South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network

08/06/2026

*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this material may contain images, voices, or names of people who have passed away.*

SAACCON would like to congratulate three outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours today.

🌟 Pat Turner — for her national leadership in Aboriginal health, justice reform and policy.
🌟 Professor Peter Buckskin — for transforming Indigenous education and strengthening pathways for Aboriginal teachers and students.
🌟 Dr Jenni Caruso — for her powerful contributions to truth‑telling, Aboriginal women’s history and tertiary education.

Their work has shaped South Australia’s institutions, strengthened communities, and opened doors for future generations. A well‑deserved recognition of decades of impact.

02/06/2026

For more detail please go to
https://saaccon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SAACCON-Celebrating-Mabo-Day-2026-2.pdf

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25/05/2026

A sorry Day message from Dr Jenni Caruso -
https://saaccon.org.au/resources/

Chairperson of the SAACCON Member Organisation South Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation (SASGAC)
https://sasgac.com.au/

For more information on Sorry Day go to;
Healing Foundation https: //healingfoundation.org.au/

25/05/2026

22/05/2026

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this post contains an image and name of a deceased person with permission from the family.

Vale Professor Peter Buckskin

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Peter Buckskin - a respected leader whose work made a lasting impact on Closing the Gap in South Australia.

This is a profound loss for Aboriginal communities and for the South Australian community more broadly. Through his leadership, including his role with SAAETCC and involvement in initiatives such as SAACCON, he championed Aboriginal voice, strengthened partnerships, and drove meaningful, community-led change.

He will be greatly missed.

Read more:https://saaccon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAACCON-Media-Release-Acknowledging-Professor-Peter-Buckskin.pdf

11/05/2026

Today two of the Secretariat staff were invited to attend the Common Threads Youth Day today on Kaurna Land.

The Youth Day is held the day before the national Common Threads First Nations Summit. It's an opportunity for First Nations Youth to connect with other First Nations Youth who are passionate about speaking up about justice, building skills and supporting each other.

We are committed to providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to thrive, including our staff.

For more information about Common Threads check out their website: https://www.commonthreads.org.au/

Photo: Ashleigh Wild, Senior Advisor and Mabel Lochowiak, Administrative Officer attending the Common Threads Youth Day on Kaurna Land

08/05/2026

and SAACCON calls for truth-telling, accountability and real action on racism

Today SAACCON’s Lead Convenor Scott Wilson presented at the Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

His message was strong and clear.

Racism is not only individual behaviour. It is also built into systems, policies, institutions and public narratives that continue to impact Aboriginal people, families, communities and organisations.

SAACCON called for truth-telling, stronger accountability, stronger regulations around media portrayals of Aboriginal people, and genuine shared decision-making in structural reform to eliminate the impacts of racism in government systems.

Also presenting at the Inquiry were SAACCON members NPY Women's Council www.npywc.org.au, and Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement www.alrm.org.au.

30/04/2026

The Pilbara Walk-Off - not just history!

On 1 May 1946, Aboriginal workers walked off stations across the Pilbara.
They weren’t just leaving poor conditions - they were standing against a system built on control, exclusion, and racism.
Nearly 80 years later, that truth still stands.
Many Aboriginal people continue to experience racism today - in workplaces, in public spaces, and across systems that still struggle to share power. Communities are still feeling its impact, from the division following the Voice referendum to the booing of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
“The Pilbara Walk-Off challenged a system grounded in racism and control…� Our strength has always been in collective action, in community control, and in building our own futures.”� — Scott Wilson, SAACCON
The lesson is clear.
Real change requires a shift in power - to Aboriginal-led solutions and control over resources.
Self-determination means Aboriginal people having the authority to make decisions, build economic independence, and shape their own futures.
That’s what Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations do every day.
Governments have committed to this through Closing the Gap. Now it’s time to deliver.
The Pilbara Walk-Off is not just history -� it shows us what works.

For a fuller story please click here www.saaccon.org.au/resources/

15/04/2026

Today we acknowledge the anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1991) - a landmark moment that exposed systemic injustice in Australia’s justice system.

More than 30 years on, the reality remains: incarceration rates and deaths in custody have not meaningfully declined. Many recommendations remain unimplemented, and systemic failures continue to put Aboriginal lives at risk.

Reports like Unfinished Business reinforce what communities have long said - acknowledgement is not enough. We need accountability, structural reform, and Aboriginal-led solutions grounded in self-determination.

We honour the lives lost and the families who continue to lead the call for justice. Their voices must drive change.

This anniversary is a call to act. Not later. Now.

The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, Unfinished Business - Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (Report, July 2025)
https://www.alrm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ALRM-Unfinished-Business-RCIADIC-FINAL-17.7.25.pdf

To read the full ACKNOWLEDGING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY
https://saaccon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SAACCON-RCIADIC-Anniversary-April-2026.pdf

05/04/2026

The unfinished business of Bringing Them Home must remain in front of us - not later, but now.

SAACCON Member, South Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation continues to ensure Stolen Generations survivors have a voice in policy and decision-making, while supporting survivors and families through connection, tracing and healing services.

As The 2025 report makes clear, many of the recommendations remain undelivered, and access to records - a crucial part of healing - is still inconsistent.

Where churches and institutions still hold records about Aboriginal children taken from their families, those records should be given back to survivors, families and the organisations supporting them. Truth, reunion and healing depend on it.

This is not only history. It is lived experience that continues through trauma, disconnection, loss, and the ongoing need for healing, truth-telling and accountability.

Recommendation 9 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of Closing the Gap in 2025 aims to strengthen the visibility and recognition of Stolen Generations survivors.

We honour survivors, their strength, and the truth they have carried for generations.

To learn more about SASGAC, check out the Website - www.sasgac.com.au