I’m a Ngemba woman who calls Brewarrina home. My mother’s family are from Gundabooka and Byrock.
My mother passed away when I was a teenager and not having a Mum to go to was hard. However, I now have 5 children of my own and while I travelled around a lot when my children were small, I always came back to Bre. I was very supportive of my children and their schooling. For me, it was essential that they finished Year 12, and they did.
My achievements include being a published author, having successfully written a book called First Nations Principal of Culture Bible (which can be purchased through Amazon). I’m currently negotiating with my publisher for a second book.
I’ve also owned my own business, Thulii Ngemba, which specialised in native foods. I’m in my second term as a Councillor on Brewarrina Shire Council, and I’ve sat on a number of boards and committees:
- Brewarrina Hospital Board – giving me a good understanding of health issues in regional NSW
- NSW Government housing committee (6 years) – giving me a strong understanding of all the issues associated with housing and homelessness
- Co-founder of the Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre
- Co-convenor of the Australia Free Nuclear Alliance
- International Indigenous Greens member.
As a writer, small business owner, elected representative and hard-working member of community committees and boards, I’m well placed to represent the Parkes electorate in Parliament.
Growing up on the longest river in Australia, it was always a pleasure to listen to the water run over the fish traps or as we know them, Biami Ngunnhu. However, during droughts, it hurts not being able to listen to the water and knowing that communities down river do not have sufficient water and are suffering. Climate change is happening now and we are all suffering from the effects of droughts, bush fires and floods.
As a Greens candidate, I am 100% committed to working with the community to prioritise the environment and get it back on track. I know the impact of climate change first hand. My previous partner had respiratory issue arising from previous droughts and so in 2016 we had to move to WA for a couple of years. But it was too far from home for me, so I decided to move back to Bre.
Luckily I did, Because the Brewarrina Shire Council wanted to build a nuclear waste dump in Bre. The proposal was not just going to affect Bre, it was also going to impact surrounding communities, as nuclear waste would be transported through them. I was very concerned about the health and safety of those communities, as well as the environment, and so started a campaign called ‘No Bunda Bunda on Ngemba land’. Bunda Bunda means bad poison.
I was successful with this campaign and Council dropped the proposal to build a nuclear waste dump. I am proud of the success of that campaign and it was one of the reasons for I deciding to run as a Green’s candidate for the federal election.
