Newsletter date: 14 June 2011
Contents:
* Australia rejects International Calls for Action
* Endorsing 'An Alternative to the NT Intervention' document
* Funds needed to take delegates to Darwin for Prescribed Area Peoples’ Alliance gathering
* 'Our Generation' awarded ‘Best Campaign Film’
* Aboriginal Rights - Upcoming events around Australia - From 14 June 2011
* Other Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other Aboriginal articles
AUSTRALIA REJECTS INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR ACTION:
- Media Statement
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS):
Australia Again Ignores International Calls for Action
ALSWA: http://www.als.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183:a...
VALS: http://vals.org.au/law-reform-and-policy-development/media-releases
7 Jun 11: "In it’s official response to a comprehensive UN human rights review, the Australian Government has again rejected calls to action in regards to some of the nation’s fundamental human rights issues.
This week the Australian Government delivered its official response to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in relation to the numerous recommendations made during Australia’s Universal Periodic Review earlier this year.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) representative, and CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service Western Australia, Dennis Eggington said that the Government’s disappointing response to the recommendations shows that they are still failing to take Australia’s human rights obligations seriously.
"Numerous UN human rights institutions continue to repeat the same calls for action and yet the Australian Government continues to ignore them," Mr Eggington said."
- Audio
SBS Podcasts: Rights groups critical as UN recommendations rejected
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/172141/Rights-...
10 Jun 11: "Australian human rights groups are strongly criticising the federal government after its rejection of a series of international recommendations for improvement. The recommendations were made as part of the UN's Universal Periodic Review process, as Nikki Canning reports."
- Analysis / Opinion
ABC The Drum Opinion: Australia's humans rights obligations
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2751170.html
8 Jun 11: "As pressure mounts on the Federal Government over the "Malaysia solution", Australia's human rights record will face further scrutiny from the international community when it appears before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today. ... Back in January, three key issues topped the international community's concern: Australia's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, the disadvantage and discrimination experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the lack of a Human Rights Act or Charter." Ben Schokman and Phil Lynch
- News
Human Rights Law Centre:
Australian Fronts UN to Defend Human Rights Record
http://www.hrlc.org.au/content/topics/international-human-rights-mechani...
8 Jun 11: "Australia faced a hard sell to defend its human rights record when it appeared before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 8 June 2011. ... The Human Rights Law Centre’s Ben Schokman said Australia faced close scrutiny when it explained why it has rejected key recommendations from the international community to review its policies relating to the treatment of asylum seekers, the disadvantage and discrimination experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the lack of a Human Rights Act or Charter."
Human Rights Law Centre:
Australia Issues Formal Response to UPR Recommendations
http://www.hrlc.org.au/content/news/latest-news/australia-issues-formal-...
6 Jun 11: "The Australian Government has today formally responded to recommendations made by the UN’s Human Rights Council in February this year, claiming it will accept, at least in part, 90 percent of the recommendations arising from the Universal Periodic Review process. Whilst welcoming the majority of the Government’s response, the Human Rights Law Centre’s Director of International Human Rights Advocacy, Ben Schokman, said the ten percent the Government has rejected contain some of the most significant recommendations."
ABC Radio Australia News:
UN human rights review takes aim at Australia
http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201106/3237104.htm
6 Jun 11: "The Australian Government has rejected calls by the United Nations to remove children from mandatory detention, saying Australia plans to continue to hold some in minimum security centres. ... The Government also rejected a recommendation to compensate members of the Stolen Generation, citing the apology delivered by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2008."
- Background Audio
3CR 855AM: WomenOnTheLine
[scroll down page] http://podcast.3cr.org.au/podcast.php?cat=WomenOnTheLine
[download the program] http://pod.3cr.org.au/pod/3CRCast-2010-10-11-70793.mp3
12 Oct 10: "Responding to the NT Emergency Response. Many NT Aboriginal communities oppose the Intervention and it has received international condemnation by the UN, Amnesty International and the World Council of Churches. Giving us the legal low-down on how it was possible is Emily Howie, from the Human Rights Law Resource Centre. We also hear from Marlene Hodder, a human rights activist in Alice Springs, and speak to some Indigenous women from the NT who are directly affected by the Intervention."
