WGAR News: "ALSWA, Governor McCusker, McGlade and Gooda slam extensions to mandatory sentencing"

Newsletter date: 7 March 2013

Contents:

* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: ALSWA, Governor McCusker, McGlade and Gooda slam extensions to mandatory sentencing
* NIRS: Legal service slams WA mandatory sentencing push
* CAAMA: Calls for release of juvenile prisoners being held in a men's prison
* Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody

* The Stringer: Taoundai Conference brings on the Aboriginal Liberation Movement

* NIRS: Funding still not reaching communities: Smallwood
* NACCHO Support: In a time of need, the Lowitja Institute is asking for your support to Close the Gap
* The Wire: Indigenous Australian research institute Lowitja faces possible closure
* RHEF: A Unique Profession: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers

* Let's Talk: Clancestry Conversation "Kinship & Identity": Just who is Black enough?
* The Stringer: Racist attack via Facebook

* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Katanning's shame - time to stand up to child sexual abuse

* SNAICC News: New report gives voice to children and young people in out-of-home care

* Other articles

* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: ALSWA, GOVERNER MCCUSKER, MCGLADE AND GOODA SLAM EXTENSIONS TO MANDATORY SENTENCING

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: ALSWA, Governor McCusker, McGlade and Gooda slam extensions to mandatory sentencing
http://thestringer.com.au/alswa-governor-mccusker-mcglade-and-gooda-slam...
1 Mar 13: "A chorus of criticism slammed the Western Australian Government for proposing to extend mandatory sentencing laws. WA’s Governor Malcolm McCusker denounced the laws as draconian. ... The State Government is pushing for an increase to the mandatory sentencing suite of laws to a minimum of two years prison for juveniles over 16 years of age who commit three or more break and enters. ... He [Governor McCusker] called for a radical overhaul of juvenile sentencing practices which he said result in the disproportionate incarceration of hundreds of Aboriginal children." By Gerry Georgatos

* NIRS: LEGAL SERVICE SLAMS WA MANDATORY SENTENCING PUSH

- News

National Indigenous Radio Service: Legal service slams WA mandatory sentencing push
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28726/Legal-service-slams-WA-ma...
6 Mar 13: "By NIRS/Koori Radio: The Western Australian Government has been sharply criticised for proposing to strengthen mandatory sentencing requirements for young people. The Government has flagged locking up juveniles over 16 who commit three or more break and enters for a minimum two years. The Labor opposition supports the calls, but WA Aboriginal Legal Service Director of Legal Services Peter Collins told Koori Radio expanding mandatory sentencing will have a negative impact on communities."

* CAAMA: CALLS FOR RELEASE OF JUVENILE PRISONERS BEING HELD IN A MEN'S PRISON

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/am-4-03.mp3
4 Mar 13: "Aboriginal human rights campaigners in Perth have renewed calls for the release of 83 juvenile prisoners who are being held in custody in a men’s prison amid claims that a riot which sparked their move was set up."

See:

Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Inc.) (ALSWA):
"Banksia Hill solution a worst case scenario" says ALSWA as children are moved to adult prison (21 Jan 13)
http://www.als.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=252:b...

* BACKGROUND TO ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND DEATHS IN CUSTODY:

Last updated: 4 March 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...

* THE STRINGER: TAOUNDAI CONFERENCE BRINGS ON THE ABORIGINAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT

- News

The Stringer: Taoundai Conference brings on the Aboriginal Liberation Movement
http://thestringer.com.au/taoundai-conference-brings-on-the-aboriginal-l...
6 Mar 13: "Elders and community leaders from far and wide in South Australia met in Adelaide at the Taoundai Conference to unite in the pursuit of a genuine land rights movement - where Aboriginal sovereignty would be upheld and recognised within the South Australian Constitution. An objective of the coalescing of leaders was to organise solidarity and for all the Nunga nations to come under the one voice of the Aboriginal Liberation Movement. "We need to speak in one voice as a nation of Aboriginals," said Kaurna Elder Lynette Crocker."

* NIRS: FUNDING STILL NOT REACHING COMMUNITIES: SMALLWOOD

- News

National Indigenous Radio Service: Funding still not reaching communities: Smallwood
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28710/Funding-still-not-reachin...
4 Mar 13: "Long-time Aboriginal rights campaigner and community worker Gracelyn Smallwood has expressed her frustration at a lack of bottom-up programs to address Indigenous disadvantage. Professor Smallwood says she has 45 years working in Aboriginal affairs, but claims there have been few improvements in ensuring money meant Indigenous programs actually go to Indigenous communities. The James Cook University academic says there’s still a failure to hold bureaucrats to account for failed multi-million-dollar policies and that money should go more directly to communities."

* NACCHO SUPPORT: IN A TIME OF NEED, THE LOWITJA INSTITUTE IS ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO CLOSE THE GAP

- News

NACCHO Aboriginal Health News Alerts:
NACCHO Support: In a time of need, the Lowitja Institute is asking for your support to Close the Gap
[National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/03/04/naccho-support-in-a-time-of-need-...
4 Mar 13: ""Just over four years have elapsed in the Closing the Gap program that represents the commitment by all Australian governments to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians." ... From Patricia Anderson former Chair of NACCHO and now Chair of the Lowitja Institute ... Tangible progress is being made and there are positive signs in some health indicators. For example, the reduction of mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under five. ... However, this program stretches out to 2031 and much work remains to be done. Now is not the time to pull back on either funding or effort."

