Below is an update from the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective from the 16th December
We have been supporting the campaign to defend Ballerrt Mooroop College because we think a great injustice is occurring. The imposition of this non-Indigenous school on Aboriginal land is an attack on the idea of educating in a cultural way. Simply put, it is an extension of cultural genocide against Aboriginal people.
What we see in the Northern Territory under the Intervention, we see happening in Melbourne. Will not give up the the fight to defend Aboriginal self-determination. We will fight to save this school!
The demonstration on Wednesday night in Bourke Street mall was a fantastic showing of supporters around the school. Over a hundred people gathered to listen to speeches from prominent activists such as Gary Foley and Robbie Thorpe, and educators around the school. We also heard from Greens MP Sue Pennecuik and had John Leemans in the Northern Territory address the rally by phone to offer solidarity from those fighting against the NT Intervention.
We chanted "education and land, goes hand in hand!" and "always was, always will be Aboriginal land", and got many signatures for the petition. A great show of support for Aboriginal education!
On our publicity material we passed on notice that the bulldozers were scheduled to roll in to the school grounds to demolish the gymnasium THIS FRIDAY the 17th December. As a result of our ongoing campaign, it appears that the bulldozer has been called off... for now. This is a great victory for us, and all those that have supported the campaign should be very excited that we are having an impact!
The community around the school has asked that supporters still come to the school THIS FRIDAY 17th December to offer their solidarity and to join in discussions about where the campaign is at.
http://maicollective.blogspot.com/2010/12/update-defending-melbournes-ab...
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Re: Update: Defending Melbourne's Aboriginal school
Watch a two-part video about Ballerrt Mooroop College at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t8FSe4_0ec
Re: Update: Defending Melbourne's Aboriginal school
3 January 2011
Moreland Leader
Copyright 2011 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved
A PROTEST at Glenroy's Ballerrt Mooroop College shows no sign of ending, with demonstrators vowing to return to the site this week.
And the group has the backing of Moreland Mayor Oscar Yildiz.
Gary Murray, a spokesman for the protesters, said the group was gearing up for a big fight in 2011.
``We will be back on deck . . . (today) and the protest is going to get bigger,'' he said.
The group is campaigning against the positioning of a new specialist school next to the college for disengaged Aboriginal teenagers.
They say the new $18 million Glenroy Specialist School, for children with a disability, needs to be moved or redesigned to protect the college's ``meeting place, gathering place and spiritual ground''.
Building of the specialist school is expected to begin this week.
The group met Cr Yildiz at the site before Christmas.
He said he understood the protesters' concerns after meeting them and would like to see the specialist school development shifted.
``I can't see any reason why the development can't be moved just a little further over,'' he said.
``The biggest concern I have is with the amount of car parks planned.
``If we can sit down and reduce the amount of car parks that might help resolve the situation.''
Mr Murray said the group had applied for a protection order of the site's ``cultural precinct'' under Aboriginal heritage laws.
He said the group was open to discussing the matter with the Education Department.
``We are willing to withdraw the protection application if the department is willing to sit down and talk with us,'' he said.
``The best option is to try and share the site and move the new school westerly.''