Telstra – Good Ideas for Indigenous Australia

Indigenous Australia’s rich cultural heritage is unlike any other, which is why it’s so important to nurture and preserve it for future generations to be proud of and enjoy.

This is where we think Ideas For Good can help.

A member of the Bundjalung nation, Widjabul clan of Northern NSW and South East QLD, Rhoda Roberts will be our Indigenous Australia Champion. Rhoda is well known for her work as a presenter and journalist on SBS Television, Network Ten and ABC Radio.

By effectively utilising Telstra’s infrastructure, we have been able to support ideas and initiatives that benefit Indigenous communities in many areas.

If Indigenous Australia is a passion of yours, please keep up-to-date with all the latest issues on the blog and explore the Ideas For Good initiatives below.

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Telstra Art Award

The Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award aims to showcase the very best Australian Indigenous art from around the country and includes a main prize of $40,000.

ABRACADABRA

The Telstra Foundation supports ABRACADABRA, a unique software tool aimed at accelerating the literacy progress of isolated students from indigenous communities.

Leadership Program

Over time the program aims for improvements in self-esteem for participants in this program as well as higher levels of attendance, literacy, numeracy and information retention at school. Stronger Smarter refers to being strong in your heart, proud of your identity, solid in your community and being smarter in the way you do things, focused on high achievement and being determined to succeed in your goals.

Reconciliation Action Plan

Telstra CEO David Thodey and Reconciliation Australia Board member and Traditional Owner from Yirrkala, Djapirri Mununggirrij, recently launched Telstra's first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). It articulates a longstanding and active commitment to employing Indigenous people, providing appropriate and accessible services to Indigenous customers and supporting programs in community development and the Arts which celebrate and help to sustain Indigenous culture.

Rhoda Roberts

Eating kangaroo
One of our nation’s natural dishes and yet there is still the stigma of eating kangaroo: I blame Skippy for this. The meat has actually been exported since 1959 but can you believe it was only since 1980 that kangaroo meat was legislated for human consumption in South Australia and in all other states in 1993. Yet it’s got the tick as high in protein and with only 2% fat ...

Rhoda Roberts

The NT intervention
Well, we have travelled the vastness to the north and now feel like we are living in a different country. The weather is like Asia and warm, dry, hot and we are loving it. Living in the north has opened our eyes to many things. This week saw the government's NT Intervention policy celebrate three years of what is now labeled improving community safety. I have to say I have ...

Rhoda Roberts

Rhoda's Travel Blog - part three

Hi everyone! And again many thanks to you all who are blogging, do let me know what you want to hear. Another beautiful d...

Rhoda Roberts

Rhoda’s Travel blog – part two
A night in Barcladine at the country motor inn reminds me we are in the country. Just check in - no credit card needed and pay when you leave. Wow, so trusting and it's reflected across the town, country hospitality and friendliness. Unexpected and reminds us just how we get suspicious of everything in the city. A dead ghost gum, Eucalyptus Papuana, once grew outside the Rail...

Rhoda Roberts

Rhoda's Travel blog - part one

Hi all, As we travel north, the road seems endless across this vast country of ours. I am amazed at how many telegraph po...

Eating kangaroo

One of our nation’s natural dishes and yet there is still the stigma of eating kangaroo: I blame Skippy for this. The meat has actually been exported since 1959 but can you believe it was only since 1980 that kangaroo meat was legislated for human consumption in South Australia and in all other states in 1993. Yet it’s got the tick as high in protein and with only 2% fat and cheap in a variety of cuts - it's what we all should be eating. Bundjalung man and master chef Mark Olive AKA "the Black Olive" has been preparing kangaroo meat for decades in a variety of dishes. I had the ...

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The NT intervention

Well, we have travelled the vastness to the north and now feel like we are living in a different country. The weather is like Asia and warm, dry, hot and we are loving it. Living in the north has opened our eyes to many things. This week saw the government's NT Intervention policy celebrate three years of what is now labeled improving community safety. I have to say I have never felt so welcomed or so safe; community members are proud and generous with many who work on CDEP programs maintaining services and infrastructure. People like Djawa Timmy Barrwaunga runs his family busines...

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Rhoda's Travel Blog - part three
Hi everyone! And again many thanks to you all who are blogging, do let me know what you want to hear. Another beautiful day as we head towards Mount Isa and at last I am thrilled to see a sign and a memorial to the proud Kalkadoon mob. Unfortunate as we took Sarah’s image with Snoopy we note the photo of the young warrior has been removed and the sign is full of bullet holes. The inscription meant a whole lot more on reading after seeing the destruction to this monument. Everywhere we have passed over the last few days we have seen the effect of mining across these small Queensl...

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Rhoda’s Travel blog – part two

A night in Barcladine at the country motor inn reminds me we are in the country. Just check in - no credit card needed and pay when you leave. Wow, so trusting and it's reflected across the town, country hospitality and friendliness. Unexpected and reminds us just how we get suspicious of everything in the city. A dead ghost gum, Eucalyptus Papuana, once grew outside the Railway Station. Known as The Tree of Knowledge, it was included in the National Heritage List on 26th January 2006. Sadly, it was poisoned in 2006 and did not recover. It’s now an incredible sculpture piece an...

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Rhoda's Travel blog - part one
Hi all, As we travel north, the road seems endless across this vast country of ours. I am amazed at how many telegraph poles I keep seeing. The country changes dramatically with the rising and setting of the sun. The drive is an easy one and once we pass Emerald, the road straightens out and is flat, very flat. My partner Steven and two of my children are travelling with me. We have begun to count the road kill as we head to Barcaldine, home to the Tree of Knowledge, an amazing piece of history that has been captured on the kids cameras. The road kill for today: 45 kangaroos, 16 unide...

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