WGAR News: NT nuclear waste dump protest and debate in Senate

Newsletter date: 18 June 2011

Contents:
* NT nuclear waste dump protest and debate in Senate
* Central Land Council critical of Muckaty proposal
* Background to Muckaty nuclear waste dump
* Native Title
* Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other Aboriginal articles

NT NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP PROTEST AND DEBATE IN SENATE:

- Speeches

Greens: Scott Ludlam: The debate on the Radioactive Waste Management Act
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/debate-radioactive-waste-ma...
14 Jun 11: "The Senate is debating the National Radioactive Waste Management Act. The Greens oppose this deeply flawed Bill that has been strongly criticised and has no place on the Australian statute books. The government has not delivered on its promise or its own party platform to "establish a consensual process of site selection, which looks to agreed scientific grounds for determining suitability and the centrality of community consultation and support." Instead it has set itself up for a divisive and entirely avoidable confrontation with a community unwilling to host the nation's radioactive waste."

Greens MPs: Part two of the Muckaty speech
http://greensmps.org.au/content/part-two-muckaty-speech
15 Jun 11: "Part two of Scott's Muckaty speech"

Greens: Spokesperson Rachel Siewert: Muckaty Waste Dump Speech
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/muckaty-waste-dump-speech
14 Jun 11: "Senator Siewert's heartfelt speech on the proposed radioactive waste dump at Muckaty station."

Greens: Rachel Siewert: National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/speech/national-radioacti...
14 Jun 11: "I rise to make remarks on the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 and particularly the extent to which it targets the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal land. I would also like to note that I know there are people keenly listening to this debate, both in the gallery and back in many communities. ... We believe that this bill overrides both Aboriginal heritage and environmental protection laws to the extent that it seeks to impose nuclear waste on an unwilling community in the Northern Territory. ... I would also like to quote from a letter I understand the minister has received from Mark Lane, who wrote to him about this issue last March. Mr Lane said: These are our concerns. We told the government that Karakara is sacred land. ... The site for the proposed nuclear waste dump is in an earthquake tremor zone. What if an earthquake opens the nuclear waste storage and radioactive waste falls into our groundwater basin? We don't get our water from the city, town or from the coast. It comes from right below us. ... "

- Media Releases

Beyond Nuclear Initiative: United stand against Muckaty radioactive waste dump plan
http://ntne.ws/articles/article.php?id=4478
14 Jun 11: "A community rally will be held at 12pm today in front of Parliament House, Canberra to protest the federal government’s planned radioactive waste dump at Muckaty in the Northern Territory. People have travelled from across the country to attend and will be addressed by a broad range of speakers including Muckaty Traditional Owners, federal politicians, medical professionals, environment group representatives and union officials.
The Senate is scheduled to debate Minister Martin Ferguson’s National Radioactive Waste Management legislation as the first item of business (12:30pm). The law will entrench the Muckaty site as the only area under active consideration for a national radioactive dump.
Muckaty Traditional Owner Dianne Stokes said, "We will be outside the parliament today representing our traditional elders of the Warlmanpa and Warumungu tribes. The Senate will be going ahead debating the legislation without proper consultation and without our consent. They have not come to sit with the rightful Traditional Owners."
Kylie Sambo from Muckaty added, "As one of the young Kurtungurlu from the Milwayi tribe we keep saying over and over again that our Elders weren’t consulted properly. They didn’t have any idea what sort of poison they’re dealing with. As a young person I care about my future and about the future of the children in my community. If they put the waste dump in Muckaty it’s going to be very unhealthy for us. Everyone talks about children being the future, well I’m one of the future generation and I say I don’t want the waste dump in my home or anywhere in the Northern Territory.""

