Newsletter date: 29 October 2011
Contents:
* What’s Working: Animation of stories
* "Congress Joins Opposition to Big Stick Policies in the NT" NCAFP Media Release
* Background to National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (NCAFP)
* Occupy Melbourne calls for Treaty with Indigenous Australia
* Interview with Brian Devlin on cuts to bilingual education in the NT
* Prof Jon Altman: Governments can not afford to neglect homelands
* UTS Lecture by Dr Miriam Jorgensen & Prof Stephen Cornell:
Indigenous Government - A Solution in Settler States
* Other Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other articles
* WHAT'S WORKING: ANIMATION OF STORIES:
- Videos
What’s Working: Animation of stories
http://www.whatsworking.com.au/whats-working/animation-of-stories/
"Many communities are developing animation films for teaching language and culture to the children, engaging them in modern technology combined with indigenous knowledge. These videos are developed with state of the art technology and involve the knowledge holders in the design and development. See the promo for the language video Wadu Matyidi and the traditional stories of Borroloola in the gulf country of Arnhem land."
- Related News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Film technology to preserve language, culture
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6483...
26 Oct 11: "Animation technology used in the Hollywood film 'Avatar' is providing an exciting way to preserve Indigenous languages in the Northern Territory. A film called the 'Sea Turtle and the Osprey', which includes the traditional Yanyuwa language, hopes to encourage younger generations to pick up their native tongue. Associate Professor John Bradley from the Indigenous Centre at Monash University worked on the project, and says the young Yanyuwa children are taking to the animated story in their language."
* "CONGRESS JOINS OPPOSITION TO BIG STICK POLICIES IN THE NT" NCAFP MEDIA RELEASE:
- Media Release and Statement
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples:
Congress NT Intervention Statement
http://nationalcongress.com.au/congress-nt-intervention-statement/
"The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples today released its position on the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER), calling on the Federal parliament to take a long-term view of the development of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
Congress opposes the key one-size-fits-all measures which are the basis of the policy. Read the Media Release here. http://nationalcongress.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/111027Congress...
Read our full statement to the Federal Government here. http://nationalcongress.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/CongressStatem... "
- Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 28-10 -2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-28-10-2011
28 Oct 11: "Australia’s peak Aboriginal representative body…The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (NCAFP) has rejected the federal government’s new intervention plans, saying consultations over the issue were flawed."
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Congress slams "one-size-fits-all" Intervention
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6500...
28 Oct 11: "The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples' says the Federal Government's one-size-fits-all approach to Northern Territory Indigenous communities is not working. The group yesterday announced their official position on the NT Intervention, saying investment in local services and governance is required for communities to achieve long-term development."
Age: Aboriginal body warns on welfare
http://www.theage.com.au/national/aboriginal-body-warns-on-welfare-20111...
28 Oct 11: "LEGISLATION linking welfare payments to school attendance and enrolments in the Northern Territory could face opposition from the nation's peak indigenous body, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. In its first major policy statement, the congress yesterday warned against any ''one-size-fits-all'' approach to income management or alcohol restrictions in order to address profound levels of disadvantage. Congress co-chair Jody Broun said she would be concerned if the Gillard government embraced only the ideas that were raised during recent consultations that suited its policy direction."
Australian: Aboriginal congress rejects 'big stick intervention'
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/aboriginal-c...
28 Oct 11: "THE national Aboriginal congress has called on the federal government to hand management control back to Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory and to abandon a one-size-fits-all intervention. In a highly critical assessment of the intervention, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples said "misdirected" policies had led to "stigmatisation and disempowerment of Aboriginal communities, particularly in remote areas, but also across Australia"."
9 News: Key Aboriginal group rejects intervention
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8366315
27 Oct 11: "The peak body representing Aboriginal people is rejecting the federal government's new intervention plans, saying consultations over the issue were flawed. The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (NCAFP) issued its long-awaited response on Thursday to the federal government's intervention plan for some poor Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Earlier this month the government revealed it would continue the policy originally introduced under the Howard government, and toughen parts of it."
* BACKGROUND TO NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST PEOPLES (NCAFP):
Welcome National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
http://nationalcongress.com.au/welcome/
WGAR News: Proposed national Indigenous body (29 Aug 09)
[scroll down page] http://wgar.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/290809-un-expert-calls-nt-intervent...
