CLOSING THE GAP

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Kicking goals in
Borroloola, NT
Amata healthy fun run
in SA 2
Deadly choices in
Queensland schools
Young Marra woman from Borroloola,
Shadeene Evans, is kicking goals.
At the age of nine, Shadeene
first started playing football and
by age 12 was representing the
Northern Territory. Shadeene
has been supported by the John
Moriarty Football Nangala Project,
funded through the Indigenous
Advancement Strategy.
And now, Shadeene has made
her way into the New South Wales
Institute of Sport Girls Football
Program, a pathway to Young
Matildas representation. Shadeene
says her love of the game is
her motivation to get a good
education and excel in her field.
“Moving from Borroloola to Sydney
was very different and so much
busier than what I was used to but
I have fit in well and enjoy school
and the soccer program. I love
school and my education is very
important to me – as important
as football,” said Shadeene.
Pictured on page 89.
Students from the remote
community of Amata in South
Australia have been running
for their health and for fun.
The Indigenous Marathon
Foundation hosted the Deadly
Fun Run as part of a series of
events in remote communities
to encourage healthy lifestyles
and physical activity.
“The Foundation is using
running to drive social change,
celebrate Indigenous resilience
and achievement, and address
the high incidence of chronic
disease and obesity in Indigenous
communities across the country.”
said Kellie O’Sullivan from the
Indigenous Marathon Foundation.
Thirty-four students, competing
in junior and senior events,
completed the three kilometre
race from the Amata oval to the
Amata school pool. Elders from
the community supported the
Deadly Fun Run by marking out
the race track and serving the
food at the end of the race.
The Institute of Urban Indigenous
Health delivers the Deadly Choices
program in South East Queensland
schools. The seven-week program
primarily targets young people
aged 15 to 18 years and encourages
participants to lead a healthy
lifestyle and be positive role models
and mentors for their family and
community. It comprises eight
modules in: leadership; chronic
disease; physical activity; nutrition;
smoking cessation; sexual health;
and importance of accessing local
primary health care service.
Community led solution to
reduce petrol sniffing 3
“We had big struggles all over
Central desert with this big mess
of petrol sniffing and everyone
found it really hard. When nonsniffable
fuel arrived in Papunya,
it made a lot of change. It made
us really move forward. Bringing
Opal into Central Australia is
a wonderful achievement.”
Lance McDonald, Luritja Elder, Papunya
CLOSING THE GAP: PRIME MINISTER'S REPORT 2017
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