Scott Ludlam: Greens dig in to fight nuclear waste dump
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/greens-dig-fi...
16 Jun 11: "The Greens will place the Government's plan for a nuclear waste dump under the microscope again today as debate resumes on Labor's attempt to pass the scheme through the Senate.
The Greens spokesperson for nuclear issues, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, said his party would do everything it could to stop the Government's plan to force the dump on an unwilling community, whether at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory or anywhere else.
"The Government is trying to pre-empt the outcome of a Federal Court challenge to the Muckaty nomination," Senator Ludlam said. "This bill places total discretion in the hands of Minister Martin Ferguson to site this dump and run roughshod over a number of checks and balances, including basic environmental standards. ... "

Northern Land Council: Radioactive waste has to go somewhere
http://www.nlc.org.au/html/files/Radioactive%20waste%20has%20to%20go%20s...
15 Jun 11: "Northern Land Council (NLC) Chief Executive Officer Mr Kim Hill said this week’s expected passage of the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill through the Senate will be an important step towards Australia meeting its obligations to store its own radioactive waste.
Mr Hill said if the Senate passes the National Radioactive Waste it would not necessarily mean a radioactive waste repository would be built on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory and that, ultimately, science would decide its location."

- Banner

Greens MPs: No waste at Muckaty banner
http://greensmps.org.au/content/no-waste-muckaty-banner
16 Jun 11: "This banner is from the Ngapa people of Tennant Creek - it reads "no waste dump at Muckaty" - signed with handprints from all the family groups represented on the Muckaty Land Trust. Tabled in Parliament and now recorded in Hansard on Tuesday 14 June 2011."

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 15-06-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-15-06-2011
15 Jun 11: "Over a hundred people have gathered at a protest rally in Canberra to demonstrate their ongoing opposition to the nuclear waste dump which has been proposed for Mackaty Station in the Northern Territory."

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 14-06-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-14-06-2011
14 Jun 11: "Traditional owners from the site of a proposed radioactive w atse dump in the Northern Terriotry will travel to Canberra to take part in a protest against the location of their country."

The Wire: NT Muckaty Radioactive Waste dump - Protests in Parliament
http://www.thewire.org.au/daydetail.aspx?SearchDay=2011-06-14
14 Jun 11: "Politicians, unionists and Indigenous elders were protesting today while Parliament was in session. The protest joined by Greens Senator Scott Ludlum and Adam Bandt is against the government's planned legislation, which will entrench the Northern Territory's MUCKATY site as the only area to dump radioactive waste in. Minister for Resources,Energy and Tourism Martin Ferguson plans to push through the law in Parliament. Muckaty traditional owners say no prior consultation nor consent was sought about the proposed dump site and will have grave results for indigenous residents in NT. Indigenous traditional owners have taken a legal case in the Federal court to contest the Government's Muckaty nomination. Interviews with Greens Senator Scott Ludlum and Campaigner for Australian Conservation Foundation Dave Sweeney."

- News

NT News: D-Day to stop nuclear waste dump
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/06/16/240871_ntnews.html
16 Jun 11: "THE NT nuclear waste dump will come a step closer today when debate takes place in the Senate on the Radioactive Waste Management Bill. Traditional owners are in Canberra trying to persuade senators to stop the complex being built at Muckaty Station, near Tennant Creek. Campaign leader Dianne Stokes has urged them to vote against the Bill."
[Includes photo: Kylie Sambo puts the case against the Muckaty Station nuclear waste dump in Canberra on Wednesday.]

National Indigenous Radio Service: Parliament to vote on Muckaty
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5859...
16 Jun 11: "Yapa Yapa woman and traditional owner Dianne Stokes, who is against the bill, is in Canberra waiting on the decision. She says even if the bill passes through the Senate, her people will continue to fight through traditional acts on their land."

National Indigenous Radio Service: Senate debate over Muckaty waste dump
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5861...
16 Jun 11: "Debate in the Senate has been fiery over the Federal Government's plans to build a nuclear waste dump facility in the Northern Territory. A bill to approve the dump is being debated in Parliament this week and is expected to be passed today or tomorrow."

Canberra Times: Toxic talk
http://ntne.ws/articles/article.php?id=4486
15 Jun 11: "Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson might have been surprised yesterday to find a 7m-tall nuclear waste barrel sitting on the lawns of Parliament House. The giant barrel was erected by more than 50 protesters ... Aboriginal elders condemned Ferguson's lack of consultation, medical representatives warned of health effects and others travelled from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Newcastle, Wollongong and Byron Bay to ensure they weren't on the transport route for the waste. A toxic issue indeed."