WGAR News: More media responses to proposed national Indigenous body (31 Aug 09)
[scroll down page] http://wgar.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/310809-more-media-responses-to-un-e...
WGAR News: Still more media responses to proposed national Indigenous body (3 Sep 09)
[scroll down page] http://wgar.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/3-sep-2009-governments-review-of-ab...
WGAR News: Proposed National Indigenous Representative Body (22 Sep 09)
[scroll down page] http://wgar.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/22-sep-2009-ampilatwatja-anti-inter...
WGAR News: New Way Summit delegates unanimously reject government sponsored Rep body (31 Jan 10)
http://wgar.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/new-way-summit-delegates-unanimousl...
WGAR News: Proposed National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (2 Feb 10)
[scroll down page] http://wgar.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/02022010-national-day-of-action-sat...
WGAR News: New National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (9 May 10)
http://www.indymedia.org.au/2010/05/08/wgar-news-new-national-congress-o...
WGAR News: Co-Chairs of National Congress of Australia's First Peoples elected (21 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/21/wgar-news-elders-speak-out-on-the-nor...
WGAR News: National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (24 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/24/wgar-news-two-urgent-petitions-on-the...
WGAR News: National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (29 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/29/darwin-gathering-for-aboriginal-peopl...
WGAR News: Les Malezer defends National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (30 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/30/wgar-news-keep-the-poison-out-of-muck...
WGAR News: Speech by Les Malezer, Co-chair of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (7 May 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/07/wgar-news-interviews-with-barb-shaw-a...
WGAR News: Interview with National Congress Co-Chair, Jody Broun (18 May 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/05/18/wgar-news-amnesty-international-repor...
WGAR News: Official Launch of the National Congress Meeting (11 Jun 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/06/11/wgar-news-nt-traditional-land-owners-...
WGAR News: Survey: 88% of NCAFP members want constitutional recognition (30 Jul 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/07/30/wgar-news-gurindji-tell-consultations...
* OCCUPY MELBOURNE CALLS FOR A TREATY WITH INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA:
- Statement
Occupy Melbourne calls for Treaty with Indigenous Australia
Treaty Republic: http://treatyrepublic.net/content/occupy-melbourne-calls-treaty-first-na...
Green Left: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49243
27 Oct 11: "Occupy Melbourne’s 8th general assembly passed a proposal, put forward by the Indigenous Working Group, to support the creation of a treaty between the First Nations of Australia and the Australian Commonwealth Government. ... Robbie Thorpe, member of Occupy Melbourne’s Indigenous Working Group, argues that Constitutional recognition isn’t enough to protect the sovereign rights of Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples. Thorpe asserts: "Without a treaty Australia doesn’t have a foundation for its law. The Treaty should underpin the Constitution, rather than having the Aboriginal People slotted into the Constitution 100 years later.""
* INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN DEVLIN ON CUTS TO BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN THE NT:
- Audio Interview
3CR Community Radio 855 AM - Podcasts
[scroll down page] http://www.3cr.org.au/podcast
Wednesday Hometime - 26 Oct 2011
[listen to this program online] http://podcast.3cr.org.au/pod/3CRCast-2011-10-26-73199.mp3
26 Oct 11: "Liz Dean down to earth academic, sociology lecturer and 3CR presenter of Thursday Hometime talks about her Phd thesis Bodily Ethics and Brian Devlin from Charles Darwin University on cuts to bilingual education in remote area schools in the NT."
[Brian Devlin is interviewed about 30 minutes into the program.]
