Parents supporting their Daughter

Selina's parents Rosabelle and Matthew Wonnameri flew down from Darwin today, to talk withMcCullough Robertson Lawyers, so they understood the opportunity available for their daughter.

To fly to Brisbane, it cost $130 each from Milikapiti to Darwin, then left Darwin at 6.00am today in a flight costing $250 each to keep an a 1.00pm appointment at the Law Firm. They return leaving Brisbane 9.30 on Tuesday, and arrive in Darwin after midnight, they camp over and fly back to Milikapiti later that day.

So here we have the situation where "Bush Aborigines" paid out $2000 because they are excited that they daughter, a Traditional Tiwi Aboriginal kid, has a chance of getting a Year 12 pass to enter Law at University of Queensland. They know if one aboriginal kid can get through to University, others are in the system ready to follow!

Forty Two years ago Matthew spent four years in Sydney training as Carpenter. Trade training in great, but professional training is more important. Aboriginal people must negotiate with Mining Companies and with Government so Australia's wealth is shared equally. They know, and you know, it is not aboriginal people who reap the massive profits mining that come from mining Aboriginal lands.

Matthew has been down south before, he was part of the team that negotated Tiwi beach mining, for the Rutile sent to China.

He also was down to see his son who plays AFL with Melbourne, but he and Rosabelle, their son Austin and you know, that it is much more important that Tiwi kids get to University and have the confidence to participate in the decisions so everyone in this country can share it's bounty.

Rosabelle is the star. She is the one who organises the kids for the trips down to Brisbane. And each time, she flies in to Darwin, she takes a motel so the kids are safe, she pays the taxi fares to get them to the airport, she and Matthew outlay $500 each time the kids come down for school - and they travel eight times a year!

Matthew and Rosabelle are the heart of the St Vincent de Paul Tiwi Education project. Missionaries came to the Tiwi Islands 99 years ago, and there has been a StVdeP Conference operating on and off for over 50 years. But even when the Conference was in remission, it was still 'on' because Aboriginal people are very Christian and it is in their culture to look out of and care for one another.

It was reassuring to meet with Brisbane StVdeP Diocesan President Michael Waterhouse, because without the $75,000 StVdeP invested, Selina could not be at this this point!

If you Can you help fund the project: https://vinnies.org.au/appeals-processor-national