Australian Conservation Foundation: Radioactive waste fight grows: Muckaty plan a bad deal, not a done deal
http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3435
14 Jun 11: "The Australian Conservation Foundation has described as cynical and irresponsible the introduction to the Senate of recycled Howard-era legislation aimed at fast-tracking a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. The National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, which seeks to override state, territory and local government concerns and exempt the federal government from meeting key environmental and Aboriginal heritage rules, is to be introduced to the Senate today."

Australian: Greens slam Government over Northern Territory nuclear waste dump
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/greens-slam-governmen...
14 Jun 11: "THE Australian Greens have accused the Federal Government of failing to consult adequately with traditional landowners about a planned nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. ... A rally on the issue will be held outside Parliament House in Canberra at midday (AEST). Traditional owner Dianne Stokes said she would be representing the traditional elders of the Warlmanpa and Warumungu tribes. "The Senate will be going ahead debating the legislation without proper consultation and without our consent," she said. ... "

9 News: Nuclear dump laws 'radioactive racism'
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8260908/greens-slam-govt-over-nt-nuc...
14 Jun 11: "The Australian Greens say draft laws which will allow a nuclear waste dump to be created on a property in the Northern Territory are "radioactive racism". As the traditional owners of Muckaty Station and their supporters rallied outside Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, Greens senator Rachel Siewert was telling the upper house their land should not turned into a waste dump. ... Another traditional owner, Kylie Sambo, told them of the link her people had with the land at Muckaty. "We don't want this poison in our land because our land means a lot to us," she said."

ABC: Senate debates nuclear waste dump plan
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/14/3243292.htm?section=justin
14 Jun 11: "A bill that would allow Australia's first nuclear waste dump to be built in the Northern Territory will be debated in the Senate today. ... A group of Indigenous people from the area [Muckaty Station] are in Canberra today to hear the debate. Traditional owner Dianne Stokes says she does not want to see her home turned into a wasteland. "We still don't want the waste dump to come there," she said. "Why didn't they listen to us before? To the main traditional elders and the traditional people from the country and from the ground itself? ... "

ABC: Muckaty nuclear dump bill likely to pass Senate
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/14/3243810.htm?section=justin
14 Jun 11: "Laws to set up a nuclear waste storage facility in the Northern Territory are likely to be approved by the Senate this week, despite calls from senators for the debate to be put on hold. Traditional owners and green groups travelled to Canberra to rally against the bill. Kylie Sambo, a young Aboriginal woman from the Muckaty Station area, says the dump will poison the land. "I really don't want the waste dump to come to our country because I love it, because I love my family and I love my country so much that I don't want it to come there," she said."

Accidentally Outback: Muckaty nuclear dump debate continues in the Senate
http://www.accidentallyoutback.com.au/news/832-muckaty-nuclear-dump-deba...
14 Jun 11: "A Bill which will decide the fate of the proposed nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory is set to be debated in the Senate again this week. The Bill is being pushed through Parliament despite growing opposition in the NT, and an ongoing Federal Court challenge over the nomination of Muckaty land by traditional owners of the region. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has described the legislative fast-tracking as cynical and irresponsible."

- Video

YouTube: Muckaty 1.MOV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQEGsHeuGq8
13 Jun 11: "a brief excerpt from the press conference on the muckaty waste dump legislation being debated today." AustralianGreens

CENTRAL LAND COUNCIL CRITICAL OF MUCKATY PROPOSAL:

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 16-06-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-16-06-2011
16 Jun 11: "One of the country’s most powerful Aboriginal land councils says the process of choosing Muckaty near Tennant Creek as a dumping ground for the nation’s nuclear waste has been deeply flawed on all levels and that the consequences will be felt far into the future."

- News

National Indigenous Radio Service: CLC critical of Muckaty proposal
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5866...
16 Jun 11: "The Central Land Council (CLC) says building a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory is a political solution that bribes the poorest sector of the community."

