Murat Dizdar

Good morning, colleagues. It's Murat Dizdar here. We're coming to you from the Traditional Lands of the Darug people. We want to pay our respects to the Darug Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues with us, as well as the Custodians on the homelands that you are joining us from, right across NSW.

At the front, I want to call out your enormous work, particularly in recognising and celebrating earlier this week Indigenous Literacy Day. I know that in public education literacy day is every day, but we stop and also celebrate the fantastic work you undertake to move the dial on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Deputy Premier, the Minister for Education and early Learning, our Minister for Western Sydney, the Prue Car and I are delighted to do a loop back to Lethbridge Park Public School. We've been here before and we're here with our Executive Principal, Garry Sheen and his formidable team, who are making an enormous difference to the lives of the students in their care every day, servicing a lot of disadvantage and complexity but not using that as an excuse to make sure they can have discernible lift in outcomes for students as well as community.

Here, I'm going to throw to Garry - it's about 3 years since they've come on to the program or thereabouts, and just get the run down from Garry on how we're travelling? We're almost coming to the end of term 3 here. How is the school? How is your staff going and how are the students travelling, Garry?

Garry Sheen

Thanks, Murat. Over the three years, like, we've particularly in and around our student leadership and student voice in agency. Providing our families and students with the confidence of the school that is listening to them and we're creating a school for our students who want to come every single day. Doing a lot in the area of after school clubs and additional activities that kids want, that kids want to see happening in their playgrounds. To give them that sense of belonging and connection at and that school is, for me, We’ve also done a lot of work around curriculum in specific with our reading. So our reading targets have made some fantastic progress over the last three years. We're hitting above our sssg, which we're really proud of. And last year our Aboriginal students actually performed ahead of state in our year three reading. So some great focus on our explicit teaching as well. We've and getting it make ensuring that our families know that we care about their kids The education and the partnership we've done a lot, a lot of work with external agencies to support us in that space as well. Our teachers and our leaders are deeply committed to what they're doing every single day, and it's their passion and their drive that enables the wonderful work that is happening here and the successes that we're having and that's forming a connected school community. And I guess that's what I'm really proud of and what's happening here across the, the school. And I'm sure that you know, hopefully with this announcement that we can continue the great work that we're doing together.

Murat Dizdar

Thanks, Garry. Also want to just put on record that we didn't even give Garry any warning unscripted, we wanted to just get him to share some of the progress that the school's making. I was just talking to Garry offline. He was saying he and his staff almost collapsed on the couch at 8:00 PM every Friday night because I know in context like this, it takes a whole team approach. And you've
Thanks for making time for us to connect with us on this live stream. We consider it a great honour and privilege to speak to our Executive Principals, but also our chairs of the local school reference groups. This unique structure that is in our Connected Communities Schools, where the local chairs come from our local AECG a very, very strong partnership. If you sense a or detect a little bit of excitement in my voice, I am terribly excited this morning. I’ve been itching to be able to connect with you, but I'm going to give the honours to our Deputy Premier, who's done fantastic work across government to share the fantastic announcement that we have for you this morning, Deputy Premier

Prue Car

Thanks Murat. It's really great to be here at Lethbridge Park. A school that's very close to my heart personally and a proud Connected Communities School right here in the heart of Western Sydney. I really couldn't think of a better place to share this exciting update with you all. And I know it's something that you've all been waiting for because you've been asking me this, as 've been travelling around and seeing your magic happen at school, as many of you would be well aware, NSW cabinet recently considered the continuation of the Connected Communities Strategy. I'm thrilled to say that these recommendations were unanimously endorsed by my cabinet colleagues, so from 2025 the brilliant work of the Connected Communities Strategy will extend for an additional 10 years. That's a decade of certainty to continue your incredible work.

This decision is simply a testament to the game changing progress your schools have made because of you to date, and the enormous potential of what can be realised in the future. I recognise the work that you undertake every single day with the students in your care. We just heard Garry talk about what's happening here at Lethbridge Park and I know things like that are happening everywhere. I am really, really proud to be part of a government who recognise the importance of having local voices at the heart of education. It is the only way and you tell me this everyday. It is the only way we can keep building learning environments where Aboriginal students feel seen, heard and empowered. This of course wouldn't be possible without the wisdom and the experience of our partners at the AECG who guide us every single step of the way.

