Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire cultural advisory committee gets off the ground

A South West Shire has voted in the members which will comprise the Cultural Inclusion Advisory Committee for the next two years. At the last council meeting held in January, the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire voted four people on to the new committee including an Indigenous elder, two people from linguistically diverse backgrounds and a business owner. Wadandi-Pibulmum elder and Traditional Custodian Sandra Hill was one of the four people elected to take a seat on the committee which she said was a “step forward” for the Shire. “I am glad they are getting this committee together, I am rather looking forward to it,” she said. “It’s really forward thinking and kudos to the Shire for actually doing something concrete for equality.” “(Bridgetown) is an incredibly important cultural place.” Ms Hill said one of the major goals she wanted to accomplish in her time on the committee was to try to get formal dual-naming of the Blackwood River with its Indigenous translation Gurbillup. The other spots on the committee will be taken up by Bridgetown-Greenbushes councillors Amanda Rose, Jenny Mountford and Tracy Lansdell. The Cultural Inclusion Advisory Committee was originally approved at the Shire’s November 25 meeting, however there is no date set for when the group will meet for the first time. The committee will run until at least the end of 2023.