Celebrating 50 Years of NAIDOC Week

Celebrating 50 Years of NAIDOC Week

In 2026, West proudly celebrated the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, recognising five decades of honouring and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This year's theme, 50 Years: Deadly, acknowledged NAIDOC Week's enduring legacy as a platform for cultural continuity, celebration, truth-telling and survival.

To mark the occasion, West hosted a special morning tea featuring a panel of inspiring guest speakers, including Blum Henry from Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, Simone Jordan, Employment Partner at the University of Newcastle, and Quincy Ross, Clontarf alumnus and Aboriginal educator. Together, they shared their personal experiences, reflected on the significance of NAIDOC Week, and discussed what 50 years of NAIDOC means to them and their communities.

The event was led by Wests RAP Officer, Jason May, who reflected on the significance of the milestone.

“As a proud Wiradjuri man, celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC is deeply meaningful. It honours the generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Elders, families and community leaders who have carried culture forward, stood strong through adversity and continued advocating for recognition, justice and self-determination.

The Wests morning tea created an important space for people to listen to different lived experiences and reflect on what NAIDOC means across generations. Hearing from Blum, Simone and Quincy highlighted that NAIDOC is both a celebration of culture and achievement, and an opportunity for truth-telling, learning and building stronger relationships.

NAIDOC Week is an important moment in the calendar, but our responsibility continues throughout the entire year. The real measure of our commitment is how we carry the learning forward, strengthen relationships with community and continue embedding reconciliation into the everyday practices and decisions of our organisation.”