Over the past three weeks the Heathmont Uniting Church Community Living Centre, in conjunction with the Maroondah Movement for Reconciliation, has been running an Indigenous cultural awareness program, facilitated by Shane Charles the Pathways Coordinator from Swinburne University.

Today’s session, which marked the conclusion of the program, discussed some of the current issues facing indigenous Australia. While there is an increasing focus on governance for the committees of management that preside over indigenous programs, a number of these projects are being stymied by the continued buck-passing that occurs between State and Federal Governments.

Improving the health, education and wellbeing of indigenous Australia will only occur when there is a coordinated approach between all levels of government. The City of Maroondah is currently preparing an indigenous policy to assist the council’s involvement in this issue but holistic and coordinated approaches are also required by the other tiers of government.