Murat Dizdar

I want to underscore how enormous this announcement is in my career in public schools in NSW, spanning across 27 years, I've never seen a government get behind a program or commitment for that length of time to have a surety and certainty for the next decade is wonderful for all of us to not worry about year by year, or even what an election cycle may look like is fantastic. I've learned some tough lessons in my career that if we do good work for Aboriginal students, we'll stick to that work rather than change that work or program and that. Longevity of a program is also very, very important. The Deputy Premier and I are incredibly proud of the passion and dedication we've seen every one of our 33 Connected Communities Schools. It's such a crucial fabric in the building of an equitable and outstanding public education system we strive for under the plan for NSW Public education. It's through your work, it's collective endeavour that we want to keep seeing improved health and well-being. Skyrocketing attendance and engagement strengthened early childhood development. And life changing opportunities for our students. We want them to finish school strongly and we wanted to go on to big, bigger and better things in life.

Prue Car

I met some year six kids here at Lethbridge Park that I know are going to go on to achieve so much in their life because of the opportunity given them to them here at Lethbridge Park. Ultimately, we all believe that every Aboriginal learner should be able to reach their potential through a learning experience connected to who they are and where they come from.

Murat Dizdar

Play such a critical role in their community. They are far more than nine to three operations. I mean, you heard Garry talk about the clubs and program
that are outside school. It's in these contexts where it's most needed that the school's got to be able to permeate and open its doors to community. I know that every public school is such a strong fill up for its community. But in Connected it's even more pronounced. They're vital hubs, vital hubs for community. They bring together services support and they extend the connection way beyond the classroom walls. They are spaces where your work makes families and Elders feel comfortable, community welcomed and embraced, government and government organisations with the capacity to come together so that we can all. Around our students because it's can't just be, can't just be education. Yeah, on its own that changes the trajectory 10-year commitment is enormous. But can you tell us a little bit about a little more about what the cabinet deliberated on?

Prue Car

I mean, you really couldn't fail to be impressed. I don't know how many of you have actually seen Nathan Towney - whom many of you know from the University of Newcastle - put together it is incredible. You really couldn't fail to understand how incredibly impressive your schools are. And it's not just about the schools actually, it's all it's really all about other services as well that can wrap around their school communities. That's what I've learnt from you about what works about Connected Communities, whether it be us in education or health, housing or Youth Services, close collaboration across all portfolios is crucial. I know that you know this, but it's important for me to say that it's crucial to giving the strategy full effect, not just the amazing work happening in your Connected Communities Schools, but making sure that these communities are also connected to the other services from other agencies. That should also be serving our Connected Communities

So I'm really proud that one of the things we discussed at Cabinet and what we what we resolved to do was we approved a ministerial working party which I will chair. The key purpose of this working party will be to drive that cross government collaboration to better support Aboriginal students and their families. The Ministers in that room will be responsible for progressing relevant actions through their respective agencies. At the same time, we'll be closely monitoring progress across all areas, allowing for us to step in with additional supports where needed, and I want you to know those ministers responsible take that responsibility very seriously. For driving their agencies in that important work of cross collaboration, I know there's going to be music to your ears, cause I've heard for a long time from you that that's the kind of collaboration and connection you're looking for. You do your darndest at the local level to bring interagency to bring all of government and non government in. But you've been you've been calling for at a higher level to have stronger collaboration.

Murat Dizdar

And I know that the Deputy Premier will be a fierce proponent of Connected Communities with her Ministerial colleagues there across those agencies, and to have that high level support translate further to the ground will be important. I know that you've told us that your schools can't operate in isolation. If we're going to fully support the needs of Aboriginal students and their families, it's this sort of connection at high levels of government that we're looking
Deputy Premier many people on the call today participated in the research piece. You spoke about. It was the culturally responsive evaluation.
It's a first time and an important piece of work from our department in partnership with the University of Newcastle, where we just didn't look at only external results, but we tried to capture the experiences of the many diverse communities in and around our schools. Can you give us an update on when the evaluation will be released so our people can deeply engage with it?

