The NAIDOC Awards ceremony will be televised in 2021 after the committee announced the scheduled event on July 3 at Mparntwe, or Alice Springs, would be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The decision to cancel for the second straight year was based on fears of holding a large scale event in a regional community with the evolving COVID-19 crisis in Melbourne.
"The most responsible option for us is to limit travel and large group gatherings in Central Australia which could result in community transmissions which will have devastating impacts on surrounding central desert communities." read a statement on the NAIDOC website.
Despite the cancellation, there are plans to push forward with a special national broadcast of the ceremony in a location that is yet to be determined. Attendance at that event will be restricted in line with COVID-19 guidelines.
The news comes as a blow to the local Mparntwe community planning for the week 16 months in the making, but the NAIDOC Committee and its partners will work to ensure they can "showcase the strength resilience and vibrancy of Aboriginal people in cultures in Mparntwe" as part of the future televised event.
Any broadcast of the awards will be on NITV.
