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Central Coast Rides For Aboriginal Recognition in Constitution

 

On 11 February, a group of 30 students from the Central Coast of New South Wales including three students from Broken Bay diocesan schools began a journey retracing Charles Perkins’s historic Freedom Ride of 1965, which travelled 2300km around NSW and visited 21 communities in 14 days.   

The group was farewelled from the University of Sydney by a group including Eileen and Hetti Perkins, wife and daughter of the late Charles Perkins.

The three Aboriginal students from Broken Bay schools taking part in the Freedom Ride are from St Peter’s Catholic College, Tuggerah, MacKillop Catholic College, Warnervale, and St Edwards Catholic College, East Gosford. 

The students are accompanied by Pauline Bliim, proud Aboriginal woman and mother of two children in Catholic schools on the NSW Central Coast who has been invited to be part of the 2011 Freedom Rides. Pauline is an Aboriginal Education Worker for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Broken Bay as well as representing Broken Bay Catholic school parents on the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT.

"The purpose of the trip is to re-trace Charles Perkins Freedom Ride in 1965 as he travelled to these same communities to give these people a voice and improve education, medical services, equal rights and racism issues".

"I feel so honoured to have been selected and so excited for the students who have this opportunity to enrich their Aboriginal Spirituality, culture and personal growth", said Pauline.

The Freedom Ride 2011 has set out with an important message to give remote Aboriginal communities an active role in supporting constitutional change for Indigenous Australians.

In strong collaboration and consultation with Aboriginal communities, Youth Connections has initiated the Freedom Ride 2011 to acknowledge the courage of the past, challenge the struggles of today and come together as one. The Freedom Riders of 2011 are carrying a message stick to each community and will submit the communities’ views to the Panel for input into the Government’s final process for constitutional change.

The 2011 Freedom Ride continues around NSW with the group regularly reporting on their travels via live updates on facebook, twitter and blogs.  http://freedomride2011.tumblr.com or  http://www.facebook.com/freedomride2011