Annual Conference for the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (CLAANZ)
Arnold Bloch Leibler hosted the 2022 CLAANZ annual conference on 29 July. The conference opened with a panel on First Peoples and Charity Law, during which the attendees heard from ABL longstanding client Monica Morgan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation and Mihiarangi Piripi, Managing Director of Whaia Legal in New Zealand. They spoke about the First Nations’ perspective of the legal framework in which they are required to operate. Arnold Bloch Leibler Special Counsel, Bridgid Cowling rounded out this panel with some thought-provoking reflections on the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth), comparing its attempt at providing flexible corporate governance with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission governance standards model.
ABL hosts CLAANZ Annual Conference
15 August 2022
Arnold Bloch Leibler hosted the Annual Conference for the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (CLAANZ) in the firm’s Melbourne office. CLAANZ established the annual conference to address the legal and related practical issues surrounding the charity and not-for-profit sector.
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week officially commenced on Sunday 3 July and ran to Sunday 10 July 2022. The theme for NAIDOC week 2022 was “Get up! Stand up! Show up!”, and encouraged all of us to champion systematic and collaborative change, while celebrating those who have already driven and led change in First Nations communities over generations.
Annual NAIDOC March
Approximately eight Arnold Bloch Leibler staff (including seasonal clerks) attended the annual NAIDOC March on Friday 8 July 2022. The March coincided with the firm’s celebration of Hoodie Day. Each year, during NAIDOC Week, rallies are held across the country advocating for the rights of First Nations peoples. The first of these rallies was staged well before the establishment of NAIDOC, in 1938, when protesters called for full citizen status and equality for First Nations peoples.
FutureWomen NAIDOC Week 2022 Breakfast Panel
On 4 July 2022, members of the AISN attended the FutureWomen NAIDOC Week 2022 Breakfast Panel.
This event showcased an exceptional panel of First Nations women – Tanya Hosch (Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy at the AFL), Nerita Waight (CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service) and Kimberley Benjamin (writer, director and National NAIDOC Committee member).
The panel reflected on the theme for NAIDOC Week 2022: “Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!” and shared incredible stories about advocacy, art, culture, storytelling and change-making.
The AISN compiled a list of the events held across Melbourne and Sydney during NAIDOC week that celebrate First Nations art, music and culture, as well as advocating for change and justice for First Nations communities. This list was distributed to all Arnold Bloch Leibler staff, as well as externally on the firm’s website.
2022 NAIDOC Week events
1 July 2022
The Arnold Bloch Leibler Indigenous Solidarity Network (AISN) has compiled a list of events being held across Melbourne and Sydney celebrating First Nations art, music and culture, as well as advocating for change and justice for First Nations communities.
NAIDOC Week officially commences on Sunday 3 July and runs to Sunday 10 July 2022. During NAIDOC Week, we celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
VIRAL
On 26 July 2022, members of the AISN were invited to attend the premiere of llbijerri Theatre Company’s film adaptation of “VIRAL: Are You the Cure?”, a story about breaking down the stigma associated with Hepatitis C. “VIRAL”, which was originally developed as a stage play in partnership with the Victorian Governments Department of Health, follows the lives of Ally, Kev and Merv and their journeys as they navigate life with Hepatitis C and their experiences accessing available treatments and cures.
The premiere event was held at Collingwood Yards and featured a panel discussion, including the Yagera / Butchalla woman, Kamarra Bell-Wykes, and the late Uncle Jack Charles, Aboriginal Elder, actor and Bunurong/Wiradjuri mans. Both spoke about their experiences with Hepatitis C. The panel discussed the treatment options available and encouraged the need for an open dialogue around Hepatitis C, in order to break down the stigma associated the diagnosis, particularly in Indigenous communities.
“VIRAL” is available to watch here.
Heart is a Wasteland
A number of members of the AISN attended Ilbijerri Theatre Company’s production of “Heart is a Wasteland” on 25 August 2022. The AISN was invited by Ilbijerri following our attendance at their table at the National NAIDOC Awards, and at their recent screening of the short film “VIRAL” at Collingwood Yards.
