First Nations First

SBS News
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Follow stories concerning First Nations peoples and Indigenous Australia, with this collection of reports and interviews from the SBS News team.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    INTERVIEW: North Aboriginal Justice Agency CEO accuses NT government of long term detention in watchhouses

    The Northern Territory justice system is under fresh scrutiny amid allegations people are being held in overcrowded cells for long periods of time without adequate healthcare in a Darwin correctional facility. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections has said in a statement that the Darwin Transitional Custody Centre accommodates prisoners for a maximum of four weeks. They said prisoners undergo intake and medical screening to ensure they don't have any serious health concerns and are well suited to the environment. The spokesperson also said prisoners do have access to phones and can contact family. But this week, the North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) accused the government of failing to fully address the issue, saying parts of the Darwin City Watchhouse had been renamed and transferred to the control of the corrections department – while conditions continue to resemble a watchhouse. NAAJA CEO Ben Grimes is being interviewed here by Tee Mitchell.

    20 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    INTERVIEW: SBS speaks to Travis Lovett on his 800km Walk for Truth

    Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man Travis Lovett is now well into his 800 kilometre walk from Melbourne to Canberra. The former Yoorrook Justice Commissioner is leading the five-week long 'Walk for Truth' to call on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to establish a National Truth Telling Process. SBS reporter Angelica Waite spoke with Mr Lovett when he was in Seymour, about 150 kilometres into his journey.

    16 min

  3. 6 DAYS AGO

    Family, community mourns as outback search for missing girl ends in tragedy

    WARNING Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who has passed away. THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRESSING FOR SOME LISTENERS. The desperate search for a five-year-old missing in the Northern Territory has ended in tragedy. Police believe they've found the girl's body. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro says the entire Northern Territory is mourning the family's loss.

    4 min

  4. 24 APR

    Fighting for a country that denied their rights: Remembering the service of Australia's Indigenous veterans

    [[WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should exercise caution when listening to this audio as it contains names and images of deceased persons, which may cause distress to members of these communities.]] Since the First World War, Indigenous men and women have served in Australia's defence forces, despite the government's refusal to recognise their rights. NITV Radio's Kerri-Lee Barry has spoken to Michael Bell about members of her own family who served in Australia's defence forces.

    9 min

  5. 31 MAR

    The life and work of Aunty Rhoda Roberts honoured on Bundjalung country

    A trailblazer of Australia's arts and cultural landscape, Aunty Rhoda Roberts has been laid to rest on Country in her hometown of Lismore. Hundreds gathered to honour a life dedicated to the arts and elevating Indigenous voices.

    4 min

  6. 28 MAR

    INTERVIEW: Could First Nations methods improve mental health treatment?

    The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which are now more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians.First Nations health advocates and practitioners are urgently calling for investment in new approaches to preventative mental health support that are led by First Nations wisdom and experience. SBS reporter Angelica Waite, has speaking with Clinton Schultz, a Gomeroi Gamilaroi man, and Director of First Nations Strategy and Partnerships with Black Dog Institute. For more than a decade, he's been a pioneering voice when it comes to finding new models for preventative care that reflect the depth, complexity and connectedness of First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing. She started by asking Mr Schultz how he came to study and work in the field of psychology.

    13 min

  7. 25 MAR

    Could First Nations wisdom and experience improve mental health and wellbeing?

    The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of the nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people , which are now more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians. First Nations health advocates and practitioners are urgently calling for investment in new approaches to preventative mental health led by First Nations wisdom and experience.

    8 min

  8. 21 MAR

    Rhoda Roberts AO: The cultural warrior who changed the nation

    Tributes are being made to SBS Elder-in-residence and Widjabul Wia-bal woman, Auntie Rhoda Roberts, who has died at the age of 66. Her short battle with a very rare type of ovarian cancer ended on Saturday afternoon on her country surrounded by family. The decorated writer, actor and director was awarded an Order of Australia in 2016 for her service to performing arts and immense impact on and off the stage and screen. Rhoda Robert’s family has granted permission for SBS to broadcast images and audio, to honour and celebrate her life and enduring legacy.

    7 min
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About

Follow stories concerning First Nations peoples and Indigenous Australia, with this collection of reports and interviews from the SBS News team.

Information

  • Channel
    SBS News
  • Creator
    SBS
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    184
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025, Special Broadcasting Services
  • Show Website
    First Nations First

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