* PROF JON ALTMAN: GOVERNMENTS CAN NOT AFFORD TO NEGLECT HOMELANDS:
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: EVIDENTLY: Helping the homelands
http://tracker.org.au/2011/10/evidently-helping-the-homelands/
25 Oct 11: "NATIONAL: In this political arena, the homelands are no longer supported, even ignored. PROF JON ALTMAN* argues that governments can not afford to neglect them. ... In the absence of national political leadership in sensible outstations policy, the smallest and politically most vulnerable group of Australians is placed at risk. This is an issue not just of rights and social justice, but also of freedom and choice." Prof Jon Altman, Foundation Director, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), ANU
* UTS LECTURE BY DR MIRIAM JORGENSON & PROF STEPHEN CORNELL:
INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT - A SOLUTION IN SETTLER STATES:
- Upcoming Event
Event: Wed 9 November 2011: UTS Building, Sydney, NSW
UTS Joint Annual Lecture:
Indigenous Government: A Solution in Settler States
Speakers - UTS Distinguished Visiting Scholars:
Prof Stephen Cornell & Dr Miriam Jorgensen
"In Australia, Canada, and the United States, there is
growing evidence that Indigenous communities themselves may
have solutions to problems of socio-economic distress that
work substantially better than those developed by central
governments. ... "
Jointly organised by Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning
and the Transforming Cultures Research Centre
Event details: http://datasearch2.uts.edu.au/tfc/news-events/news-detail.cfm?ItemId=28626
* OTHER NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION ARTICLES:
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Council looks to go it alone
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6499...
28 Oct 11: "A former Northern Territory local government minister is preparing to accept a proposal for the first renegade council to break away from the super shire model. Member for Daly Rob Knight oversaw the reforms to redesign the local government system into eight supershires. Now three communities in his electorate, Wadeye, Peppimentarti and Palumpa, want to form their own local government body outside of the Victoria-Daly Shire."
National Indigenous Times: You broke your word
http://www.nit.com.au/story.aspx?id=23109
26 Oct 11: "Indigenous leaders have reacted with anger, disappointment and dismay to the Northern Territory Intervention initiatives announced by the Federal Government Indigenous Affairs Minister, Jenny Macklin last week. The Minister has said she intends to continue with an income management program that will penalise the parents of children who do not attend school and maintain an alcohol ban at the 73 communities living under the current Intervention. ... However, her claims that she was responding to the feedback from communities have been rejected by people who attended those community meetings."
National Indigenous Times: Minister lacks understanding of our culture: Barbara Shaw
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23086
26 Oct 11: "Barbara Shaw has attacked the Federal Government plan to tie welfare payments to school attendance in remote Aboriginal communities to ensure children get to class. Ms Shaw, from the Intervention Rollback Action Group, said the Howard-era Intervention which has been maintained by the current Federal Labor Government had failed. Ms Shaw, who has two school children and lives in the Mt Nancy town camp near Alice Springs, said linking welfare payments with school attendance showed a lack of understanding of Aboriginal culture, as funeral obligations may mean children couldn’t attend school for weeks while in mourning."
National Indigenous Times: Gooda outraged with lack of consultation by Macklin
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23091
26 Oct 11: "Mick Gooda has attacked the announcement by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin of future plans for the Intervention, demanding to know why community leaders were not consulted beforehand. Mr Gooda said he was “outraged” community leaders were only made aware of the proposed new crackdown through the Minister’s release of the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory report. Under the proposal the Gillard government plans, among other things, to cut welfare payments for the parents of truant children."
National Indigenous Times: Amnesty appeals to Macklin: Consult to find the solutions
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23087
26 Oct 11: "Community consultations were a welcome first step towards tackling Aboriginal disadvantage in the Northern Territory but any strategies to ensure stronger futures must be community driven in order to be sustainable, Amnesty International has said. Amnesty International was responding to the announcement by the Federal Government’s Indigenous Affairs Minister, Jenny Macklin announcing plans on the future of the Northern Territory Intervention with the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Report released last week.
Amnesty said it was now essential the Federal Government worked in partnership with Aboriginal communities to find practical solutions that respected the rights of those affected."
National Indigenous Times: Macklin remains defiant
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23092
26 Oct 11: "Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin remained defiant in the face of criticism of the Federal Government’s planned extension of the Northern Territory Intervention declaring the Federal Government would do whatever it takes to lift education standards and tackle alcohol abuse in remote Aboriginal communities. With the former Howard government’s controversial Intervention policy in the Northern Territory set to expire next year, the Labor government claims it has been consulting with remote communities to decide what will come next even though many communities claim there has been no meaningful consultation at all but rather more of the past practices where government and bureaucrats are deciding what is best for the Territory’s Indigenous Australians."
