SUFY

16/07/2025

SUFY were honoured to be a part of the Musgrave Park Family Fun Day NAIDOC celebrations last Friday, 11th of July, to support and celebrate First Nations culture during NAIDOC Week.

SUFY’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group put on a sausage sizzle for Community Elders, performers, and volunteers. With nearly 500 sausages cooked, we had plenty of extras to be shared with community on the day.

SUFY hopes that Musgrave Park Family Fun Day will have us back again next year and that SUFY can continue to work all year round towards strengthening relationships with First Nations communities and organisations.

07/07/2025

The Queensland Government’s recent announcement of a historic investment in segregated education for students with disability is a backwards step and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the country, unwinding hard-won progress towards inclusion.

Inclusive schools = better outcomes for all, inclusive communities, and real choice for families.

👏 Inclusve education is a right - not a ‘preference.’
💰It’s time to invest in every school, for every student.

Hit this link to take action now:
🔗 bit.ly/LetAllKidsLearnTogether

One click = one powerful message to all Education Ministers across Australia including Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and QLD Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek



[Image Description - Blue background with scrunched paper texture with white and yellow text. Heading says Inclusive schools build inclusive communities. Text below says Every child has the right to be welcomed, supported and included in their local school with their siblings and neighbourhood friends - not separated based on their disability. Text at bottom says Let all kids learn together. ACIE logo in bottom right.]

06/07/2025

NAIDOC Week 06 – 13 JULY

"The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy"

The year’s NAIDOC theme celebrates the enduring strength of First Nations peoples, the visionary leadership of young leaders, and the rich legacy passed down through generations.

At Speaking Up For You (SUFY), we honour this history and the ongoing journey towards justice and equity.

We acknowledge the resilience and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, whose continued leadership shapes a future grounded in justice, equity, and cultural pride.

Let us all take this week to listen, learn, and support First Nations voices and leadership. Together, we honour the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to a future strengthened by unity and respect.

[Image Description: White background with a circular NAIDOC Week Logo on the left-hand side. Dark grey text on the right-hand side that reads "THE NEXT GENERATION: STRENGTH VISION & LEGAGY" and teal coloured text below that reads "6-13 July 2025".
Image source: https://www.naidoc.org.au/resources/naidoc-downloads]

26/05/2025

🖤💛❤️ National Sorry Day – 26 May ❤️💛🖤

Today, on National Sorry Day, we at Speaking Up For You (SUFY) acknowledge the strength, resilience, and enduring spirit of the Stolen Generations and their families.

We remember the deep pain caused by past government policies of forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, communities, and culture.

We also recognise that many of these injustices continue today through systems like child protection, policing, and the justice system — causing ongoing harm to First Nations peoples.

We stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples in their ongoing fight for truth, justice, and healing.

Always was. Always will be. Aboriginal land.

08/05/2025

Last week we met with Max Chandler-Mather, Federal MP for Griffith. We discussed the challenges faced by people with disability in accessing housing, and how QAI and the local advocates at SUFY can help people with disability in his community. We also talked about the importance of supporting disability advocacy so we can continue to advocate for changes to systems that will create better support for people with disability.

11/04/2025

UPDATE

There has been an update in the speakers for next Wednesday's online election forum:

🟢 Senator Jordan Steele-John - Australian Greens Party
🔴 Amanda Rishworth - Australian Labor Party
🟠 Bob Katter - Katter's Australia Party
🔵 Senator Hollie Hughes - Liberal Party of Australia

There is still time to register to attend this forum to hear from representatives about their plans to create a more inclusive Australia and address the disability issues that matter most to you.

Event and registration details below:
Date: Wednesday 16 April, 2025
Where: Online via Zoom
Time: 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Link to register - https://events.humanitix.com/alliance-online-election-forum-2025-3seyucry?fbclid=IwY2xjawJlf5VleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHv9cHcpUf1uLA8zCdM8oU0cLAEJpWUGgaPGJ0BNGNyjynMTo7_UmER5YvpWj_aem_9RHMO_HSi-wwP0fUeGc1xg

04/04/2025

SUFY is working alongside a strong alliance of thirty-one disability organisations, and is excited to announce that registrations are now open for the 'Queensland Disability Alliance - Online Federal Election Forum 2025'.

The Federal Election has been called for Saturday 3rd of May. This is a crucial moment for people with disability, their families, and their supports. It is essential that whoever gets elected is a Federal Government that listens, leads with vision, and prioritises the full inclusion and participation of people with disability in our communities.

Join us for this free state-wide forum to hear from:
🟢Larissa Waters - Australian Greens,
🔴Amanda Rishworth - Australian Labor Party,
🟠Bob Katter - Katter's Australia Party, and
🔵Michael Sukkar - Liberal Party of Australia,

In this forum, the representatives will talk about their plans to create a more inclusive Australia and address the disability issues that matter most to you.

Event and registration details below:
Date: Wednesday 16 April, 2025
Where: Online via Zoom
Time: 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Link to register - https://events.humanitix.com/alliance-online-election-forum-2025-3seyucry

03/04/2025

SUFY is so pleased to announce the launch of our 'Reflect' Reconciliation Action Plan.
On Tuesday, 25th of March, we celebrated this with an event at Jagera Community Hall in South Brisbane, and enjoyed hearing from:
⭐Our artist, Duane
⭐Chairperson, Hugh
⭐Manager, Kelly
⭐Graphic Designer, Juha
⭐Our RAP Working Group members

A smoking ceremony from 'Tribal Experiences' was also a highlight. We would like to thank everyone who attended – we thoroughly enjoyed celebrating this special milestone as an organisation with some delicious food and great company!