9 News: Council says nuclear dump causing division
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8261419/council-says-nuclear-causing...
15 Jun 11: "Building a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory is a political solution that bribes the poorest sector of the community, the Central Land Council (CLC) says. CLC director David Ross, in a statement released on Wednesday, said the introduction of the Radio Active Waste Management Bill to the Senate on Tuesday was short-sighted. He said the Bill would allow the government to "ride roughshod over Aboriginal peoples' concerns and environmental restrictions" and use Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek, as a dumping ground for the nation's nuclear waste."

NT News: Muckaty edging closer
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/06/15/240731_ntnews.html
15 Jun 11: "And the Central Land Council said the Federal Government was riding roughshod over Aboriginal people's concerns. Land council director David Ross said the management of nuclear waste should be treated in a proper scientific way rather than bribing "the poorest sector of the community"."
[Includes photo: Muckaty protest outside Parliament House in Canberra.]

- Background Media Release

Central Land Council: Waste dump law should be rejected
http://www.clc.org.au/Media/releases/2011/Waste_dump_bill.html
23 Feb 11: "The Central Land Council has called on the Senate to reject the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 in its entirety, pointing out the legislation that has passed the House of Representatives is fundamentally flawed.
The CLC says the legislation allows the Commonwealth Government to continue to override many important considerations in the selection of a site for a radioactive waste facility. ...
The CLC is extremely disappointed that this Bill validates the Muckaty nomination without acknowledging the dissent and conflict amongst the broader traditional owner group about the process and the so called agreement."

BACKGROUND TO MUCKATY NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP:

YouTube: Muckaty Voices-Australia's nuclear waste dump story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcuNpT84Ovo
""Muckaty Voices" is a short film capturing community resistance to an Australian government plan to dump radioactive waste at Muckaty Station, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory."

Beyond Nuclear Initiative - Muckaty:
http://beyondnuclearinitiative.wordpress.com/muckaty/

Beyond Nuclear Initiative:
http://beyondnuclearinitiative.wordpress.com/

Proposed Radioactive Waste Dump at Muckaty, NT
Briefing Paper - February 2011
Jim Green B.Med.Sci.(Hons.), PhD
National nuclear campaigner - Friends of the Earth, Australia
Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear/issues/oz/nontdump/Dump%20briefing%20...

Nuclear Territory News: Waste Dump News:
http://ntne.ws/articles/article.php?section=waste

WGAR News: Nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory (2 Mar 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/03/02/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-in-the-n...

WGAR News: Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (20 Mar 10)
http://groups.google.com.au/group/foblmail/browse_thread/thread/ddc393bb...

WGAR News: Nuclear Waste Dump (28 Mar 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/03/28/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-close-th...

WGAR News: Muckaty Radioactive Waste Dump (4 Apr 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/03/wgar-news-muckaty-radioactive-waste-d...

WGAR News: National day of action against Muckaty nuclear waste dump: 12th April!
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/10/wgar-news-national-day-of-action-agai...

WGAR News: Nuclear Waste Dump: Senate inquiry in Darwin; Nationwide protests (17 Apr 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/16/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-senate-i...

WGAR News: Update: Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (23 Apr 10)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/22/wgar-news-raw-sewage-dumped-in-ampila...

WGAR News: Update on Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (2 May 10)
http://wgar.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/02052010-update-on-muckaty-station-...

WGAR News: "Muckaty Voices" film; Senate Report into nuclear waste dump plan (16 May 10)
https://indymedia.org.au/2010/05/16/wgar-news-muckaty-voices-film-senate...

WGAR News: Federal Court legal challenge over nuclear waste dump (13 Jun 10)
http://lists.perthimc.asn.au/pipermail/blackgreensolidarity/2010-June/00...

WGAR News: PM Gillard: No change on Muckaty nuclear waste dump (12 Jul 10)
http://lists.perthimc.asn.au/pipermail/blackgreensolidarity/2010-July/00...

WGAR News: Legislation passes enabling a nuclear waste dump to be built at Muckaty, NT (1 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/01/wgar-news-legislation-passes-enabling...

WGAR News: Federal Court challenge over nuclear dump resumes in August (16 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/16/wgar-news-federal-court-challenge-ove...

WGAR News: Interview with Kylie Sambo, Mark Lane and Dr. Jim Green about Muckaty nuclear waste dump (21 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/21/wgar-news-protest-blockade-by-lake-ty...

