Newsletter date: 4 February 2013
Contents:
* STICS: NT leader: Nova Peris is wrong, Stronger Futures must go
* 4 Feb 13 Event: STICS meeting - Guest speaker from the NT - Marie Ellis
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* ABC Radio National - Awaye!: The Letters Patent [1836 South Australia]
* change.org Petition: Jay Weatherill Premier of South Australia: Uphold the 1836 SA Letters Patent
* ACF: New Kimberley parks welcomed but jettison JPP gas hub plans
* Background to the Save The Kimberley Campaign - James Price Point, north of Broome, WA
* Other articles
* STICS: NT LEADER: NOVA PERIS IS WRONG, STRONGER FUTURES MUST GO
- Media Release
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney: NT leader: Nova Peris is wrong, Stronger Futures must go
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/nt-leader-nova-peris...
4 Feb 13: "Aboriginal leader Marie Ellis from Amoonguna near Alice Springs is visiting Sydney for a Strong Women's conference. She will speak at a Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) meeting on Monday night to discuss deteriorating conditions in her community under the Stronger Futures policy, which extends key NT Intervention powers for a further ten years.
Ms Ellis has expressed disappointment with the pre-selection of Nova Peris to to top of the NT Labor Senate ticket. She says NT Aboriginal Labor politician Marion Scrymgour was overlooked because of her stance against the Intervention and Stronger Futures.
"Nova Peris said the Intervention was a failure, but she supports Stronger Futures - what we call 'Stolen Futures'. She seems to have no idea of the chaos and trauma that is still being put on the people."
"Come to my community and you'll see all they have is a fancy new name, conditions are actually getting worse on the ground. All the racist policies are still in place." ... "
See:
Stop the Intervention
http://stoptheintervention.org/
"STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney) is an open collective of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people committed to the repeal of the NT Intervention and the struggle for Aboriginal self-determination."
* 4 FEB 13 EVENT: STICS MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER FROM THE NT - MARIE ELLIS
- Event
Event: Mon 4 February 2013: Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW
Stop the Intervention Collective special meeting:
Guest speaker from the NT:
Marie Ellis, President Amoonguna community
"Marie Ellis has been a leading Aboriginal voice
opposing the Intervention and the devastation it
has caused at Amoonguna, her community near
Alice Springs. At this special STICS meeting,
Marie will give us the latest news from the NT
and discuss the struggle to re-establish community
control and fight for the return of resources lost
through the Intervention and Shire reforms."
Event details: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151391541035141&id=1...
Event details: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Intervention-Collective-Sydney/10...
STICS info: http://stoptheintervention.org/
WGAR Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
See:
Stop the Intervention
http://stoptheintervention.org/
"STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney) is an open collective of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people committed to the repeal of the NT Intervention and the struggle for Aboriginal self-determination."
WGAR events postings:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-events-postings
* BACKGROUND TO 'STRONGER FUTURES' NEW NT INTERVENTION LAWS:
Last updated: 2 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
* BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Last updated: 31 December 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* ABC RADIO NATIONAL - AWAYE!: THE LETTERS PATENT [1836 SOUTH AUSTRALIA]
- Audio
ABC Radio National - Awaye!: The Letters Patent
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/awaye/the-letters-patent/38...
4 Feb 12: "we bring you a feature that explores one of the most unequivocal statements on Aboriginal rights ever drafted - the 1836 Letters Patent which defined the boundaries of the newly-created colony of South Australia. The British Colonial Office - at least on paper - wanted to avoid the worst excesses of colonisation and so it drafted a special provision in the Letters Patent to protect the rights of Aboriginal people in perpetuity. In plain English it said that nothing in the document negated the rights of Aboriginal people to the land they occupied before the colony had come into existence, their prior ownership of the land. ... But the clear promise of land rights decreed in the Letters Patent was - in practice - never kept."
See:
Awaye! - About Us
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/awaye/about/
"Awaye! is produced and presented by Aboriginal broadcasters and is Australia's only national Indigenous arts and culture program."
* change.org PETITION: JAY WEATHERILL PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: UPHOLD THE 1836 SA LETTERS PATENT
- Petition
change.org Petition: Jay Weatherill Premier of South Australia: Uphold the 1836 SA Letters Patent
Petition by Lynette Crocker, Northfield, Australia
http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/jay-weatherill-premier-of-south-au...
"The King's Seal Enshrined in Law
SA Natives Aboriginal Sovereignty ...
This is important for protecting our rights as Aboriginal People in South Australia. Contained in the Letters Patent of 1836 "Always that nothing in those our Letters Patent contained shall affect or be construed to affect the rights of any Aboriginal Natives of the said Province to the actual occupation or enjoyment in their own Persons or in the Persons of their Descendants of any Lands therein now actually occupied or enjoyed by such Natives". Please sign this petition and stand with us for our rights!"
* ACF: NEW KIMBERLEY PARKS WELCOMED BUT JETTISON JPP GAS HUB PLANS
- Media Release
Australian Conservation Foundation: New Kimberley parks welcomed but jettison JPP gas hub plans
http://www.acfonline.org.au/news-media/media-release/new-kimberley-parks...
30 Jan 13: "The Australian Conservation Foundation has today welcomed the West Australian government’s announcement that it will create new marine and national parks at Talbot Bay near the renowned Horizontal Falls - warning however that any proposed gas hub development at James Price Point still threatens to undermine the environmental values of the region. ...
