In opening up new relationships with TAS (The Armidale School), the University of New England (UNE) and New England Mutual (NEM), Minimbah School had made great strides in practical reconciliation.
TAS students visit the small Aboriginal primary school in east Armidale once a week for reading and games, Minimbah students use the TAS swimming pool each week, the two schools held a joint primary athletics carnival, celebrated NAIDOC Week together and Minimbah students had played in TAS Junior Rugby teams this season.
Because of a financial literacy initiative from a group of UNE students, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and New England Mutual, up to 100 pre-school and primary school Minimbah students will be signed up for birth certificates. Officers from NSW Births and Marriages will visit the school to complete the paperwork and around 300 parents and friends will be at the school to celebrate.
“Minimbah Principal Carolyn Briggs has encouraged these new partnerships and the momentum has been extremely positive on all sides,” said Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay.
“TAS is the largest independent school in Armidale and it has 15 Aboriginal students enrolled, the majority on scholarships. Headmaster Murray Guest tells me the presence of these students and the warm and developing relationship with Minimbah is changing the culture at both schools.
Mr Torbay said he has been approached by the SIFE students to help Minimbah students with their birth registrations and he had contacted the Attorney General who responded positively.
“The situation is astounding and only came to light when the SIFE group and NEM staff looked into opening bank accounts for the primary students,” he said.
“They found that 90 per cent did not have birth certificates, which precluded them, not only from opening bank accounts, but also acquiring passports and driver’s licences.”
He said it had become a practice for Aboriginal students to enrol at school through their immunisation record Blue Books. From next year, all pre-school students will require birth certificates to enrol.
“However, there are many in NSW who still do not have birth certificates and the Minimbah initiative is leading the way in remedying this situation,” Mr Torbay said.