Please visit our website to see our Reconciliation Action Plan: https://sufy.org.au/sufy-reflect-rap/

19/03/2025

On National Close the Gap Day, SUFY is concerned that the latest data shows that only four of the 19 targets are on track to be met. SUFY finds it profoundly troubling that other key targets have gone backwards, in particular,

• Children thriving
• Criminal justice
• Child protection; and
• Su***de rates (social and emotional wellbeing).

SUFY is worried that the recent trend of state and territory governments to enact policies, such as lowering the age of criminal responsibility, the tightening of bail laws and the introduction in Queensland of ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ are deliberately harming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially children and young people.

This is not good enough and SUFY urges all Australian governments to renew their commitment to the national agreement by taking meaningful actions to fully implement the priority reforms.

Source: Dashboard | Closing the Gap Information Repository - Productivity Commission - https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/dashboard

✨It’s National Close the Gap Day!✨

Join us as we launch our 2025 Report ‘Agency, Leadership, Reform: Ensuring the survival, dignity and wellbeing of First Nations Peoples’ today at the Aborigines Advancement League in Naarm (Melbourne).
❤️💛🖤💚🤍💙

Last chance to attend the report launch in person👉🏿https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/national-close-the-gap-day-2025-tickets-1234201773729

If you cannot attend in person, no need to register, use the link to watch the live stream👉🏿https://vimeo.com/event/4944247

All are welcome. We hope to see you there.

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾In solidarity, we journey together.🫱🏼‍🫲🏾





maar_oo

19/03/2025

We hope you can join us for our RAP Launch next Tuesday, 25th March from 9:30am!
RSVP by tomorrow, Thursday 20th March, by calling or emailing SUFY on (07) 3255 1244 or sufy@sufy.org.au.

SUFY is excited to be launching our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)!

Join us at Jagera Community Hall, South Brisbane, on Tuesday 25th March at 9:30am and hear from:

🗨️ SUFY’s Cultural Advisor and RAP Champion, Uncle Willie Prince, a proud Kalkadoon man with disability.
🗨️ Artist, Duane Doyle, a Jiman man, who will explain the meaning behind his remarkable artwork designed specifically for our RAP.
🗨️ SUFY Chairperson, Hugh Rose-Miller.
🗨️ RAP Working Group members about our journey and RAP document designed by emerging graphic designer, Juha Kinnunen, a proud Ngarrindjeri man.

As a value-led organisation, SUFY is in the business of fighting injustice, upholding human rights, and addressing the harm caused by marginalisation. It is in this vein that we are engaging in our RAP – so we can ensure our advocacy efforts are optimal and inclusive of the needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Engaging in the RAP process will only make us better – as people, as advocates, as leaders, as an organisation and as community members.

RSVP by the 20th of March 2025 by calling or emailing SUFY on (07)32551244 or sufy@sufy.org.au.

We hope to see you there!

10/03/2025

SUFY is excited to be launching our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)!

Join us at Jagera Community Hall, South Brisbane, on Tuesday 25th March at 9:30am and hear from:

🗨️ SUFY’s Cultural Advisor and RAP Champion, Uncle Willie Prince, a proud Kalkadoon man with disability.
🗨️ Artist, Duane Doyle, a Jiman man, who will explain the meaning behind his remarkable artwork designed specifically for our RAP.
🗨️ SUFY Chairperson, Hugh Rose-Miller.
🗨️ RAP Working Group members about our journey and RAP document designed by emerging graphic designer, Juha Kinnunen, a proud Ngarrindjeri man.

As a value-led organisation, SUFY is in the business of fighting injustice, upholding human rights, and addressing the harm caused by marginalisation. It is in this vein that we are engaging in our RAP – so we can ensure our advocacy efforts are optimal and inclusive of the needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Engaging in the RAP process will only make us better – as people, as advocates, as leaders, as an organisation and as community members.

RSVP by the 20th of March 2025 by calling or emailing SUFY on (07)32551244 or sufy@sufy.org.au.

We hope to see you there!

05/03/2025

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Due to Cyclone Alfred, our office will be closed Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th of March. We hope to reopen on Monday the 10th of March.

During this time, our access to email and phone communications may be limited and we may not be able to respond to you until next week. If it is an emergency, please call 000.

You can also contact Pathways who have extended their helpline hours (post below) and may be able to provide advice to people with disability.

Here are some resources on how to prepare and keep safe during the cyclone:

Australia's official weather forecasts & weather radar - Bureau of Meteorology - http://www.bom.gov.au/

Be prepared | Brisbane City Council - https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/community-safety/disasters-and-emergencies/be-prepared?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA5pq-BhBuEiwAvkzVZTk4lXp2hH9iE6kjmDzAUSb9gk99fJfpeb6HckVontzJcTpiiv_3oxoCtigQAvD_BwE

Severe Weather, Flood, Cyclone Warnings and Emergency Alerts | Disaster Management | Queensland Government - https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings