until 3 June every year. These dates commemorate the 27 May 1967 referendum and the 3 June 1992 High Court Mabo decision. Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

 To commemorate this Reconciliation Week, after four years after it came out, here is the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ as spoken by Pat Anderson, Stan Grant, Adam Goodes, Ursula Yovich and Troy Cassar-Daley, with music by Midnight Oil.

All the staff from Central Desert Regional Council’s (CDRC) Community Safety Patrol (CSP) attended training in Alice Springs on 17 and 18 May.  Staff from Yuelamu, Laramba, Atitjere, Engawala, Pmara Jutunta, Nturiya, and Lajamanu attended, and it was the first opportunity for the staff to get together since biosecurity restrictions were introduced in the communities in March 2020.

On the first day staff received a refresher in Council Policies, and had a chance to ask questions of the General Manager People and Culture, Irenee McCreevy, and Work Health and Safety Advisor, Carmen Hunter.

 The April 2021 edition of the Central Desert News is out now! You can view it by opening the attachment below.

In this edition:

- Nyirripi Childcare centre reopens

- It's raining training at CDRC!

- A lot of actual rain

- Imparja Cup

- 2020/21 Year planner

• and much more!

These are the premier Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) awards, now in their third running. The value of the awards has been increased as the standard has increased. The awards were formally acknowledged at the last All Staff meeting in March, where winners received a certificate, $200 voucher and a mug commemorating the value the winner is demonstrating.

Congratulations to all the winners, well done on demonstrating the values and your strong contribution to Council.

Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) Aged Care Services staff in Anmatjere (Ti Tree) started their Certificate II in Family Wellbeing on Monday 22 March.

The certificate, delivered by Batchelor Institute in Ti Tree, is a program that addresses the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues that impact on an individual’s wellbeing, family unity and community harmony.

The aim of the certificate is to address unresolved personal and community issues, which can impact on individuals and families throughout their lives. These can manifest in grief and trauma, suicide and other forms of self-harm, identity issues, use of alcohol and other drug problems, family violence and over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the justice system.