Calling all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students in Hinkler!
Federal Member for Hinkler David Batt MP and renowned Aboriginal artists Chern’ee and Brooke Sutton have come together for the local launch of a unique storytelling competition.
Yarning is an Australia-wide storytelling competition that invites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students to share, through art, their unique perspectives and stories with the Australian Parliament.
It provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to connect with, and learn about, the work of the Australian Parliament. Medium can be visual, text, photography, video or audio.
Winners will receive an expenses-paid trip to Parliament House in Canberra, including flights and accommodation, in late June. Their artwork will also be exhibited at Parliament House.
“This is an exciting opportunity for young people of Hinkler to represent their community at a national level, Mr Batt said.”
“I thank the inspiring Sutton sisters for backing this competition and helping spread the word. They are both wonderful role models in Hinkler.”
It was a competition that propelled Chern’ee Suttons illustrious career.
“I was 13 years old when I entered and won my first art competition and that was truly life-changing. It ignited my passion and gave me a level of confidence I had never experienced before,” Chern’ee explained.
“People began to see my work, which opened the door to more and more opportunities and it just snowballed from there. Fast forward 17 years, and I’ve had experiences I never could have imagined. I’ve worked with global organisations, and my art has been all around the world and it all started with that first art competition.
Competitions like Yarning are incredibly important because they give young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a platform to share their voices, their culture and their stories through art. Opportunities like this can truly shape confidence, spark passion and open doors, it could be the start of their artistic career and I know firsthand how powerful that encouragement can be.”
Chern’ee’s younger sister Brooke, an award-winning artist in her own right, said competitions like Yarning provide a wonderful opportunity.
“Art gives young First Nations students a unique way to express their ideas and stories while also connecting with culture. Initiatives like the Yarning Competition encourage creativity, storytelling, and cultural pride. Providing students with opportunities to share their perspectives and showcase their art to such a significant audience can pave the rest of their artistic careers.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP said the Yarning Competition recognises the emerging talent of our First Nations artists and young people from across Australia.
“Yarning was designed to give young First Nations people a platform to share not just their artwork, but their ideas and perspectives.”
For further information and entry submission, please visit the website: Yarning Competition – Sharing Stories, Celebrating Culture.
Entries close on 11 May 2026.
Eligibility
The competition is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from across Australia who are currently enrolled in secondary school in one of the following year groups:
Years 7/8
Years 9/10
Years 11/12
Participants can choose from the following themes:
Country and Connection: Explore the deep connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the land and waters, and traditional practices.
Identity and Culture: Reflect on what identity and culture means to you.
Family and Community: Share stories of strength, resilience and cultural pride within your community.
Reconciliation: Share your thoughts on reconciliation and its significance.
Choose an entry medium:
Visual Artwork (1 entry, maximum size of 100 cm x 100 cm)
Text (at least 200 words, maximum of 400 words)
Photography (10 images maximum)
Video (at least 2 minutes, maximum of 4 minutes)
Audio (at least 2 minutes, maximum of 4 minutes)