National Indigenous Times: No floor price on alcohol "deeply disappointing", says Coalition
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23090
26 Oct 11: "It was "deeply disappointing" Indigenous Affairs Minister, Jenny Macklin had refused to apply a minimum pricing system to buy alcohol as part of the Federal Government’s future plans for the Northern Territory Intervention, the Alice Springs-based People’s Alcohol Action Coalition (PAAC) said. The Coalition said it believed the Minister had simply ignored the recommendation of the World Health Organisation and other evidence on the benefits of a floor price on takeaway alcohol in favour of the comments of a "few people" who have claimed heavy drinkers could always find the money to buy alcohol."
National Indigenous Times: It’s just wrong: Sarra
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23089
26 Oct 11: "Chris Sarra has launched a stinging attack on the Northern Territory Intervention saying it dehumanises and improverishes Indigenous people. Addressing the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education conference in Darwin, Dr Sarra accused supporters of the Intervention of holding low expectations of Aboriginal people."
National Indigenous Radio Service: Calls for alcohol floor price
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6476...
25 Oct 11: "The Alice Springs-based People's Alcohol Action Coalition says it's disappointed the continued Federal Intervention won't include a floor price on alcohol. This month, Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin announced the government will continue the Federal intervention, with an emphasis on getting children to school. ... He [People's Alcohol Action Coalition spokesman Dr John Boffa] says the Federal government has missed an opportunity to weigh in and make a real difference to the alcohol problem in the Territory."
* 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
STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney): http://stoptheintervention.org/
Tracker - NT Intervention: http://tracker.org.au/tag/nt-intervention/
The Greens: Rachel Siewert: Northern Territory Intervention: http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/category/issues/indigenous-rights...
Crikey - NT Intervention: http://www.crikey.com.au/topic/nt-intervention/
Treaty Republic - NT Intervention: http://treatyrepublic.net/search/node/NT%20Intervention
IRAG (Intervention Rollback Action Group): Mparntwe - Alice Springs: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
'concerned Australians': Without Justice there can be no Reconciliation: http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/
MAIC (Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective): http://maicollective.blogspot.com/
The Conversation - After the Intervention: http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/after-the-intervention
ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation) - NT intervention: http://www.antar.org.au/issues_and_campaigns/nt_intervention
Jobs with Justice: http://jobswithjustice.wordpress.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 ARTICLES:
- Analysis / Opinion
Inside Story: Learning in both worlds
http://inside.org.au/learning-in-both-worlds/
27 Oct 11: "Despite the international evidence, the Northern Territory has discouraged bilingual programs in its schools, writes Lisa Waller. But there are early signs of another shift in attitude, both in Darwin and Canberra ... The Northern Territory government’s decision undermined the achievements of the innovative two-way school curriculum that Mandawuy helped to pioneer. Community elders are deeply concerned that future generations will not be able to negotiate both worlds with the integrity, sophistication and success of current and past generations."
- Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Tough on Crime Approach Causes Growing Concern
http://caama.com.au/tough-on-crime-approach-causes-growing-concern
25 Oct 11: "A two day symposium held in Melbourne at the weekend has heard that there will always be problems for Aboriginal people involved in the justice system … unless the consequences of earlier continual oppression against them are dealt with. Julie Edwards the Chief Executive Officer of the Jesuit Social Services said that this was a chance to reflect on law and order and what constitutes a humane and effective justice system."
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 24-10-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-24-10-2011
24 Oct 11: "A two day symposium held in Melbourne at the weekend has heard that there will always be problems for Aboriginal people involved in the justice system… unless the consequences of earlier continual oppression against them are dealt with."
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
CAAMA Radio News 25-10-2011
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-3
25 Oct 11: "Aboriginal and TSI Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda says a culture of bullying among Aboriginal communities is being fed by harsh native title laws and feelings of dispossession."
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Mine expansion threatens Dreamtime stories: Elder
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6505...
28 Oct 11: "Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott says the groups behind the Olympic Dam mine expansion in South Australia have kept his people in the dark about the development. The Olympic Dam mine site is located next to Arabunna country, and is preparing for a huge expansion which will make it the largest open-cut mine in the world. Mr Buzzacott says the land is essential for important dreamtime stories, and he is worried about the mine's need for a water source affecting his country."