WGAR News: Nuclear waste legislation must wait until objections heard in Federal Court (23 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/23/wgar-news-international-day-for-the-e...

WGAR News: Aboriginal groups protest against nuclear waste dump (26 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/26/wgar-news-police-used-to-break-blocka...

WGAR News: Crisis in Japan and Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump (2 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/02/wgar-news-online-petition-about-abori...

WGAR News: Muckaty Traditional Owners speak out (14 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/14/wgar-news-deaths-in-custody-and-abori...

WGAR News: Help Stop the Muckaty Radioactive Waste Dump - May 7-8 (24 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/24/wgar-news-two-urgent-petitions-on-the...

WGAR News: "Keep the poison out of Muckaty" - community rally on May 7, 2011 (30 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/30/wgar-news-keep-the-poison-out-of-muck...

WGAR News: NT nuclear waste dump plans contested (10 May 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/10/wgar-news-nt-nuclear-waste-dump-plans...

WGAR News: More on Muckaty nuclear waste dump (14 May 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/14/wgar-news-aboriginal-elder-raises-int...

WGAR News: Interview with Muckaty Traditional Owner, Dianne Stokes / Doctor: Public misled over nuclear medicine needs (17 May 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/17/wgar-news-global-call-to-action-for-a...

WGAR News: Gov't hopes Senate will debate nuclear waste dump in June (18 May 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/18/wgar-news-amnesty-international-repor...

WGAR News: Video: No to a dump in the NT - Darwin rally 11 May 2011
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/21/wgar-news-un-human-rights-high-commis...

WGAR News: Canberra Rally, June 14 2011: Don’t dump on the NT -No radioactive waste dump at Muckaty
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/28/wgar-news-canberra-rally-june-14-2011...

WGAR News: Newcastle Rally: No Waste Dump at Muckaty, 11 June 2011
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/06/05/wgar-news-rebuilding-from-the-ground-...

WGAR News: One week to go! June 14 Canberra Rally against NT nuclear waste dump
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/06/09/wgar-news-prime-minister-julia-gillar...

NATIVE TITLE:

- Analysis / Opinion

Treaty Republic: A comparison between Land Rights and Native Title
http://treatyrepublic.net/content/comparison-between-land-rights-and-nat...
Jun 11: "at last!!! a good comparison of what is land rights and what is the more insultingly and falsely called native title. as gary foley and others have said for many years, 'native title is not land rights'. it does not even come close to real land rights for the traditional owners of our ancient lands. the major difficulties of comparing the two systems was that mainly it became very very difficult to explain the differences to those who had a limited legal knowledge and/or a more limited understanding of land for the traditional owners." Ray Jackson, President, Indigenous Social Justice Association

- Factsheet to which Ray Jackson refers

Central Land Council: Comparison of Land Rights and Native Title
http://www.clc.org.au/Ourland/native_title/comparison.pdf
Mar 08

- News

Scoop: Onus of proof a matter of truth and justice
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1106/S00239/onus-of-proof-a-matter-of-t...
15 Jun 11: "Maori Party Co-leader Dr Pita Sharples has welcomed the call by former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating for the onus of proof in Aboriginal native title claims to land to be reversed. "Paul Keating has called for Australian law to presume that Aboriginal customary land titles still exist, unless they are proven to have been extinguished," said Dr Sharples."

Koori Mail: Keating speaks out on native title
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php?page=Current+Edition
15 Jun 11: "FORMER Prime Minister Paul Keating has used another memorable speech to push for Indigenous justice, this time around native title. Delivering the 2011 Lowitja O'Donoghue Oration for the Don Dunstan Foundation in Adelaide, Mr Keating backed proposals before the Federal Parliament to reverse an 'unjust' burden of proof imposed on native title claimants to establish their ongoing connection to land. Mr Keating said it should be up to claim respondents to prove that such connections didn't exist, rather than the other way around."

Koori Mail: Communities warned of 'lateral violence'
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php?page=Current+Edition
15 Jun 11: "SOCIAL Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda has urged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to tackle 'lateral violence' within their own communities. Speaking at the AIATSIS National Native Title Conference in Brisbane early this month, Mr Gooda said the native title process could provoke disputes rather than resolve matters, and relationships within communities would be amongst his priorities."

