Newsletter date: 5 October 2012
Contents:
* STICS: Damning NT report shows income management must go
* The Wire: New report highlights cost of income management in the NT
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Our Languages: University of Melbourne researchers urge government to heed indigenous language report
* Background to the use of Aboriginal languages in NT schools
* Sky News: Protest set for NT alcohol meeting
* STICS: DAMNING NT REPORT SHOWS INCOME MANAGEMENT MUST GO
- Media Release
Stop the Intervention: Damning NT report shows income management must go
STICS: http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/damning-nt-report-sh...
GL: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/52402
1 Oct 12: "The Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) has renewed calls for the national income management system to be dismantled, following the release of a damning report by the NT Co-ordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services (NTCGRIS). ...
"This report from the NTCGRIS meticulously and completely discredits the NT Intervention. Obscene amounts of money have been wasted on what it calls 'punitive' measures such as income management, while most Aboriginal people in remote areas continue to languish in extreme poverty without access to many basic services", said Paddy Gibson from STICS.
"The report says more than $1 billion has been spent on income management in the NT. More than $225 million has been spent on Government Business Managers (GBMs) to take control of community administration. In contrast, an estimated $2 billion is urgently required on top of current investments to ensure the functioning of very basic infrastructure such as sewage and water systems in remote Aboriginal communities". ... "
- Report
Office of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General for Remote Services Report
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Havnen-Final-Repor...
See:
WGAR News: "Report finds serious flaws in delivery of gov't services to NT Aboriginal communities" SNAICC News (30 Sep 12)
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/30/wgar-news-report-finds-serious-flaws-...
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
- Related News
National Indigenous Times: Damning report on funding waste proves BasicsCard should be dismantled, says anti-Intervention group
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1966-damning-report-on-funding-waste-proves-b...
4 Oct 12: "The Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) has renewed calls for the national income management system, better known as the BasicsCard to be dismantled, following the release of a damning report by the Northern Territory Co-ordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services (NTCGRIS). The report, which documents extreme waste on spending on bureaucracy, comes as the $120 million national expansion... "
National Indigenous Times: Stop bureaucracy waste on funds for communities by providing break-up of costs, demands Co-ordinator
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1969-stop-bureaucracy-waste-on-funds-for-comm...
4 Oct 12: "Money for programs in remote Northern Territory Indigenous communities is being eaten away by bureaucracy and all future expenditure on programs should include a breakdown of administrative costs including staffing, salaries and travel, a new report has said. Northern Territory Co-ordinator General for Remote Services, Olga Havnen handed down a scathing report calling for increased financial... "
* THE WIRE: NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS COST OF INCOME MANAGEMENT IN THE NT
- Audio Interview
The Wire: New report highlights cost of income management in the NT
Produced by Catherine Zengerer
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=9677
3 Oct 12: "A report issued by the Northern Territory Coordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services has sparked renewed calls for the scrapping of compulsory income management. It’s the 5th Report on Remote Indigenous Services, but the first by new Co-ordinator General, Olga Havnen and aims to track how services in Indigenous communities are helping both the NT and federal government’s work towards Closing the Gap. But after $1 billion has been spent on income management in the NT and more than $225 million spent on Government Business Managers to take control of community administration, the Stop the Intervention Collective says the report highlights government waste.
Featured in story: Paddy Gibson from the Stop the Intervention Collective [Sydney]"
- Related Audio Interview
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Minister responds to critics of Stronger Futures spending !
http://caama.com.au/minister-responds-to-critics-of-stronger-futures-spe...
3 Oct 12: "The Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs has hit back at critics of the Gillard Labor governments Stronger Futures strategies in the Northern Territory … calling on them to say what they would do to improve the job situation for Aboriginal people in communities. Jenny Macklin has rejected criticism that too much money allocated to address Aboriginal disadvantage in the Northern Territory is being eaten up by bureaucratic staffing salaries and travel expenses."
* BACKGROUND TO 'STRONGER FUTURES' NEW NT INTERVENTION LAWS:
Last updated: 1 October 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
* BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Last updated: 1 October 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* OUR LANGUAGES: UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE RESEARCHERS URGE GOVERNMENT TO HEED INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE REPORT
- News
Our Languages: University of Melbourne researchers urge government to heed indigenous language report
http://www.ourlanguages.net.au/news/national/item/683-university-of-melb...
27 Sep 12: "A group of indigenous language researchers from the University of Melbourne is calling on the Federal Government to implement a proposal to introduce bilingual teaching programs in some schools. The proposal was one of 30 recommendations made last week by a Federal Parliamentary inquiry into language learning in indigenous communities. Professor Gillian Wigglesworth, the Director of the University's Indigenous Language Research Unit, said bilingual education was vital to the development of young children in communities where languages other than English were spoken at home."
- Related News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Calls strengthen for bilingual education
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7560-calls-strengthen-for-biling...
2 Oct 12: "An Indigenous language researcher is calling on the Federal Government to implement a proposal to introduce bilingual teaching programs in some schools. The proposal was one of 30 recommendations made last week by a Federal Parliamentary inquiry into language learning in Indigenous communities. Professor Gillian Wigglesworth the Director of the University of Melbourne’s Indigenous Language Research Unit says bilingual education is vital to the development of young children in communities where languages other than English were spoken at home."
* BACKGROUND TO THE USE OF ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES IN NT SCHOOLS:
Last updated: 1 October 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/05/background-to-the-use-of-aboriginal-l...
* SKY NEWS: PROTEST SET FOR NT ALCOHOL MEETING
- News
Sky News: Protest set for NT alcohol meeting
http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=802348
5 Oct 12: "Protesters are preparing to rally outside a meeting in Alice Springs on alcohol reform called in response to a coroner's recommendation following an Aboriginal death in police custody. ... Protesters, including some members of Mr Briscoe's family, have vowed to rally outside the meeting. Patricia Morton-Thomas, the aunt of Mr Briscoe, has said she was insulted her nephew's name had been used to push the agenda of the Country Liberal Party (CLP) government and that she wasn't invited to address those gathered."
See:
WGAR News: Alice Springs Rally to Stop Black Deaths in Custody - 5 October 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/10/04/wgar-news-alice-springs-rally-to-stop...
- - -
About WGAR News:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/30/about-wgar-news-working-group-for-abo...
Subscription to 'WGAR News' is free.
'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:
* the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities;
* the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and tent embassies;
* other Aboriginal rights issues; and
* upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia.
'WGAR News' publishes information and opinions from a wide range of sources. These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.
The e-newsletters include media releases, opinion pieces, news items and events. Subscribers can expect to receive about 4 e-newsletters each week.
To subscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
To unsubscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "unsubscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
- - -
You can also subscribe to our second list 'Contact WGAR' which focuses on activities and events and provides a point of contact.
To subscribe, email contactwgar@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR Contact" in the message header.
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
WGAR Website: http://wgar.wordpress.com/