National Indigenous Radio Service: Communities "shocked" by uranium effects
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6493...
28 Oct 11: "An Indigenous anti-uranium mining campaigner says Indigenous communities aren't being fully informed of the potential dangers of having a uranium mine development close to them. The West Australian Government overturned a ban on uranium mining in the state in late 2008. Western Australia Nuclear Free Alliance member Della Rae Morrison has since been organising meetings, fundraisers and protests in Indigenous communities in the Yeelirrie and Pilbara regions."
Perth Now: Protests persist at James Price Point
http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/business-old/protests-persist-at-jam...
26 Oct 11: "A WHEELCHAIR-bound Melbourne hip-hop artist has locked himself under a heavy loader and is playing music in a bid to disrupt Woodside Petroleum's proposed $30 billion Kimberley gas hub. Paraplegic performer Oliver Butterfield, 26, locked himself and his wheelchair to the front-end loader at James Price Point, 60km north of Broome, at 10am this morning. Three hours later, he was still playing hip-hop sets as police arrived and asked him to leave."
National Indigenous Times: Juvenile injustice
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23106
26 Oct 11: "Almost half of all young people locked up in juvenile detention centres are Indigenous despite the fact they make up just five per cent of the population, a new report shows. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study, released last week, showed that 7250 young people were under some kind of supervision on an average day in 2009/10. About 86 per cent were in the community while 14 per cent were held in detention."
National Indigenous Times: Child Commissioner warns police crackdown on juveniles doomed to failure
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23104
26 Oct 11: "The Commissioner for Children has warned the West Australian Police Commissioner’s plan to place unsupervised juveniles found roaming Perth streets at night in a special crisis care centre was doomed to fail. Michelle Scott said the plan was doomed because Police Commissioner, Karl O’Callaghan should have consulted the Departments of Child Protection and Corrective Services and a range of other non-government agencies."
National Indigenous Times: "Coffin money" delays
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23101
26 Oct 11: "The Queensland Council of Unions has called on the State Government to work harder to repay money taken from Indigenous people from last century and respected Aboriginal leader, Sam Watson slammed the State Government for taking so long to resolve the matter. Mr Watson said many of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who had not been paid for work they did up to the 1970s had agreed to accept less than they were actually owed in the hope they would at least have enough to meet their funeral expenses."
National Indigenous Times: Hickey charges dismissed by court but juveniles are yet to appear
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23099
26 Oct 11: "Charges against Letisha Hickey were dismissed last week in the Parramatta Local Court but two juvenile members of the family are still to appear in the Children’s court in November. Magistrate, Alison Viney found the police approach to the noise complaint at the Riverstone address was confrontational."
National Indigenous Times: Native title laws are causing culture of anger, says Gooda
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=23080
26 Oct 11: "Harsh native title laws and feelings of dispossession were feeding a culture of bullying among Indigenous communities, Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda said. In Cairns to deliver the annual Eddie Mabo Lecture at James Cook University on Monday night, Mr Gooda said “lateral” violence is a major problem in Indigenous communities. It occurs when people who are both victims of a situation of dominance, turn on each other instead of confronting the system that oppresses them both."
newsTracker: Unions want stolen wages scandal on election radar
http://tracker.org.au/2011/10/unions-want-stolen-wages-scandal-on-electi...
25 Oct 11: "QUEENSLAND: In the midst of political fights about dirt files, LNP leader Campbell Newman’s accountability and Premier Anna Bligh’s record, the union movement are hoping to get one crucial issue noticed in the lead up to next year’s state election – the half billion dollar theft of wages from the state’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers over the past century." Amy McQuire, editor of Tracker
National Indigenous Radio Service: Stolen wages campaign continues
http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6471...
24 Oct 11: "The Queensland Council of Unions held a meeting in Townsville last week, updating Stolen Wages claimants on the campaign to get full compensation from the Queensland Government. In 2002, then Queensland Premier Peter Beattie estimated that $500 million in wages had been stolen between 1904 and 1972, and said he would set up a $55 million compensation fund to be distributed to those affected. But after distributing $34 million, the state government decided to put the remainder into an Indigenous education fund."
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