Koori Mail

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Koori Mail

Koori Mail
TypeBiweekly
Owner(s)Bunjum Co-operative; Buyinbin Inc; Kurrachee Co-operative; Bundjalung Tribal Society; Nungera Co-operative
EditorRudi Maxwell
Founded1991
HeadquartersLismore, New South Wales
ISSN1038-8516
Websitewww.koorimail.com

The Koori Mail is an Australian newspaper written and owned by Indigenous Australians since 1991. It is published fortnightly in printed form and electronic copies are available. Owned by five community-based Aboriginal organisations based in northern New South Wales, its profits are spent on community projects and needs.

History[]

The term Koori is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from the approximate region now known as southern New South Wales and Victoria, derived from the Awabakal language.[1]

The Koori Mail was founded in 1991[2] by Walbunja man Owen Carriage.[3][4][5] Carriage had been involved with the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra after the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody. There, he and Pastor Frank Roberts thought of the idea of a newspaper devoted to Aboriginal issues, after being disappointed with the mainstream newspapers' coverage of the event.[6] The headline story in the first issue on 23 May 1991 was about a recent report into violent racism in Australia and the high levels of abuse suffered by Aboriginal people in police custody.[3]

In 1992, various local Aboriginal communities representing the Bundjalung nation assumed ownership of the newspaper, being the Bundjalung Tribal Society (based at Lismore), Bunjum Co-operative (Cabbage Tree Island), Buyinbin Co-operative (Casino), Kurrachee Cooperative (Coraki), and Nungera Co-operative Maclean).[6]

On 4 May 2011, on the date of the publication of the 500th issue of Koori Mail, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) launched its digital collection of the newspaper, in partnership with the Department of Industry and Science, and the State Library of New South Wales.[7]

Description[]

Run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through five Aboriginal community organisations based in northern New South Wales,[8] the Koori Mail is based in Lismore.[2] The newspaper is published fortnightly and is available by subscription and in newsagents in every Australian state and territory,[8] as well as in PDF form online via the AIATSIS website (where all past issues are also available).[7]

It is a source of news and information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities and events throughout Australia.[2] It covers general news as well as health, education, employment, culture, the arts, and sport,[8] and has correspondents and contributors in every state and territory.[6]

As of 2021 its circulation is around 10,000, but it is estimated that it is read by ten times that number.[3]

All profits are distributed to the community through the five owner organisations and spent on uses such as scholarships for Aboriginal students, housing and mental health programmes.[3] The organisation offers entry-level jobs as well as traineeships based in schools, to help young Indigenous writers to gain experience.[6]

The Lismore office established a studio for broadcasting radio and podcasts, from 2021, initially focusing on Bundjalung issues,[6] but the printed copy is still the most important component.[3]

Staff[]

As of May 2021 Rudi Maxwell is the editor of the newspaper, and the staff numbers a total of 12 people.[6]

Bundjalung and Dunghutti woman Naomi Moran has been general manager since 2016, and holds the role as of May 2021.[6][9]

As of 2016 Russell Kapeen is chair of the board.[10]

Notable people[]

Kirstie Parker, as of May 2021 (since 2017) the Director of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in the Department of Premier and Cabinet in South Australia, is a former Koori Mail journalist.[11]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Harding, Janina (1993). "Koori". Children Australia. 18 (1): 19. doi:10.1017/s103507720000328x. ISSN 1035-0772.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Maxwell, Rudi (12 May 2011). "Our own Koori Mail 20 years young". . Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Wright, George (22 May 2021). "Koori Mail: Thirty years of reporting on Aboriginal Australia". BBC News. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Milestone for the Koori Mail". Northern Star. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  5. ^ Koori mail : celebrating successful editions, 1995, retrieved 27 June 2017
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Moran, Alexis (23 May 2021). "National Indigenous-owned-and-run newspaper the Koori Mail celebrates 30th birthday". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Koori Mail". AIATSIS. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "UniSA Library - Koori Mail". University of South Australia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Local Bundjalung woman appointed Koori Mail boss – Echonetdaily". 19 May 2016.
  10. ^ "National Indigenous newspaper, the Koori Mail, marks 25 years in print". 25 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Bio". Kirstie Parker. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

External links[]

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