Kalkaringi Statement 17.9.2012
Keynote address by Eddie Cubillo, Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Northern Territory
Racism in the Justice System Aug 2012
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MEDIA RELEASE FROM DAMIEN CURTIS in relation to the Stronger Futures question to Prime Minister Gillard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 23 July 201
Leaders outraged as Indigenous issues sidelined by Prime Minister
Indigenous leaders and human rights groups are outraged that their question to the Prime Minister concerning the human rights validity of the recently passed Stronger Futures legislation was not asked, despite it being in 4th place in last Saturday’s Google Hangout with the Prime Minister.
The question, posted by Stand For Freedom director Damien Curtis, received 9000 votes in just 4 days, making it one of the fastest growing and most successful questions in the online competition. It finished in 4th place, ahead of the carbon tax questions heavily lobbied for by commentator Andrew Bolt.
However, those supporting the question were bitterly disappointed when, out of a total of 17 questions put to the Prime Minister, their question did not appear, even though a pre-recorded Youtube video had been submitted of Aboriginal leader Barbara Shaw asking the question.
Along with the winning top 3, the other questions asked included 5th, 6th, 8th and 13th positions, 8 unlisted questions, and bizarrely 52nd and 88th positions (with 100 votes between them).
When asked why the question did not feature in the programme, Eyal Halamish, CEO of organisers OurSay, said that they tried hard to get the question in, “but this was up to Fairfax and the Prime Minister’s office, at the end of the day.”
“We see this as blatant suppression of a widely held concern, that of the lack of human rights protection for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. This forum was not, as it claimed, an opportunity to hold our Government to account. It was a carefully orchestrated PR stunt by the Prime Minister. Once more, the Government has succeeded in gagging any dissent when it comes to its discriminatory polices towards the First Australians”, said Damien Curtis.
Barbara Shaw, who pre-recorded the question on video, said: “Why is it that we have these policies placed upon us, but when we legitimately question authorities about them, we get shut out? This is another clear example of the Government not fairly engaging with Aboriginal issues. Again, we have been pushed to the back.”
Les Malezer, co-chairman of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, said he was “deeply disappointed”. “The questions put to the PM have not been to the forefront of this nation’s political priorities… I welcome the enlightenment on refugee rights, on children in custody, on gay rights and other new age reforms, but like all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people I refuse to accept that we are the doormat for all these agendas.”
To see the question in 4th position: http://oursay.org/hangout-with-the-prime-minister?show_questions=true
To view the question as recorded by Barbara Shaw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zPq7FaD1a8
CONTACT
Barbara Shaw, 0401 291 166
Damien Curtis, Director, Stand For Freedom campaign, 0420 400 284
29th June 2012
SHAME, AUSTRALIA, SHAME
Stronger Futures? Stolen Futures
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Media Release from the Yolngu Nations Assembly and the Alyawaar Nation 27.6.2012
MR Yolngu Nations Assembly and the Alyawaar Nation 27.6.12…
Alarming statistics
At the end of 5 years of the Northern Territory Emergency Response/Intervention into Aboriginal communities and town camps (‘prescribed areas’) by which time the plan to stabilise, normalise and exit those communities should have been completed, the following document shows alarming statistics about the reality of the situation for many many Aboriginal people.
Disturbing NTER Statistics 21.6.2012
IRAG MR 21.6.12
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IMPORTANT DOCUMENT – RECENTLY RELEASED
Yolngu Nations Assembly Statement 24.4.12
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Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Bill 2011 and two related bills have passed through the Lower House and are due to go to the Senate this week.
A campaign is under way to let all Senators know that this legislation is flawed, wrong and not what people asked for.
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‘STRONGER FUTURES’ SUBMISSIONS to the Senate Inquiry can be viewed at http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=clac_ctte/strong_future_nt_11/submissions.htm
SUBMISSIONS FROM THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
Submission to Stronger Futures Inquiry Yuendumu (1)
Submission to Stronger Futures Inquiry Yuendumu _2_
Submission to Stronger Futures Inquiry B. Shaw
Submission to Stronger Futures Inquiry M. Carlton and D. Kunoth
Submission to Stronger Futures Inquiry R Silverton
http://aboriginal-leaders-nt.com/submission/stronger-futures.html
Summary SF new laws by P Gibson Nov 2011
SEAM NT 2009 Evaluation Report
ACOSS Media Statement re NTER 23.11.11
TRANSCRIPTS FROM ‘STRONGER FUTURES’ CONSULTATIONS CONDUCTED BY FAHCSIA DURING 2o11
Alice Springs SF consult 2.8.2011
Alice Springs Town Camps SF Consult 14.7.11
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MEDIA RELEASE 7.6.2011
Two documents, handed to Prime Minister Gillard at the Alice Springs Desert Park on 7.6.2011
Message for Minister Macklin 7.6.11
Rebuilding from the ground up Working doc 14.5.11.
IRAG FACTS SHEET
GENERATION ONE – NO SOLUTION TO ABORIGINAL UNEMPLOYMENT
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Report on the situation in Australia
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“Walk with Us: Aboriginal Elders Call Out to Australian People to Walk with them ion their Quest for Justice”is a follow up to “This Is What We Said” and documents what elders from the Northern Territory are saying about the intervention. It includes a Statement by Elders made on 7th February 2011 and extracts from a press conference given by Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Canberra on 25th May 2011.
For information on how to obtain this book in your home state please email: rollbacktheintervention@gmail.com
I think it is very important to counter the lie that Macklin is building up for public consumption, that the continuing intervention measures actually have support among Aboriginal people. I am non-Indigenous but follow these issues, having recently completed a study on the coersive processes of “consultation” during the reconciliation policy process. And I work as a volunteer for an Aboriginal association in western Sydney. I have never encountered any Aboriginal person who supports the intervention. Macklin has created a lie and is building on it with administrative measures such as “consultation”. There can be no true consultation unless Aboriginal people have at their disposal the institutional and financial means to explore, develop and deliver community authority to the government from a position of political equality, and to have that authority respected by the government. Otherwise it is just coercion and mispresentation to legitimate ongoing and ever-increasing colonial impositions.