As part of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month, the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research Centre at CQU Mackay held an Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum addressing current topics in the area.

The forum was held at the Windmill Motel and Reception Centre on the Bruce Highway, North Mackay on May 2-3.

This year, the Forum used the theme of ‘Men, Women the Community – Partners’ and the aim was to acknowledge the value of men and women’s collaboration within communities to address domestic and family violence, as well as men and women working in partnership with government agencies.

Director of the Centre Heather Nancarrow stated, “The purpose of the Forum was to celebrate the work of Indigenous people and what they are doing to end violence in their families and communities”.

Heather commented that the Forum has been gathering momentum over the last few years and “while the focus is on Queensland, we are having interest on a more National level and this year are welcoming to the Forum, a group of Yolngu people from North East Arnham land in the Northern Territory”.

Participants in the Forum had the opportunity to hear Government agencies discuss how their specific agencies define and implement partnerships within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Keynote speakers addressed the Forum on continuing topics affecting the Indigenous community and domestic and family violence.

Wesley Aird from National Indigenous Council (NIC) discussed Commonwealth/Community Shared Responsibility Agreements; Magistrate Zac Sarra from Bisbane concentrated on the work of the Murri Court Community of which he is a member; and Beatty Retchford of the Mornington Island Community, talked about the challenges of delivering justice and domestic violence services in a remote community.

Photo above: Forum attendees of last year's Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum are (left to right) Monty Murray, Ivan Saltner and Jeffrey Timor.