Koori Mail

THE North Queensland Cowboys were mobbed by fans on arrival at Townsville airport, after bringing home the National Rugby League trophy. And co-captain Johnathan Thurston was given a hero’s welcome. The Cowboys won their first ever NRL championship on Sunday, defeating the Brisbane Broncos 17-16 in golden-point extra time, thanks to a drop goal by Thurston.

The Redfern All Blacks took out the men’s title in the NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout in Dubbo yesterday, after a thrilling win in extra time against the Newcastle All Blacks. For all the action and pictures from the Knockout and the Arthur Beetson Murri Carnival, check out tomorrow’s Koori Mail.

TEN Indigenous Australians have earned their spot in the world famous New York City Marathon in November as part of the 2015 Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP) team. Last Sunday, the 2015 IMP squad of five men and five women took on their biggest challenge to date – a 30km qualifying run in Alice Springs that determined the final squad to take on the New York Marathon. The IMP is a program of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.

WIRI barrister Tony McAvoy has been appointed to the prestigious position of Senior Counsel, making him the first ever Indigenous Australian to receive the special legal title. Mr McAvoy is a native title lawyer who is also passionate about reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison. Mr McAvoy is also the part time Commissioner for the Land and Environment Court Chair, part of the editorial committee of Lexis Nexis Native Title News and in 2010 he was the inaugural National Indigenous Lawyer of the Year.

NORTH Queensland Cowboys star Johnathan Thurston has won his record fourth Dally M Player of the Year award, which recognises the best player in the National Rugby League. Thurston won the award in 2005 and 2007 and was equal winner last year with Jarryd Hayne. Thurston, 32, has overtaken Andrew Johns as the greatest winner of the award. Johns won the award in 1998, 1999 and 2002.

BUNDJALUNG woman Amelia Telford, 20, has been named the Bob Brown Foundation Young Environmentalist of the Year. Ms Telford was instrumental in the formation of Seed, Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network. Through her involvement with Seed and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition’s Indigenous youth engagement program, Ms Telford is reaching out to other young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are concerned about climate change.

THE nominees have been announced for male and female co-chairs of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples. The female candidates are Amala Groom, Carla McGrath, Katie Kiss and Jackie Huggins. The male candidates are Les Malezer, Charles Prouse, Rod Little and Tauto Sansbury. Congress chief executive Geoff Scott welcomed the strong field of candidates. Members will vote separately for male and female co-chair positions. Voting opened on Monday, September 28, closes Sunday, October 18. For more information go to www.nationalcongress.com.au

Ken Wyatt – the first Aboriginal person elected to the House of Representatives – has also become the first Aboriginal member of the Federal Cabinet after new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promoted him to Assistant Health Minister. Mr Wyatt, who has Noongar, Yamatji and Wongi heritage, was a senior bureaucrat in health and education before his parliamentary career.

THE NT Children’s Commissioner has released a report detailing shocking abuse of Aboriginal children in detention. The Commissioner was investigating the circumstances leading up to, and after, the transfer of six young people to an adult prison in August 2014 following an incident at Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre. “The Children’s Commissioner report has confirmed what was suspected all along: the tear gassing of juveniles at Don Dale was an overreach and overreaction,” said Rodney Dillon, Amnesty Indigenous rights advisor.

Johnathan Thurston last night was awarded the Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) Players’ Player Medal for an unprecedented fourth time. The honour was announced at the 2015 RLPA Awards at Sydney’s Jones Bay Wharf. The Cowboys’ captain, who also claimed the peer voted honour in 2005, 2013 and 2014, topped the voting ahead of fellow finalists Ben Hunt (Broncos), Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs), James Tedesco (Tigers) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Roosters).