Media Release

4 July 2022

This NAIDOC week, Positive Life NSW celebrates the true custodians of our land, with this year’s theme, Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

In 2022 it’s time to acknowledge the importance of moving beyond just good intentions, empty words and promises, and hollow commitments.

It’s time to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! for systemic change and demonstrate a genuine commitment to support and secure institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative reforms.

“This NAIDOC week, Getting Up, Standing Up, and Showing Up can take many forms,” says Michelle Tobin, Aboriginal woman of the Yorta Yorta Nation living with HIV, descendant of the Stolen Generation, and Aboriginal Project Officer at Positive Life NSW.

“We all need to raise our voices, and together rally our mob, Elders and community,” said Ms Tobin. “Together we can mobilise alongside non‑Indigenous Australians for a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, and calling out racism.”

“This NAIDOC week, let’s narrow the gap between aspiration and reality for all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous. Our collective actions must be based on justice, equity, and the proper recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights,” said Ms Jane Costello, Positive Life CEO.

“While HIV still disproportionately burdens Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, our mainstream public health approaches must invest in Aboriginal communal wellbeing, to address the social determinants of health including culture, kinship and belonging,” said Ms Costello.

“Sovereignty was never ceded, and our Mob should be deadly proud to be Aboriginal,” said Ms Tobin.

“We remind ourselves, our HIV sector colleagues and the broader community of the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations for  basic human rights and equal rights,” she said.

NAIDOC Week 2022 runs from 3-10 July and is a time to collectively take productive action for reform and fundamental change in the relationship that Australia has with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 
Jane Costello, CEO – 1800 245 677 or email communications@positivelife.org.au

Positive Life NSW is the voice of all people living with HIV in NSW since 1988. We are the largest peer-led and run representative body of all people living with HIV in Australia based in NSW. We make a significant contribution to and positive impact across the spectrum of health and social issues on behalf of all people living with HIV in collaboration with HIV specialist and mainstream services to improve the health and quality of life of all people living with HIV in NSW. We do this through evidence based health promotion, research, policy advice and peer support.