Newsletter date: 8 November 2013
Contents:
* John Pilger, The Guardian: In the lucky country of Australia apartheid is alive and kicking
* New Internationalist magazine interview: John Pilger: Australia's silent apartheid
* The Guardian: John Pilger's Utopia: watch the world exclusive trailer - video
* The Stringer: Stealing A Nation [a documentary by John Pilger and Chris Martin]
* Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal: Brian Manning and the Gurindji 'walk offs'
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: UN Forum said not enough is being done on land rights & health
* Robert Eggington, The Stringer: Martagarup
* The Stringer: Mamu celebrate!
* The Wire: Gomeroi people protest "broken" mining project approvals
* Tracker: Mining deal screams racism: island owners
* Let's Talk's Karen Dorante interviews Gerry Georgatos about the small amount of money that actually reaches Aboriginal people
* The Stringer: Warren Mundine responds to "$25.4 billion lie"
* Patricia Karvelas, The Australian: Truancy army to get kids to school [99-year township lease]
* Patricia Karvelas, The Australian: Nigel Scullion faces rebellion on leases
* JOHN PILGER, THE GUARDIAN: IN THE LUCKY COUNTRY OF AUSTRALIA APARTHEID IS ALIVE AND KICKING
- Analysis / Opinion
The Guardian: In the lucky country of Australia apartheid is alive and kicking
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/05/australia-apartheid...
6 Nov 13: "The richest land on Earth writes Aboriginal people out of history and pushes them to the margins. Like South Africa 30 years ago. ... When I began filming this secret Australia 30 years ago, a global campaign was under way to end apartheid in South Africa. Having reported from South Africa, I was struck by the similarity of white supremacy and the compliance and defensiveness of liberals. Yet no international opprobrium, no boycotts, disturbed the surface of "lucky" Australia. Watch security guards expel Aboriginal people from shopping malls in Alice Springs; ... This is apartheid, ... " John Pilger, a war correspondent, film-maker and author. His lastest film is Utopia.
* NEW INTERNATIONALIST MAGAZINE INTERVIEW: JOHN PILGER: AUSTRALIA'S SILENT APARTHEID
- Interview
New Internationalist magazine: John Pilger: Australia's silent apartheid
http://newint.org/columns/finally/2013/11/01/john-pilger/
1 Nov 13: "Hazel Healy talks to the trailblazing documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist about heroes, home and a mostly silent apartheid."
"What political issue are you most passionate about at the moment?
I’m not sure it’s possible to box 'political passions'. Politics are part of life itself. Lately, I have been consumed by the making of Utopia, my film about the struggles and resistance of indigenous Australians. This is both an Australian story and a universal ‘issue’ - it’s about people defending a way of life against rapacious power, and having the right to share the riches and opportunities in their own country. It’s also about an apartheid that seldom speaks its name."
* THE GUARDIAN: JOHN PILGER'S UTOPIA: WATCH THE WORLD EXCLUSIVE TRAILER - VIDEO
- Video
The Guardian: John Pilger's Utopia: watch the world exclusive trailer - video
Source: Dartmouth Films
http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2013/oct/22/john-pilger-utopia-wat...
22 Oct 13: "Watch the trailer for Emmy and Bafta winning film-maker and journalist John Pilger's epic new documentary about Australia. Two years in the making, Utopia reveals a shocking national secret behind the postcard image of the "lucky country". Utopia is released on 15 November in UK cinemas, and then will be broadcast on ITV in December and released on DVD on 16 December. It will be released in Australia on 26 January. www.johnpilger.com "
* THE STRINGER: STEALING A NATION [A DOCUMENTARY BY JOHN PILGER AND CHRIS MARTIN]
- Review
The Stringer: Stealing A Nation
http://thestringer.com.au/stealing-a-nation/
6 Nov 13: "Stealing a Nation was a documentary by John Pilger and Chris Martin. ‘Stealing A Nation’ (2004) is a film about the plight of the Chagos Islands, whose Indigenous population was secretly and brutally expelled by British Governments in the late 1960s and early 1970s to make way for an American military base. The tragedy, which falls within the remit of the International Criminal Court as "a crime against humanity", is told by Islanders who were dumped in the slums of Mauritius and by British officials who left behind a damning trail of Foreign Office documents." By The Stringer
* LINKS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIALIST RENEWAL: BRIAN MANNING AND THE GURINDJI 'WALK OFFS'
- Memorial and Background
Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal: Brian Manning and the Gurindji 'walk offs'
http://links.org.au/node/3581
November 2013: "On November 3, 2013, Brian Manning -- veteran Northern Territory communist, trade unionist, campaigner against racism, long-time activist for Indigenous people's rights and solidarity campaigner with the East Timorese people (among many other causes) -- died in Darwin. Brian won enormous respect for his commitment to human rights and his unstinting dedication to changing the system. As a tribute to Brian, Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal highlights one important chapter in his inspiring political life: his important role in the historic struggle of the Gurindji people for their rights."
* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: UN FORUM SAID NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE ON LAND RIGHTS & HEALTH
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: UN Forum said not enough is being done on land rights & health
http://thestringer.com.au/un-forum-said-not-enough-is-being-done-on-land...
