Honouring our Aboriginal Education Officers

This week at Storylines, we celebrated our Aboriginal Education Officers in an event organised by the AECG and Aunty Ruth Simms. We heard from many members of the community and were given an insight into the origins of the organisation and the struggles that continue today for Aboriginal Australia.

Past and present members spoke of the ongoing struggle for Aboriginal Education policies in schools as well as their role in the 1982 debate with the DOE over the use of the word ‘invasion’. Time and time again, this concept of being ‘in the system, despite the system’ was brought up.

Bob Morgan, one of the final speakers, echoed this as he communicated his hopes and goals for the future of Aboriginal Education.

“One day this country will be able to look at itself in the mirror and call itself a reconciled Australia. Wherever you see injustice, challenge it. Demand change.” (Bob Morgan, former President of the NSW AECG, 24/5/2022)

Story contributed by Lyn Brown, Jessica Russell and Jake Magi from The Burraga Foundation. Published in 2022.