* THE WIRE: INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE LOWITJA FACES POSSIBLE CLOSURE

- Audio Interview

The Wire: Indigenous Australian research institute Lowitja faces possible closure
Produced by Joline Samawi
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10098
5 Mar 13: "Australia’s only Aboriginal and Torres strait islander health research institute is facing a crisis of funding. Backed by government support for three years The Lowitja institute may cease progress in 2014 due to a stop in payments.
Featured in story: CEO of The Lowitja Institute, Lynn Brodie"

* RHEF: A UNIQUE PROFESSION: ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH WORKERS

- Video

Rural Health Education Foundation: A Unique Profession: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers
http://www.rhef.com.au/programs/program-1/?program_id=600
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers play a vital role in the primary health workforce. They provide clinical services, health promotion and work with their communities responding to local health priorities. They deal with patients, clients and visitors in hospitals and also assist in coordinating and providing health care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health clinics. In particular they look after the spiritual, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community. This documentary showcases the unique and significant role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers ... "

See:

Rural Health Education Foundation: A Valued Profession: Cultural Expertise in the Health Team
http://www.rhef.com.au/programs/program-1/?program_id=606

* LET'S TALK: CLANCESTRY CONVERSATION "KINSHIP & IDENTITY": JUST WHO IS BLACK ENOUGH?

- Audio Discussion

Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Clancestry Conversation "Kinship & Identity"
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
4 Mar 13: "Just who is Black enough?
With Dr Anita Heiss, Dr Chelsea Bond, Megan Cope and Kevin O’Brien."
Listen to this discussion on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/clancestry-conversation-kinsh...

* THE STRINGER: RACIST ATTACK VIA FACEBOOK

- News

The Stringer: Racist attack via Facebook
http://thestringer.com.au/racist-attack-via-facebook/
6 Mar 13: "Noongar rights advocate and law student Marianne Mackay was lampooned by vicious racism on Facebook – the page has since been pulled down. A complaint was filed with the Australian Human Rights Commission but little has come of it. "Racists cannot keep on getting away with their malice and vitriol, it is often far too hurtful and it is up to us to put a stop to it," said Ms Mackay. The culprits who set up the Facebook page are not easily identifiable - they beat Facebook’s monitoring of racism and malice."

* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: KATANNING'S SHAME - TIME TO STAND UP TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Katanning’s shame - time to stand up to child sexual abuse
http://thestringer.com.au/katannings-shame-time-to-stand-up-to-child-sex...
1 Mar 13: "Katanning is a town located 277 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia on the Great Southern Highway in the heart of Noongar Country. Katanning has a population of 4,000 and a history of a culture of silence around child sexual abuses. From the age of seven up until she was thirteen years old Elizabeth Johns was sexually abused by one of the town’s community stalwarts - a Noongar man. Many in the town, Noongar and non-Aboriginal knew but did nothing – such was the pervasive culture of silence. Katanning has a significant Noongar population." By Gerry Georgatos

See:

WGAR News: Amy McQuire, Tracker: We have your back [strong Aboriginal women on the frontline] (4 Mar 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/03/04/wgar-news-evidently-finding-the-truth...

* SNAICC NEWS: NEW REPORT GIVES VOICE TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE

- News

SNAICC News: New report gives voice to children and young people in out-of-home care
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1008
6 Mar 13: "An independent new report from CREATE Foundation has documented the experiences and insights of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience and provides an overview of how states are responding to their needs. ... Some of the major findings relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children - who account for one-third of all children in out-of-home care in Australia - were: ... "

See:

WGAR News: SBS World News: Indigenous kids at risk in out-of-home care: report (4 Mar 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/03/04/wgar-news-evidently-finding-the-truth...

* OTHER ARTICLES:

- Audio Interview

The Wire: Living Black celebrates 10 years on air
Produced by Tim Bennett
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10095
4 Mar 13: "On March 21st, the SBS's indigenous affairs television program, Living Black, celebrates 10 years on air. Living Black is one of the countries leading sources of news and current affairs for the aboriginal and Torres straight islander population of Australia. In a climate where indigenous affairs don’t get a lot of time in mainstream media, and where television programs come and go year to year, the fact that a show dedicated to aboriginal issues has lasted this long is incredible. ...
Featured in story: Karla Grant - Living Black, SBS"

The Wire: Bill for constitutional recognition passed through SA lower house
Produced by Lisa Burns
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10102
6 Mar 13: "It’s been a important week for Aboriginal people in South Australia, with a bill to formally recognise Aboriginal people in the state’s constitution, passed through parliament’s lower house yesterday. But some members of the Aboriginal community say there’s still some unfinished business to be resolved.
Featured in story: Professor Peter Buckskin, Convenor of the State's Advisory Committee on the recognition of Aboriginal people in the South Australian Constitution"

- News

SNAICC News: Honey Ant Readers books, translated into 6 traditional Aboriginal languages
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1006
6 Mar 13: "On Friday 22nd February a morning tea was held in Alice Springs to celebrate the completion of a project a new project at the Honey Ant Readers, funded by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Mary Mckillop Foundation, to translate the first 3 of the Honey Ant Readers (HARs) into 6 traditional Aboriginal languages: Western Arrernte; Central Arrernte; Warlpiri; Luritja; Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara. The books are accompanied by an audio CD so that learners can follow the text and hear the pronunciation, and rhythm of the language."

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
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