- Background News and Media Releases
Human Rights Law Centre:
Universal Periodic Review – Media Coverage and Press Releases
http://www.hrlrc.org.au/content/universal-periodic-review-media/
ENDORSING 'AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE NT INTERVENTION' DOCUMENT:
- The Document itself
'Rebuilding from the Ground Up - An Alternative to the Northern Territory Intervention'
IRAG: http://rollbacktheintervention.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/rebuilding-fr...
Jumbunna: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/newmedia/RebuildingGroundUp...
STICS: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention/rebuildi...
[After the document on the STICS website, there is a list of extra references that are useful for further research. Note that these references do not form part of the original document for which endorsements are being sought.]
- Instructions for endorsing the document and list of current endorsements
IRAG: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/alternative-to-the-interven...
STICS: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention
- News
Green Left: Statement canvasses alternatives to NT intervention
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/47876
11 Jun 11: "There are alternatives to the federal government’s NT intervention into Aboriginal communities, and some of the key ones have been brought together in a new statement that has won the support of Aboriginal community leaders and other groups and individuals. The statement, “Rebuilding from the Ground Up: An Alternative to the NT Intervention”, is available on the Jumbunna Aboriginal Education Centre website. ... "Rebuilding from the Ground Up" will be launched in Darwin on June 21, after the Prescribed Area People’s Alliance - a group of Aboriginal people affected by the NT intervention - has met to ratify it." Simon Butler
FUNDS NEEDED TO TAKE DELEGATES TO DARWIN FOR PRESCRIBED AREA PEOPLES' ALLIANCE GATHERING:
Rollback the Intervention: Welcome to IRAG Alice Springs!
http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
"URGENT FUNDRAISING
We have booked and paid for one bus to take delegates from remote communities in Central Australia to Darwin for Prescribed Area Peoples’ Alliance meetings on 19-20 June and rally on 21st June.
Funds are desperately needed for another bus to take the overflow as many communities want to be represented at this important gathering. The first one has been secured and paid for.
Donations have come from many people (and they will be personally acknowledged in the near future). But we still need $5,000 to pay for another bus. Groups are fundraising around the country. We hope to meet the target but, of course, taking extra people means extra food costs. We remain optimistic will be able to bring together a range of delegates from around the Northern Territory to discuss how to take control of (and responsibility for) their lives and make a strong public statement that they will not be silenced."
How to make a donation: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/fundraising/
'OUR GENERATION' AWARDED 'BEST CAMPAIGN FILM'
Our Generation: ‘Best Campaign Film’ Award
[scroll down page] http://www.ourgeneration.org.au/press/
"OUR GENERATION has been voted ‘Best Campaign Film’ during the awards ceremony of the London International Documentary Festival 2011. This follows its International Premiere at the Barbican Centre on 15th May."
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS - UPCOMING EVENTS AROUND AUSTRALIA - FROM 14 JUNE 2011:
Click on the links for details of the events ...
27 May to Sun 9 October 2011: Kalgoorlie, WA
Exhibition: From Little Things Big Things Grow
- Fighting for Indigenous Rights 1920-1970
Event description: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/
Event location: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/tra...
Tue 14 June 2011: Canberra, ACT
Rally: Don’t dump on the Territory
- No national radioactive waste dump at Muckaty
Event details: http://beyondnuclearinitiative.com/2011/05/22/june-14-canberra-rally/
Poster: http://beyondnuclearinitiative.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/muckaty-rally...
Sun 19 - Mon 20 June 2011: Darwin, NT
Prescribed Area Peoples’ Alliance Meeting
Including finalisation of the "Rebuilding from the ground up"
alternative document
Event details: http://rollbacktheintervention.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/funding-appea...