Prue Car

Yeah, thanks Murat. This is also really important. I'm proud to say that cabinet also supported publishing this evaluation. I'm really very incredibly proud that we in NSW are the 1st to implement a culturally responsive methodology like this. I really cannot recommend the evaluation highly enough. It really highlights the importance of putting Aboriginal students, their families.Communities, your communities at the heart of our evaluation methodology and processes, I want to sincerely from the bottom of my heart, thank all of your school communities who took part. Because it's only by incorporating this culturally relevant principles, these principles that we can truly understand how our education delivery in NSW truly impacts Aboriginal students and their families.If you do get a chance to watch the video that accompanies the evaluation, you really really should. In fact, I sent it to my cabinet colleagues to look at as well, because it just tells the story of what you're doing every day. Just make sure you've got a box of tissues at the side when you do watch the video, it's going to be hard, not for the emotional lines to be tugged when you watch it.

Murat Dizdar

Great work across the state, in your context as a Deputy Premier mentioned earlier, the Connected Communities Strategy. Would simply not exist. It wouldn't have been possible without the valuable partnership of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. For 45 years, the peak body for Aboriginal education in its advocacy. In this state, they've been giving a voice to the educational needs of our Aboriginal communities and we're indebted. We're indebted to have them by our side to lift the outcomes for all of our Aboriginal learners. This was a strategy codesigned with the NSW AECG and the NSW Department of Education. And your chairing of the local School Reference Group has been integral to shaping the unique direction of each and every connected community's Connected Communities school.

I want to acknowledge the late and great president of the NSW AECG, Cindy Berwick. Who was the brainchild alongside the department to see this strategy be backed in by government way back in 2012/2013. May her soul rest in peace because she was a fierce proponent for this strategy, and I know our current President, Ray Ingrey, has been pivotal in backing the Deputy Premier and the department to see this extension.

Unfortunately, Ray was unable to join us in person. He's on Country currently attending state AECG meetings, but he's sent us this beautiful message. Let's throw to Ray.

Ray Ingrey

Good morning. My name is Ray Ingrey. I'm the President of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consulting Group. And apologies, I couldn't be live with you today. For the announcement, however, I'm prerecording at La Perouse Public School here, close to my community, the La Perouse Aboriginal community. It's deadly news that the NSW government is supporting the recommendation by the NSW Department of Education to extend the Connected Communities Strategy for The Connected Communities Strategy was developed in partnership between the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. To allow local schools and local communities to work together to develop place based programs and initiatives that meet the local needs of that community that the school serves.

Working in partnership with communities that schools serve is really critical to ensure that we overcome some of the impacts of the past practises forced on our people and we can only do that together. We know that the intergenerational impacts of colonisation and then protectionism can't be overcome without work and collaboratively with the NSW government and it can't be done by education alone. The NSW AECG welcomes the establishment of ministerial working group to ensure that there's cross government collaboration.

To support schools to deliver the work and meet the needs of the local Aboriginal community and other stakeholders that the school serves, the body of work can't be done by education alone, and it's really important that other agencies that impact on our kids learning are they're collaborating as well to ensure all our kids achieve to their full potential in education. In NSW we're leading the way in Aboriginal education, but we still got a long way to go.

I acknowledge the strong leadership of the Deputy Premier, the honourable Prue Car and Department of Education Secretary, Murat Dizdar. Their leadership is imperative to where we are today. I can't recall a better duo.- Who lead both parts of government and for the work that we need to undertake in the coming years, and most importantly, I want to thank the leadership at a local level. The local AECG who chair the school reference groups and the leadership within the school. Your hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, and today's announcement is evident in that we look forward to continuing our work to progress the Connected Communities Strategy and meet the needs of the local community to ensure our children meet their full potential in education. Thank you.

Murat Dizdar

Well, thank you to Ray. I think he sums it up way better than I've attempted to by saying it's a deadly announcement to have it locked away for another 10 years by way of our schools participating in this strategy. I know Cindy Berwick would be very, very proud of his leadership. Colleagues now that we have the certainty that we've been waiting for, I'm sure you're all wondering what it means for you as leaders and as chairs of the local school reference group.

As Executive Principals, we want you to just double down from here and continue to support the learning, the developmental and the well-being needs of your students and your families. As you all know, interagency collaboration is also a very key aspect of your role as executive principal. The Deputy Premier has spoken to the new ministerial working party that she's going to head up to drive high level oversight to ensure partnerships are strengthened. And that we can grow locally with those connections.

