Message from Moree (A) [Widescreen]

Moree, several hours north-west of Sydney, once had the reputation for being New South Wales’ most racist town, particularly during the 1990s. A rich agricultural district of wealthy farmers, Moree also is home to a poverty-stricken mainly unemployed minority Aboriginal community, giving rise to a high crime rate, violence, racism, despair and social disintegration. By 1996 Moree was in crisis with unemployment for Aboriginals at 44% (non-Aboriginals 7%). Dick Estens, a cotton farmer whose passion for the underdog and a refusal to acknowledge or accept failure, set about with a private group of concerned citizens in establishing the AES (Aboriginal Employment Strategy). His mission was to gain employment for Aboriginal people through a process of mentoring and partnerships. This documentary follows the handover by Dick Estens of the leadership of the AES to the Aboriginal community and the appointment of Cathy Duncan, a young tenacious Aboriginal educator, as Chair of the AES. Together Cathy and Dick begin to inspire change in the town of Moree, bringing a new hope of reconciliation between blacks and whites, increased employment for Aboriginals and a more positive attitude and respect between the two cultures. The partnership between Dick and Cathy is an interesting one with suspicion slowly turning into trust, ignorance into understanding, despair into hope and eventually, through compromise, mutual respect and admiration for each other as they strive towards a common goal. An extraordinary story of a small community committed to change. Contains archival footage, some scenes in b&w. For more information see “www.abc.net.au/message/tv/docos/moree/”