Indigenous news digest January 18
Today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, Indigenous news is headlined by a major rally in Sydney against Indigenous deaths in custody and a deepening legal debate over protest rights.
Major Headlines
Rally Against Deaths in Custody:
Activist Paul Silva is leading a major rally today at Hyde Park, Sydney, marking the 10th anniversary of the death of his uncle, David Dungay Jr.
Protest Ban Defiance:
The Sydney rally is proceeding despite being declared “unauthorised” under a 14-day extension of New South Wales police powers originally enacted after the Bondi attacks. Organisers and civil liberties groups have lodged a constitutional challenge in the NSW Supreme Court, arguing the laws are “inhumane” and suppress First Nations voices.
Paul Silva is leading a major rally today at Hyde Park, Sydney.
Aboriginal Child Protection Concerns:
In the Northern Territory, experts have voiced alarm over proposed changes to child protection laws that would allow courts to override national guidelines for placing Aboriginal children with family or kin.
“Australian Long Weekend” Proposal:
Momentum is growing for a petition to move the Australia Day public holiday to the second-last Monday in January. The proposal would ensure the holiday always falls between January 18 and January 24, avoiding the “Invasion Day” date of January 26.
Indigenous leader Bobby Nungamajbarr.
Regional Developments
Northern Territory:
Indigenous leader Bobby Nungamajbarr has made a public appeal for voters to support a Voice to Parliament to advocate for better living conditions in remote communities.
Western Australia:
The Department of Justice is integrating Aboriginal cultural connections into its databases to better support offenders. In the Pilbara, an Aboriginal-led initiative in the remote Pilbara has successfully converted a house that was vacant for six years back into a family home.
New South Wales:
In the Yuin nation, Elders have launched a digital “keeping place” to preserve and share history, language, and cultural records.
The toxic algal bloom in South Australia has been described as a “cultural emergency”.
Victoria:
The Bunurong language is being “awakened” through a new dictionary project, with community members reporting it is the first time the language has been spoken on country in a century.
Queensland:
A six-day First Nation Indigenous Cultural Women’s Retreat is taking place at the Bunya Mountains, featuring traditional activities like weaving, bush tucker cooking, and storytelling.
New policies for 2026 have increased subsidised childcare hours to 100 per fortnight for First Nations children, aiming to improve early childhood outcomes.
Tasmania:
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) has recently condemned the Tasmanian government’s “secret” decision to transfer Aboriginal children from the Ashley Youth Detention Centre to adult prison facilities. TAC leadership described this as a grave human rights breach, noting that some of the youths are unsentenced and were moved without family notification.
South Australia:
Ngarrindjeri elders have described the ongoing toxic algal bloom in South Australia as a “cultural emergency,” likening its impact on local flora and fauna to the destruction of a sacred site.
