The Abbott Government's unfair budget brings down another successful community initiative

Yet another example of the Abbott Government’s determination to lay waste to this nation’s social capital……….. 

Announcement From Vibe Australia

July 14th, 2014.

In June, 2014, Vibe Australia was informed that funds for the Vibe Project will be directed to the Australian Government’s programs that deliver front line services from 1 July 2014. We are currently in a transition arrangement.

Everyone at Vibe is extremely proud and humbled by the work we do on behalf of the community and of the support we receive from community, and the wider Australian public.
This announcement is made in good faith to inform you of the current situation.

The Vibe Project includes:

      Deadly Vibe magazine

      The Deadlys

      InVibe magazine

      Deadly Sounds radio

      Move It Mob Style TV

      deadlyvibe.com.au (also as a value added activity, Deadly Vibe on Facebook andTwittersites and the weekly e-publication Deadly Vibe Wire).

As of 30 June 2014 all these activities are concluded. However, our commitment to Vibe and our belief in the work we do on behalf of community remains firm.

The annual Deadly Awards® are due to be held at the Sydney Opera House on 30 September 2014. The Deadlys will not be held this year, in 2014. We understand we have responsibilities to a number of sponsors and will be in negotiation with these agencies and organisations over coming weeks, and will negotiate and honour such responsibilities.

Everyone at Vibe stands by our work, across our events and communications activities, and are confident in our ability to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia through our holistic approach in primary health, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing and across education, employment and community empowerment.

We have always had in our hearts a goal of strengthening the connection to culture and community. Through all our work, we are proud to bring you the excellence and achievement, to create unity and rightful pride in identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly for our young people.

We are proud of all we have achieved with our radio program, Deadly Sounds, Deadly Vibe magazine, InVibe magazine, Move It Mob Style®, our Vibe 3on3® events and of course, The Deadlys®.

Move It Mob Style® Series 4 has been completed, and commences on NITV and ABC3 soon.

Going forward, at this point, there are many responsibilities that we have to partnerships and working relationships. And we will be calling and working through these as quickly as possible. We ask everyone to please be patient.

We would like to thank everybody who has been a part of Vibe to this point over our 20 year journey and ask for your support at this critical time.

We would also like to thank the Australian Government, and the many officers and political people along the journey, for having the insight and vision to support Vibe for so many years.

Since the early 1990s, we hope we have contributed greatly to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people all ages, particularly the young, to be their best with regard to education, employment, health and wellbeing, by providing clear and coherent information and showcasing positive role models, advancing the individual, the family, and the community.

Thank you, and in unity,

Vibe Australia
14 July 2014

The Sydney Morning Herald 15 July 2014:

The Aboriginal founder of the Deadly Awards, the annual celebration of indigenous achievement, was shattered last month when he learnt that he would lose federal funding worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Gavin Jones, 47, was found dead on his farm at Goulburn on Saturday. While his family did not want to discuss the nature of his death, they and his friends were aware of his devastation at the loss of funding affecting his ventures, which had spawned radio and television productions, the national Deadly Vibe magazine, the annual Deadly Awards, sport, dance and hip-hop events, and much more.

“Yes, it was a huge blow to him,” said his long-time friend Shelley Reys, who shared offices in Darlinghurst with Mr Jones when they were establishing their indigenous consulting businesses in the 1990s.

“He was very disappointed by the lack of support, not just to the business but to what the business provided to young people.”…

Some friends understood Mr Jones learned of the funding cuts in the middle of last month, despite a recent audit which had given his ventures a glowing report….

Mr Jones’s ventures also included The Vibe 3on3, a national music and sporting event to promote health, wellbeing, identity and sportsmanship and Move it Mob Style, a dance-based health program screened on the indigenous channel NITV and ABC.

In 1995 he launched Deadly Vibe magazine, which delivered positive Indigenous stories and health messages directly to schools and communities. At the time of his death it had reached its 209th issue and had a monthly national distribution of 55,000, mostly students.

Mr Jones wrote in the editorial for the 200th issue last year: “Overly negative media was the reason why we started Deadly Vibe magazine. To put something positive in the hands of our young people; something of a high professional quality that could be read and handed around at home or school that told a different story. A story we could be proud of. A magazine that was ours. Something that had blackfellas achieving and breaking stereotypes – achieving in music, sport, at a community level, in the health sector, at school and in the work force. Something our young people can get excited about, and be justifiably proud.”

InVibe magazine, an insert into Deadly Vibe, was produced specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison and juvenile detention centers and focused on mental health, sexual health, information on substance abuse, and promoting pride and self-worth….