Event info: [scroll down page] http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
Endorsing alternatives document: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/alternative-to-the-interven...
Endorsing alternatives document: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention
Alternatives document plus extra references: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention/rebuildi...
Alternatives document plus some overviews, references and videos: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/alternatives.html
Poster: http://rollbacktheintervention.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/darwin-poster...
Mon 20 - Wed 22 June 2011: Canberra, ACT
Aboriginal Embassy symposium
Event locations and details: http://acih.anu.edu.au/events/aboriginal-embassy-symposium
Mon 20 June 2011: Bankstown, Sydney, NSW
Bankstown Income Management Forum
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/bankstown-income-management-forum-june-20
Event details: [scroll down page] http://stoptheintervention.org/
Poster: http://stoptheintervention.org/uploads/files_to_download/Past%20Events/B...
Tue 21 June 2011: Darwin, NT
Rally: 4 Years Too Long - Stop the Intervention
Including launch of "Rebuilding from the ground up" document
Event details: [scroll down page] http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
Endorsing alternatives document: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/alternative-to-the-interven...
Endorsing alternatives document: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention
Alternatives document plus extra references: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention/rebuildi...
Alternatives document plus some overviews, references and videos: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/alternatives.html
Poster: http://rollbacktheintervention.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/darwin-poster...
Tue 21 June 2011: Melbourne, Vic
Speakout: Four years too long. Stop the Intervention!
Event details: http://www.greenleft.org.au/events/47766
Sat 25 June 2011: Sydney, NSW
Rally to stop the NT Intervention - Four years of racist shame
Including Sydney launch of alternative
document "Rebuilding from the ground up"
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/sydney-rally-to-stop-the-northern-territory-inte...
Event details: [scroll down page] http://stoptheintervention.org/
Endorsing alternatives document: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention
Alternatives document plus extra references: http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention/rebuildi...
Alternatives document plus some overviews, references and videos: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/alternatives.html
Media Release: http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/gillard-cannot-face-...
Poster: http://stoptheintervention.org/uploads/files_to_download/Past%20Events/2...
Wed 29 June 2011: Sydney, NSW
'Our Generation' Community Screening
Part of the Guringai Festival
Event details: http://www.ourgeneration.org.au/events/
Tue 9 August 2011: Adelaide, SA
'Our Generation' Community Screening
Event details: http://www.ourgeneration.org.au/events/
Wed 10 August 2011: Manly, Sydney, NSW
'Our Generation' Community Screening
Event details: http://www.ourgeneration.org.au/events/
Fri 26 - Sun 28 August 2011: Kalkarindji/Daguragu, NT
Gurindji Walkoff from Wave Hill
- 45th Anniversary Commemoration
Event location and details: http://www.gurindjifreedomday.com/
Fri 4 November 2011 to February 2012: Townsville, Qld
Exhibition: From Little Things Big Things Grow
- Fighting for Indigenous Rights 1920-1970
Event description: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/
Event location: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/tra...
February 2012 to May 2012: Queensland Museum
Exhibition: From Little Things Big Things Grow
- Fighting for Indigenous Rights 1920-1970
Event description: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/
Event location: http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/from_little_things_big_things_grow/tra...
OTHER NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION ARTICLES:
- Message
Message to Prime Minster Julia Gillard and Minister Jenny Macklin
http://rollbacktheintervention.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/message-for-m...