Prue Car

Yeah. Thank you, Murat. That's going to be really important, I hope and I'll be driving that to make sure it is the unique governance structure of the local school reference group chaired by the President of your local AECG networks will continue to stand. That's each and every local community. So please rest assured that these collective voices will remain. As a crucial influence to improving outcomes for your students and your families, also pivotal are the senior leader, the leader of community engagement roles. They're When you engage with the evaluation process, you will see that this structure has been called out as being fundamental to enhance community confidence in our public schools and in improving Aboriginal outcomes. We have heard very clearly how this additional resource and expertise provided through the strategy is so critical to fostering cultural pride well-being and healing, and its effective use creates a culturally responsive environment that nurtures Aboriginal sovereignty. It amplifies Aboriginal voice. And it brings collective leadership in driving system change.

Murat Dizdar

We really hope this announcement gives you certainty. Certainty that your important work can continue. Because we believe in the work. It will continue to be funded for a decade and we hope that certainty lifts a weight off your shoulders. Because now more than ever, improving outcomes for Aboriginal students must remain front and centre of everything that we do. We’re about to wrap up the live stream and the connection with you this morning. I know that you'll still have questions that you'll be seeking answers to, so I'm going to ask that you just reach out to your Director's Educational Leadership. They'll gather those. If there's any that we don't have the answer for, we'll come back to you collectively. Thank you so much to all of you for joining us and for your unyielding commitment that you make every day to the lives of the children in your care. Before we sign off, we want to call out our partners at the centre in the department who are so passionate about this strategy and make it happen.

Our good colleague Michele Hall, who's our Executive Director for Aboriginal Education and Communities, was at the start line on this strategy with Cindy Berwick and Doctor Michele Bruniges as Director-General way back in the day. I know no fiercer advocate for Aboriginal education, then our colleague Michele Hall, and I want to thank her for her work.

To position our Deputy Premier to take this to cabinet, my good colleague Kathy Powzun, our Executive Director for Regional South and for the Connected Communities Directorate by way of the operation of the 33 schools. Her visibility and connection in those contexts is so important, and her team work with Michele is unflappable and I want to thank her for her work.

And finally, our three Directors Educational Leadership in Connected Communities, they clock up more mileage than any of us. I try and follow them on social media to keep tabs on where they're at. But Mark Diamond, Margaret Mulcahy and Ben Smith are in your in your corner. In the Connected Communities, corner and public education also, and I do want to thank them for their staunch work and advocacy for you. Can the Deputy Premier and I just call out that we are going to keep backing you in because you keep making a difference out there and we can't wait to see what the next set of evaluation shows and where this strategy and program gets to after another decade travel well.

Raymond Ingrey

Good morning. My name is Ray Ingrey. I’m the President of the New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. And apologies, I couldn’t be live with you today for the announcement. However, I’m pre-recording at La Perouse Public School here close to my community, the La Perouse Aboriginal community.

It’s deadly news that the New South Wales government is supporting the recommendation, while the New South Wales Department of Education to extend the Connected Communities Strategies for the next 10 years.

The Connected Community strategy was developed in partnership between the New South Wales Department of Education and the New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, to allow local schools and local communities to work together to develop place based programs and initiatives that meet the local needs of that community that the school serves.

Working in partnership with communities that schools serve is really critical to ensure that we overcome some of the impacts of the past practices forced on our people. And we can only do that together.

We know that the intergenerational impacts of colonisation, and then protectionism, can’t be overcome without working collaboratively with the New South Wales government. And it can’t be done by Education alone.

The New South Wales AECG welcomes the establishment of a Ministerial Working Group to ensure that there’s cross-government collaboration to support schools to deliver the work and meet the needs of the local Aboriginal community and other stakeholders that the school serves. The body of work can’t be done by Education alone, and it’s really important that other agencies that impact on our kids learning are there collaborating as well, to ensure all our kids achieve to their full potential in education.

In New South Wales, we’re leading the way in Aboriginal education, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

I acknowledge the strong leadership of the Deputy Premier, the Honourable Prue Car, Minister for Education and Early Years, and Murat Dizdar, the Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education. Their leadership is imperative to where we are today.

I can’t recall a better duo who lead both parts of government and for the work that we need to undertake in the coming years.

And most importantly, I want to thank the leadership at a local level, the local AECG who chair the School Reference Groups and the leadership within the school. Your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed and today’s announcement is evident in that. We look forward to continuing our work to progress the Connected Community strategy and meet the needs of the local community to ensure our children meet their full potential in education.

Thank you.