Edition 869 ON SALE NOW!

By Robyn With and Aaron Bunch – AAP

Authorities have defended the time it took for a failed Invasion Day rally bombing to be declared a terrorist act, as details emerge about the accused’s ‘pro-white’ ideology. Thousands of people were evacuated from Forrest Place in Perth’s city centre on January 26 after police found an object containing volatile chemicals, nails and metal ball bearings. WA Premier Roger Cook confirmed state and federal agencies had determined the incident to be an act of terror – the first in the state’s history.

By Poppy Johnston – AAP

For the locals of the low-lying islands in the Torres Strait or Zenadth Kes as it’s traditionally known, monsoon season is an anxious time. Saibai, Boigu and the many other islands between Queensland and Papua New Guinea have long been subject to the humidity, downpours and high tides between December and April.

But as the planet warms and sea levels, the king tides are getting higher every year.

Recently, when king tides were forecast, water levels on Saibai – one of the lowest lying in the region – reportedly reached 3.7 metres above average.

By Todd Jigarru Condie

An Aboriginal legal service in Queensland targeting the needs of First Nations women in the state has turned 20 years old. First Nations Women’s Legal Services Queensland has helped more than 3,300 clients over the last 20 years, with an increasing focus on child protection and domestic and family violence. Topsy Mola, management committee chairperson, said 20 years ago there was a growing need for ongoing casework and court representation for First Nations women.

By AAP

The oldest son of US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr has urged Australians not to give up on First Nations justice after the failed voice referendum dealt a blow to the movement. The federal push towards other tenets of the Uluru Statement from the Heart has struggled to regain momentum since Australia voted against enshrining an Indigenous voice into its constitution in 2023.

But Martin Luther King III says the rejection of the voice should not hold progress. He pointed to the countless setbacks faced by his father, a pivotal figure in advocating for Black Americans, before they were given the right to vote.

A unique new pathway for emerging Aboriginal musicians was launched at this year’s recent Tamworth Country Music Festival. The Buddy Knox Talent Contest offers young performers the rare chance to step straight from a walk-up performance into mentoring with industry leaders, and onto one of the Festival’s biggest stages, designed to uncover emerging Aboriginal talent – both from local communities and from those travelling to Tamworth for the Festival.

The walk up format removes barriers to entry and creates a culturally safe space where raw, undiscovered talent can be seen, heard and supported.

In a special series, Koori Mail correspondent Peter Argent looks back across the history of First Nations sports people in this country, looking for the competitors that became heroes and idols in their respective sporting codes.

One of three brothers to represent his country in the game they ‘play in heaven’ – rugby union – Mark Ella was regarded by many people as the best player ever to don a Wallabies jersey. Mark and his fellow Australia-representing brothers, twin Glen and younger sibling Gary, were among 12 children born to Gordon and May Ella – descendants of the Yuin Nation – in the Sydney suburb of La Perouse.