“Heart is a Wasteland” was written by John Harvey and is directed by Dr Rachael Maza AM, who is the Artistic Director of Ilbijerri. It premiered with a sell-out season at Darwin Festival 2021.
Law Graduate, Dominic Bilton, provided a reflection on the event:
“On 25 August 2022, several members of the AISN and I attended the play ‘Heart is a Wasteland’, put on by the ILBIJERRI Theatre Company. It was performed by two actors, Monica Jasmine Karo (Gunai/Gunditjmara) and Ari Maza Long (Yidinji/Meriam) and one musician, Gary Watling (Wiradjuri).
The plot followed Raye, a country music singer, and Dan, a mine worker, who share one night of passion and decide to road trip together to Alice Springs. On the way they share intimate details with each other about their loved ones, their futures and dreams. The play explores themes of love, Aboriginality, being a parent and the grief of losing familial ties, feelings of displacement from your home and the difficulty of treading your own path. The storyline made me think about the horrors of the Stolen Generation from a parent’s perspective, and the impact the intergenerational trauma stemming from that period still has on people today.
We were fortunate to attend on opening night and exited the theatre to find food and wine waiting for us. There, Artistic Director Dr Rachael Maza AM spoke about the challenges of shutting down for the pandemic, the joy of returning to live performances and praised the cast and creatives. Writer John Harvey spoke about the development of the play and the meanings the narrative held for him.
ILBIJERRI Theatre Company has won many awards for their performances and is heavily involved in other initiatives including school educational programs, Indigenous artist development, and free performances to selective Australian communities. They have a long history of working with the late Uncle Jack Charles, and worked with him to produce “Jack Charles V The Crown” in 2010.
ILBIJERRI has several works in development including “Big Name, No Blankets”, a rock’n’roll musical celebrating the life and impact of the Warumpi Band. The show premieres in 2023.”
International Commission of Jurists Victoria – Annual Fundraising Dinner
This year, Arnold Bloch Leibler purchased a table at the International Commission of Jurists Victoria (ICJV) Annual Fundraising Dinner, which took place on 19 October 2022. The ICJV is a non-governmental organisation composed of judges, lawyers, law students and academics that exists to promote human rights and the rule of law within Victoria. Professor (Emer.) Michael Dodson AM, FASSA was the keynote speaker and spoke on United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Voice, First Nations Treaty-making and other matters. The dinner also included the presentation of the John Gibson Award to the 2020 and 2021 recipients. The award is given to Victorian advocates and activists who have advanced and promoted human rights and/or refugee issues in the public domain or the legal sphere.
Hoodie Day morning tea hosted at Arnold Bloch Leibler
Catered by Bunji Catering
On Friday 8 July 2022, Arnold Bloch Leibler participated in National Hoodie Day as a part of NAIDOC Week.
Hoodie Day is organised by the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). AIME is a program that matches Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students with university student mentors, supporting those students to complete their secondary school education and to connect them to opportunities after school, including further education.
Notably, this year marked 18 years since AIME came into existence. For Hoodie Day 2022, the organisation brought back all of its hoodie designs since it began releasing hoodies, and invited supporters to walk with AIME for every year of its journey so far and to look ahead to the next ten years and what can be achieved.
Arnold Bloch Leibler has participated in Hoodie Day for many years now, supporting and raising awareness for AIME within the firm. To mark Hoodie Day 2022, the AISN purchased a limited number of hoodies with previous years’ designs and hosted an internal morning tea. We also invited AISN members who had participated in Hoodie Day previously to wear a favourite former hoodie.
Wesley Enoch – In Conversation
Catered by Bunji Catering
In December 2021, the AISN hosted an “In conversation” event with renowned playwright and director, Wesley Enoch AM. Wesley spoke about contemporary Indigenous arts practices and the role of Indigenous storytelling in cultivating social and political change. Wesley reflected on his family life, and the lessons he learned as a child about the importance of storytelling for healing and for understanding Country. Wesley also discussed the way in which the arts, and theatre in particular, can connect audiences to ancient storytelling traditions and become a unique window into the Aboriginal experience.
Wesley is a Nunukul and Ngugi man from Minjerribah in Quandamooka Country.
The event was well attended by Arnold Bloch Leibler staff, with 32 staff attending in person and 10 attending online.