See:

WGAR News: Problems with Native Title (5 Jun 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/06/05/wgar-news-rebuilding-from-the-ground-...

WGAR News: Calls for Native Title reform (7 Jun 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/06/07/wgar-news-aboriginal-rights-upcoming-...

NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION ARTICLES:

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 17-06-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-17-06-2011
17 Jun 11: "* The Australian Federal Police have defended their role in the Northern Territory Intervention, despite claims from many aboriginal elders that the emergency response and the presence of the AFP have done nothing to address the social problems confronting Aboriginal people.
* A senior South Australian police officer who spent most of his 40 year career working in remote parts of the state says policing in Aboriginal communities is about police talking to community members and respecting the views and opinions of local elders.
* Aboriginal people in the Top End opposed to the former Howard Government’s emergency response will present the Territory Parliament with an alternative plan to replace the intervention legislation."

- News

Adelaide Now: Aborginal intervention faces major shake-up
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/aborginal-intervention-faces...
17 Jun 11: "THE federal intervention into remote NT Aboriginal communities will change when it expires next year. ... Consultations would determine which aspects of the emergency response should continue. One of two senators for the NT, Labor's Trish Crossin, said a discussion paper about the continuation of the intervention would be released in coming weeks. She said Prime Minister Julia Gillard had started the Government's dialogue with Aboriginal elders on her recent tour of the NT ... "

National Indigenous Radio Service: AFP to pull out of Intervention
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5863...
16 Jun 11: "The Australian Federal Police is expected to announce today it is pulling out of the Northern Territory Emergency Response."

ABC: AFP pulls out of Territory intervention
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/16/3245329.htm?section=justin
16 Jun 11: "The Australian Federal Police is today expected to announce its official pull-out from the Northern Territory Emergency Response. Northern Territory police officers will resume policing all remote communities."

SMH: AFP to withdraw from intervention
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/afp-to-withdraw-from-inter...
16 Jun 11: "The Australian Federal Police is expected to announce its official withdrawal from remote Northern Territory Aboriginal communities. The officers, who were posted in 73 NT communities as part of the Howard government's 2007 emergency response to the Little Children Are Sacred report, will be replaced by NT police officers. The move is expected to attract mixed reactions, as many Aboriginal elders claim the intervention and the presence of the AFP have done nothing to address the social problems confronting indigenous Australians."

Koori Mail: Intervention is helping: PM
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php?page=Current+Edition
15 Jun 11: "PRIME Minister Julia Gillard says the Northern Territory Intervention 'has made a difference', and has vowed to be guided on future actions by community leaders. But she has acknowledged that town camps around Alice Springs have been neglected and promised her Government is working to address the situation. Ms Gillard undertook a three-day tour of the NT last week."

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

CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) - NT Intervention: http://caama.com.au/?s=NT+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/

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/

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: 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

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Language may help school attendance
http://caama.com.au/language-may-help-school-attendance
15 Jun 11: "The new NSW Minister for Aboriginal affairs, Victor Dominello has travelled to remote communities and found by speaking to Aboriginal people that teaching kids traditional language may make school a more relevant and fun place to learn and could increase attendance rates. He speaks to Nerida Currey on Strong Voices."

Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane
Let's Talk - Indigenous presented talkback:
http://989fm.com.au/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29
15 Jun 11: "Maurie Ryan: Today Karen Dorante spoke with founding member of the First Nations Political Party, Maurie Ryan about the party's registration, forthcoming AGM and the PM's recent visit to the Territory."
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasting/audio/98fm-podcast-2011-06-15-94162.mp3

- News

Koori Mail: Our new voice
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php?page=Current+Edition
15 Jun 11: "ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander people have a new elected national representative body. About 120 delegates at the first annual forum of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, voted in Sydney last Wednesday to elect six new directors to the organisation. And interim results of a survey of National Congress members have identified health, education, sovereignty (encompassing constitutional recognition), and land management and protection amongst its first priorities."

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'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities along with other Aboriginal rights issues.

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
WGAR Website: http://wgar.wordpress.com/