Bunbury Noongar language hub poll pledge

A Noongar Language Hub could be back in Bunbury, after the Labor Party announced a $50,000 election promise to establish a new service.

Bunbury MLA Don Punch announced a re-elected Labor Government would provide funding to bring an Indigenous language service back to the South West after the former Noongar Language Centre moved to Perth in mid-2019.

Wardandi Miya-K Kaadajiny Aboriginal Corporation CEO Charmaine Councillor has been working to deliver Indigenous language education and welcomed the funding commitment.

“We saw there was a need for a local service provider because people are still crying out for language interpretation, Welcome to Country, school support,” she said.

The funding would help the group buy the equipment needed to deliver the services here.

“We know how to tell our stories and speak the language and we want all of Bunbury to be with us,” Ms Councillor said.

You don’t have to leave culture and language behind . . . we want to bring it back to learning the language of the land.

Mr Punch said expressing culture through language gave it a richness that could often be lost in translation.

“This funding is a small part of a big journey,” he said.

Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman said WA had a tremendous story to tell the world about its First Nations people.