"We are delighted that these areas have been recognised by the state government for their outstanding natural beauty and cultural significance," said Australian Conservation Foundation Kimberley program officer Wade Freeman. ...
"However, we share the concerns of many in the communities across the Kimberley about the threat of industrialisation.
"The Australian Conservation Foundation views the James Price Point development as the thin end of the wedge that will irreversibly change the very nature and character of the region.
"To demonstrate its further commitment to the long term protection of the Kimberley - it is now time for the Barnett Government to accept the unfeasibility of the on-shore gas processing hub at James Price Point," Mr Freeman said."
See:
ACF - Protecting our Kimberley
http://www.acfonline.org.au/be-informed/northern-australia-nuclear/prote...
"We're committed to protecting the Kimberley from inappropriate development and broad scale industrialisation."
ACF - About us
Our vision and principles
http://www.acfonline.org.au/about-us
"ACF’s vision is a prosperous society in which the principles of ecological sustainability, social justice and human wellbeing are embedded in Australia’s decision-making processes, in government, in business practices and in our cultures."
* BACKGROUND TO THE SAVE THE KIMBERLEY CAMPAIGN - JAMES PRICE POINT, NORTH OF BROOME, WA
Last updated: 2 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/11/22/wgar-news-background-to-the-save-the-...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Letter
Crikey: The Northern Myth: 'Gas to Gove' - an open letter to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2013/01/30/gas-to-gove-an-open-lette...
30 Jan 13: "In 1963 I signed the historic bark petition which opposed the Gove refinery and bauxite mine and started the land rights movement, and which is now displayed in Parliament House, Canberra. In 2011 I signed the historic mining agreement with Rio Tinto Alcan which guarantees the refinery and bauxite mine for another 42 years. How the wheel turns! ... This is an open letter from Wali Wunungmurra to Mr Terry Mills, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. Wali Wunungmurra was born at Yirrkala in 1946. He is a Mala leader and law man of the Dhalwanu nation of the Yolgnu in Arnhem Land. His homeland is Gurrumurru."
- Audio
ABC PM: NT mining town residents wait on Rio Tinto decision
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2013/s3680537.htm?site=indigenous&topic...
31 Jan 13: "The Northern Territory Government is making a last ditch effort to secure the future of the mining town of Nhulunbuy, on the Gove Peninsula, in east Arnhem Land. Rio Tinto is considering mothballing its loss-making alumina refinery as part of a review of its operations. The company's Gove site is the Northern Territory's biggest private enterprise. The Territory Government is trying to strike a deal to pipe gas to Gove to help keep the refinery open."
- Media Releases
Australian Human Rights Commission: Anti-Discrimination Bill amendments welcomed
http://humanrights.gov.au/about/media/media_releases/2013/5_13.html
1 Feb 13: "President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs has welcomed the announcement by the Attorney-General, The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, that one of the most controversial provisions of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 will be amended or removed.
"The removal of Section 19(2)(b), which includes the test of 'offend or insult', which has caused much heated debate, is an eminently sensible option," Commission President Triggs said. "The ongoing focus on this provision only served to distract from what is otherwise very worthy legislation.""
Australian Human Rights Commission: Social Justice Commissioner calls for greater cooperation to tackle child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities
http://humanrights.gov.au/about/media/media_releases/2013/4_13.html
31 Jan 13: "The Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda and the Australian Human Rights Commission welcome the New South Wales Ombudsman’s report on child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities and its recommendations.
"Sexual assault is unacceptable and is not part of Aboriginal culture. As a society, our main aim should be to protect our children from all forms of abuse, but we also need to heal our victims and hold perpetrators accountable. To do this we must address the causal factors and not just the symptoms." said Commissioner Gooda."
- Audio
SBS Radionews Podcasts: 'No surprise' at Ombudsman report
By Kate Stowell
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/252277/-No-sur...
1 Feb 13: "The Australian Centre of Child Protection says the findings of the NSW Ombudsman's report about the state government's response to rates of child sexual abuse come as no surprise. ... The report found that four per cent of children in the state are indigenous, but they make up 10 per cent of reported child sex abuse victims. Professor Fiona Arnie is Director of the Australian Centre of Child Protection at the University of South Australia. She told Kate Stowell she's not surprised by the findings or the Ombudsman's 93 recommendations for change."
- News
Koori Mail: Ombudsman call for child abuse action
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php
1 Feb 13: "THE New South Wales Ombudsman has called for better and more effective action on Aboriginal child sexual abuse in a report tabled in the NSW Parliament yesterday. Ombudsman Bruce Barbour said despite some good initiatives the evidence showed 'little improvement in the social and economic conditions needed for Aboriginal communities to effectively respond to child sexual abuse and its underlying causes'."
ABC Indigenous: Support aired for youth boot camp plans
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-01/support-aired-for-youth-boot-camp-...
1 Feb 13: "An Aboriginal organisation says it has been buoyed by the Northern Territory Government's commitment to tackle juvenile crime in central Australia but more is needed. The Northern Territory Government says it wants to establish a boot camp program in Alice Springs by the middle of the year to deal with juvenile crime. Reg Hatch from the Ngurratjuta Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Organisation says the Government has put $1 million on the table but much more is needed."
- Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/am-1-02.mp3
1 Feb 13: "The Queensland Government is set to overhaul a scheme designed to tackle the over-representation of Aboriginal and Islander Australians in the states criminal justice system."
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