With NAIDOC Week celebrations occurring around the nation, it was with the greatest of pleasure our Western Australian staff attended the City of Belmont Flag Raising Ceremony. The event was a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and support the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

This year’s theme of Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future helped further educate our team on issues important to Australia’s Indigenous peoples. Voice, Treaty, and Truth are the 3 key elements to reforms set out in The Uluru Statement from the Heart. These reforms represent the unified position of First Nation Australians.

During the Flag Raising Ceremony our team heard inspiring words from the City of Belmont’s 2019 NAIDOC Community Award winner, Neil Coyne. Neil spoke of his experiences growing up and the importance of educating not only his children, but all children, on knowing and understanding their heritage and learning through participating in cultural experiences.

After formalities, traditional Aboriginal food with a modern Australian fusion twist was showcased. The menu included Kangaroo Sausage Rolls, Kangaroo Arancini Balls, Bush Tomato Tartlets and Wattle Seed Chocolate Slice. Pickwick staff also participated in a smoking ceremony involving smouldering various native plants to produce smoke that has cleansing properties to ward off bad spirits. Craig Tonkin, Pickwick’s WA General Manager said all the team found the event uplifting and there was strong support to attend NAIDOC Week events in future years.