5 Nov 13: "Recently, the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues said that more needs to be done to protect Aboriginal communities and peoples in terms of land rights, and for their right to adequately benefit from resources on their lands. The forum also highlighted that much more needs to be done to improve the health of Aboriginal peoples, and Australia was highlighted for its poor record on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights, James Anaya, visited Australia last year ... " By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist
* ROBERT EGGINGTON, THE STRINGER: MARTAGARUP
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: Martagarup
http://thestringer.com.au/martagarup/
2 Nov 13: "A land area adjacent to the Burswood Crown casino in Perth is commonly known as Herrison Island – it was named Herrison Island after the French mid ship man Francois Antoine Boniface Herrison. The Nyoongah name for the original series of islands is Martagarup – meaning one leg deep in water. ... During early February 2012 Nyoongah people set up a tent at the Herrison Island site east of the city on the banks of the Derbarl Yerrigan (the Swan River). The tent was a symbolic stance against the State Government’s (billion dollar Native Title package) offer ... " By Robert Eggington, the CEO of the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation
* THE STRINGER: MAMU CELEBRATE!
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: Mamu celebrate!
http://thestringer.com.au/mamu-celebrate/
2 Nov 13: "Mamu Traditional Owners from Innisfail and surrounds are celebrating the recognition of their Native Title after the Federal Court last week handed down a determination over parts of an area of approximately 1600 square kilometres extending from Kurramine in the south, Millaa Millaa in the west and Jogo in the north. Mamu Elder Victor Maund said it has "taken a long time" for his people to have recognition of their Country acknowledged and therefore their right to remain its custodians and to benefit from it. Along the way many died waiting for Native Title, ... " By The Stringer
* THE WIRE: GOMEROI PEOPLE PROTEST "BROKEN" MINING PROJECT APPROVALS
- Audio
The Wire: Gomeroi people protest "broken" mining project approvals
Produced by Laura Corrigan
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=11004
4 Nov 13: "A group of Gomeroi People have marched on the NSW Parliament to protest what they call a 'broken' process of consultation over mining developments. Their land features several large mines, and they fear that expansions at several of the mines places their culture and heritage at risk."
* TRACKER: MINING DEAL SCREAMS RACISM: ISLAND OWNERS
- News
newsTracker: Mining deal screams racism: island owners
http://tracker.org.au/2013/10/mining-deal-screams-racism-island-owners/
30 Oct 13: "QLD: Indigenous North Stradbroke Islanders want an inquiry into the racism and discrimination they say they’ve been subjected to over a mining deal. Proposed laws would extend Sibelco’s sand mining lease for its Enterprise mine from 2019 to 2035, 10 years after mining was legislated to end on the island. Sibelco spent tens of thousands of dollars on advertising in the last state election to champion the cause and talk down Labor. Quandamooka land council chairman Darren Burns fears the campaign has bought influence."
* LET'S TALK'S KAREN DORANTE INTERVIEWS GERRY GEORGATOS ABOUT THE SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT ACTUALLY REACHES ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Gerry Georgatos
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
5 Apr 13: "Journalist for National Indigenous Times, National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS) and Co-Editor of The Stringer"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/gerry-georgatos-16/
* THE STRINGER: WARREN MUNDINE RESPONDS TO "$25.4 BILLION LIE"
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: Warren Mundine responds to "$25.4 billion lie"
http://thestringer.com.au/warren-mundine-responds-to-25-4-billion-lie/
5 Nov 13: "On October 26, The Stringer published Gerry Georgatos’ article – $25.4 billion spent on Aboriginal disadvantage is a lie. On October 30, another version of Georgatos’ article was published as the front page story of The National Indigenous Times - A $25.4 billion lie!
Dr Warren Mundine’s response: ... These figures are no surprise to me. On the ABC’s Q&A last month I said that Senator Scullion and I had estimated during a quick review that around a third of Government funding for Indigenous programs doesn’t even make it past the front doors of office buildings in Canberra and other cities." By The Stringer
* PATRICIA KARVELAS, THE AUSTRALIAN: TRUANCY ARMY TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL [99-YEAR TOWNSHIP LEASE]
- News
The Australian: Truancy army to get kids to school
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/truancy-army-to-...
31 Oct 13: "SCORES of truancy workers will be sent to individual homes in remote indigenous communities as Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion designs a new emergency response to get children to school and deliver a measurable increase in student attendance from the first term next year. ... The Australian can also reveal a second Arnhem Land community has signed an agreement with Senator Scullion to negotiate a 99-year township lease by September next year." Patricia Karvelas
* PATRICIA KARVELAS, THE AUSTRALIAN: NIGEL SCULLION FACES REBELLION ON LEASES
- News
The Australian: Nigel Scullion faces rebellion on leases
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/scullion-faces-r...
7 Nov 13: "SEVERAL traditional owners are declaring that an agreement signed with Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion to negotiate a 99-year township lease by next September is "null and void" because they were not consulted. Yirrkala, a town wracked by petrol-sniffing, kava abuse and unemployment, recently became the second Arnhem Land community to sign an agreement with Senator Scullion to negotiate a 99-year township lease that would allow private ownership." Patricia Karvelas
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