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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Womens Gathering (NATSIWG)

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Queensland Indigenous Women's Gathering 2010

The Queensland Indigenous Women's Gathering, held on 12 and 13 April 2010 at Boonah, was a statewide gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to discuss issues and strategies concerning Indigenous women and their communities.

It provided an opportunity for Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to elect and inform Queensland's National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering (NATSIWG) 2010 delegates.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering 2010

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering (NATSIWG) is an event for Indigenous women from across the country to meet and determine working priorities for the annual Ministerial Conference on the Status of Women (MINCO). MINCO brings together Women's Ministers from the Commonwealth, States, Territories and New Zealand governments to discuss issues of importance or women.

NATSIWG aims to deliver an action plan to MINCO regarding Indigenous women's issues. NATSIWG 2010 was held in Canberra on 26-28 May 2010.The Queensland NATSIWG representatives were elected at the Queensland Indigenous Women's Gathering 2010 held in Boonah on 12 and 13 April.

The Office for Women (OFW) congratulates the following 2010 NATSIWG delegates, who represented Queensland at the Gathering:

  • Aunty Therese May Webster
  • Holly Savage
  • Lucy Banu
  • Tania Yow-Yeh, who was the continuing delegate from 2009.
Photo: NATSIWG 2010 Queensland delegates NATSIWG 2010 delegates (from left) Lucy Banu, Aunty Therese May Webster and Holly Savage (absent: Tania Yow-Yeh)

NATSIWG brings together Indigenous women from across Australia meet to discuss issues identified under the National Action Plan for Indigenous Women and Reconciliation and make recommendations to Women's Ministers.

The first meeting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to advise MINCO was held in Darwin in 2002. Since 2002, the Queensland Government has sponsored four Indigenous women annually from Queensland to attend the Gathering. These women help shape the Gathering's agenda and provide a voice for issues affecting Queensland Indigenous women at a national level. Their participation also allows ideas and actions from the gatherings to be taken back to their respective communities for implementation.

What kind of opportunities does NATSIWG provide for its delegates?

NATSIWG is an opportunity for female Indigenous community members to:

  • create networks and make connections with other female Indigenous leaders from around the country
  • consult with local women to bring their ideas and energy to a national forum
  • discuss problems and share solutions
  • participate in agenda setting for Indigenous women to be heard on a regional, national and international level
  • open and maintain a dialogue with policy makers to ensure Indigenous women's policy reforms come from the ground up, and are not dictated from the top down.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering 2009

Queensland proudly hosted NATSIWG for the first time from 10 to 12 June 2009 at the Marque Hotel, Brisbane, with 33 delegates from across the country in attendance.

The Office for Women (OFW) congratulates the successful 2009 delegates, namely:

  • Tania Yow-Yeh
  • Sonia Minniecon
  • Luisa O'Connor
  • Karen Salam.

The delegates represented Queensland in discussing and developing strategies to address the NATSIWG 2009 themes of leadership, economic security and human rights issues such as domestic violence.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering 2008

Approximately 40 women from across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands attended the 2008 NATSIWG in Hobart on 22 to 23 May. OFW sponsored the following four delegates: Tamara Wallace, Eileen Williams, Karen Salam and Renelle McKellar. Delegates discussed topics including safety and wellbeing and housing and homelessness. A set of recommendations has been developed and will be considered by MINCO in October 2008.

Queensland provides funding support to the NATSIWG secretariat through the Office for Women and the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Department of Communities.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering 2007

Held in Adelaide on May 31 - June 1, the focus of the gathering was 'Women and Economic Status'.

The Indigenous Women's Gathering 2006

The 2006 Indigenous Women's Gathering was held in Adelaide on September 21 to 22. The theme was Community Led Solutions to Family Violence.