FIRST NATIONS MEDIA UNITES IN DARWIN FOR CONVERGE 2025
BY ASAD KHAN AND TANGIORA HINAKI
The First Nations media sector has wrapped up its annual national gathering, CONVERGE 2025, held on Larrakia Country in Darwin from 29 to 31 July.
Organised by First Nations Media Australia, the three-day conference brought together broadcasters, journalists, media workers, and community leaders from across the country under the theme Meeting Together >> Moving in One Direction.
The event offered a platform to share stories, reflect on the industry’s direction, and advocate for greater recognition of First Nations-led media.
Celebrating Culture and Storytelling Through Media
CONVERGE highlighted the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media organisations as a vital force in cultural preservation, community empowerment, and amplifying Indigenous voices. It also served as a forum for sector-wide updates and policy discussion.
On Thursday morning, Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians, addressed delegates and acknowledged recent tragedies in the Northern Territory.
In the presence of Ned Hargraves, a senior Warlpiri Elder and grandfather of Kumjayi White, the Minister reflected on White’s death while under police restraint in an Alice Springs supermarket.
Senator McCarthy Responds to Community Grief and Calls for Reform
Senator McCarthy noted that on the same morning, she and Senator Lidia Thorpe successfully passed a motion in the Senate acknowledging the incident. The motion formally recorded the Senate’s sympathy, stating:
“The Senate notes that on 27 May 2025, 24-year-old disabled Warlpiri man Kumjayi White died a tragic death under police restraint inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. The Senate extends deepest sympathies to the family of Kumjayi White and the Yuendumu community.”
Funding in the Spotlight: Questions on Accountability and Equity
During an open Q&A session, broadcaster and musician Grant Hansen questioned Senator McCarthy on funding allocations from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).
He asked why funding was directed to mainstream programs like the AFL and the Clontarf Foundation, which are not Aboriginal-owned, rather than being invested directly into First Nations media.
In response, Senator McCarthy acknowledged the concern and referenced the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS).
“One of the areas that you all know NIAA has is the IAS, the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, which I’m currently looking at now. So, I appreciate what you’ve said. I’ll be looking at it.”
Solidarity and Strategy: A United Front for First Nations Media
CONVERGE 2025 once again reinforced the collective strength of Indigenous media workers across the continent and the ongoing fight for sustainable, community-controlled media funding.