7 Jun 11: "Little Children Are Sacred Report is important. We need to follow the recommendations properly and honestly to make life better for everyone. Rollback the Intervention. We don’t want a new one. We come this far from 20s and 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. We don’t want to go backwards. Please, we want to go forward. We Aboriginal people are professionals in our own culture and traditions. We need to be given self determination to follow our own destinations and make a clear path for our future and the future of our children. ... " Raelene Silverton, Chairperson, Uruna Potara Aboriginal Corporation
- News
'concerned Australians': Aboriginal Leaders meet Navi Pillay in Darwin 20 May 2011
http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/#Aboriginal_Leaders_meet_Navi_Pillay
"Leaders from 20 different communities spent several hours with the UN Human Rights Commissioner telling her of their concerns about the loss of their rights under the Intervention. Thank you to those organisations who assisted in making this meeting possible. Statement by the Human Rights Commissioner (coming soon)"
'concerned Australians': Letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/#Letter_to_Navi_Pillay
"We would like to sincerely thank all who added their name to this letter to Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Just over 6,500 signatures were presented by Djapirri Mununggirritj to the Commissioner in Darwin on Friday 20th May. Signatures were collected from every State and Territory and a large percentage were from NT towns and communities."
BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Creative Spirits: Northern Territory Emergence Response (NTER) - "The Intervention": http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/northern-terr...
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Northern Territory National Emergency Response: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_intervention
'concerned Australians': Without Justice there can be no Reconciliation: http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/
IRAG (Intervention Rollback Action Group): Mparntwe - Alice Springs: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney): http://stoptheintervention.org/
CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) - NT Intervention: http://caama.com.au/?s=NT+Intervention
The Greens: Rachel Siewert: Northern Territory Intervention: http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/category/issues/indigenous-rights...
Treaty Republic - NT Intervention: http://treatyrepublic.net/search/node/NT%20Intervention
ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation) - NT intervention: http://www.antar.org.au/issues_and_campaigns/nt_intervention
Crikey - NT Intervention: http://www.crikey.com.au/topic/nt-intervention/
Jobs with Justice: http://jobswithjustice.wordpress.com/
MAIC (Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective): http://maicollective.blogspot.com/
'concerned Australians': Without Justice there can be no Reconciliation: http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/
New Matilda - northern territory intervention: http://newmatilda.com/tag/northern-territory-intervention
Amnesty International Australia: Looking back at the Northern Territory Intervention: http://www.amnesty.org.au/indigenous-rights/comments/24460/
Students For Indigenous Rights - UQ: The Northern Territory Intervention factsheet: http://uqsir.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/stir-uq-intervention-intro-fact...
Defending Indigenous Rights: http://defendingindigenousrights.wordpress.com/
Intervention walk-off's Blog: http://interventionwalkoff.wordpress.com/
Australian Human Rights Commission: Northern Territory ‘Emergency Response’ intervention: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/intervention/index.html
FAIRA; Human Rights Law Resource Centre; NACLC: Australia’s compliance with CERD - Fact Sheet 2: Northern Territory Intervention: http://www.hrlrc.org.au/files/Fact-Sheet-2-NT-Intervention.pdf
Green Left: Northern Territory intervention: myths and facts: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/39732
WGAR (Working Group for Aboriginal Rights): http://wgar.wordpress.com/
OTHER ABORIGINAL ARTICLES:
- Audio
SBS Audio and Language: Aboriginal Languages To Help Close The Gap
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/172271/t...
10 Jun 11: "The new Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in New South Wales has announced an investigation by his department, of Aboriginal language opportunities in the state's schools. Victor Dominello says he wants to know which schools teach Aboriginal languages, which don't, and why. Minister Dominello says he's been told by communities across the state, that organised language classes within New South Wales schools, is a meaningful way to help close the gap." Michelle Lovegrove
- Estimates Transcripts
Greens: Scott Ludlam: National Radioactive Waste Management Bill
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/transcript/national-radioac...
10 Jun 11: "Senator Ludlam asked: There is serious dispute over tenure that you are no doubt aware of already that is in the Federal Court at the moment. The Government is moving ahead to pass legislation anyway. I am not aware how you will apply your process when the actual ownership of the land is yet to be determined. Will you be forced to wait until that question has been?
Answer: ARPANSA's reporting under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act referral process and the licensing of any proposed waste facility on the nominated site under the ARPANS Act and Regulations will not be affected by the outcome of the Federal Court proceedings and decisions made on the legal title of the land."
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