Newsletter date: 4 March 2013
Contents:
* Jon Altman, Tracker: Evidently: Finding the truth in the employment gap
* Amy McQuire, Tracker: We have your back [strong Aboriginal women on the frontline]
* NACCHO: Positive health gains for Aboriginal community controlled health organisations
* Jeff McMullen, Tracker: The Way Ahead: The Aboriginal Voice
* Amy McQuire, Tracker: Behind Enemy Lines: Taking sentencing out of the court of public opinion
* Peter Robson, Green Left: NT introduces new mandatory sentencing laws
* Northern Star: Call for Royal Commission into Bowraville murders
* Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA): Action against police brutality
* NIRS: Anti-police brutality rallies to be held four years after Bellotti incident
* Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody
* SBS World News: Indigenous kids at risk in out-of-home care: report
* NIRS: Schools must teach effects of removal policies: Advocates
* JON ALTMAN, TRACKER: EVIDENTLY: FINDING THE TRUTH IN THE EMPLOYMENT GAP
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: Evidently: Finding the truth in the employment gap
http://tracker.org.au/2013/02/evidently-finding-the-truth-in-the-employm...
28 Feb 13: "NATIONAL: During the first week or two of the new parliamentary sitting calendar the Prime Minister reports annually on progress in Closing the Gap between Indigenous and other Australians, writes JON ALTMAN. This year will be different, for the first time since this new institution was established by Kevin Rudd in 2008, comparative census information will be available. ... The gap that is probably easiest to measure with any certainty is the employment gap. ... " By Prof Jon Altman, a research professor, Australian National University. He "has worked on Indigenous economic development issues since 1976."
* AMY MCQUIRE, TRACKER: WE HAVE YOUR BACK [STRONG ABORIGINAL WOMEN ON THE FRONTLINE]
- News
newsTracker: We have your back
http://tracker.org.au/2013/02/we-have-your-back/
28 Feb 13: "NEW SOUTH WALES: Aboriginal women are six times more likely to suffer a sexual assault than non-Indigenous women. But they are more than just victims, writes AMY MCQUIRE*. ... Ms Gordon is the project officer for Hey Sis - We’ve Got Your Back!, a network formed in conjunction with the NSW Rape Crisis Centre and the Aboriginal controlled Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Corporation, based in Redfern. Both these organisations want to support the strong Aboriginal women who are on the frontline." By Amy McQuire, a Darumbal and South Sea Islander woman, editor of Tracker
* NACCHO: POSITIVE HEALTH GAINS FOR ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HEALTH ORGANISATIONS
- Media Release
NACCHO [National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation] Aboriginal Health News Alerts:
NACCHO press release: Positive health gains for Aboriginal community controlled health organisations
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/03/01/naccho-press-release-positive-hea...
1 Mar 13: "Mr Justin Mohamed, Chair of NACCHO representing over 150 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations throughout Australia has welcomed an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) that highlights the fact that health trends among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are improving in many areas.
Mr Mohamed said he was also pleased to report that a majority of the 100 health services funded were Aboriginal community controlled members of NACCHO providing services and collecting data on 10 Essential Indicators and some qualitative indicators relating to organisational structure and care provision related to the key objectives.
"For the first time, this report provides information on both quantitative and qualitative indicators over the lifetime of the HfL program, collated at the national level. Overall, as reported by AIHW there have been several improvements in health and healthy behaviors,'
We also agree with a key finding that more people with chronic disease are being well managed through our primary health care services,' Mr Mohamed said."
* JEFF MCMULLEN, TRACKER: THE WAY AHEAD: THE ABORIGINAL VOICE
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: The Way Ahead: The Aboriginal Voice
http://tracker.org.au/2013/02/the-way-ahead-the-aboriginal-voice/
28 Feb 13: "NATIONAL: The Aboriginal voice is bursting from the page, the stage and the screen, writes JEFF MCMULLEN. ... There is reason for pride and even joy that humanity’s oldest unbroken chain of storytellers today is reaching more people around the world than ever before. The challenge remains, however, and it is as difficult as ever, to shatter the matrix of control and assimilation of Aboriginal people expressed through virtually every major government policy. Attempts to 'modernise', relocate or otherwise socially engineer Indigenous cultures have never been abandoned in this country." By Dr Jeff McMullen AM, one of Australia’s most respected journalists, a winner of the UN Media Peace Prize. "He is also prolific in Aboriginal affairs."
* AMY MCQUIRE, TRACKER: BEHIND ENEMY LINES: TAKING SENTENCING OUT OF THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: Behind Enemy Lines: Taking sentencing out of the court of public opinion
http://tracker.org.au/2013/02/behind-enemy-lines-taking-sentencing-out-o...
28 Feb 13: "NATIONAL: The complexity of sentencing decisions is ill-covered by media, writes AMY MCQUIRE. Like all issues in Indigenous affairs, the skyrocketing incarceration rates of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is an issue revisited every few years, with politicians and media riding out the shockwaves, and then returning to the issue with little or no improvement to report. Sadly, the statistics show Indigenous youth are more likely to come into contact with police than non-Indigenous youth." By Amy McQuire, a Darumbal and South Sea Islander woman, editor of Tracker
* PETER ROBSON, GREEN LEFT: NT INTRODUCES NEW MANDATORY SENTENCING LAWS
- News
Green Left: NT introduces new mandatory sentencing laws
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53461
1 Mar 13: "The Northern Territory government passed new mandatory sentencing laws on February 14 that will increase the minimum time offenders spend in prison and restrict judges’ right to suspend sentences for certain crimes. ... The NT also has the highest rate of Aboriginal incarceration. Making up a third of the overall NT population, Aboriginal people make up 83% of the prison population - more than the rate at which South Africa imprisoned its Black population during apartheid." By Peter Robson, Darwin
* NORTHERN STAR: CALL FOR ROYAL COMMISSION INTO BOWRAVILLE MURDERS
- News
Northern Star: Call for Royal Commission into Bowraville murders
http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/protest-rally-calling-for-royal-comm...
28 Feb 13: "IT'S hoped people power will force a Royal Commission into the Bowraville murders. Organisers of a protest rally to be held on Thursday, March 14 want as as many as people as possible to join them on a march from the Hyde St fountain to the steps of Parliament House in Macquarie St. The march is to call for a Royal Commission into the murders in Colleen Walker-Craig, Evelyn Greenup and Clinton Speedy-Duroux in 1990 and 1991. More than 20 years on justice still hasn't been found for the families of the three victims and Leonie Duroux said it's time the trio can rest in peace."
- Event
Event: Thu 14 March 2013: Sydney, NSW
Justice for The Bowraville Children Protest March:
Call for Royal Commission into the Bowraville murders
Event details: http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/protest-rally-calling-for-royal-comm...
Event details: http://allevents.in/Sydney/Justice-for-The-Bowraville-Children-Protest-M...
Event details: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Redfern-Waterloo/message/7097
Petition: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/justicepetition.html
* INDIGENOUS SOCIAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION (ISJA): ACTION AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY
- Statement
Action against police brutality
GLW: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53467
2 Mar 13: "The Indigenous Indigenous Social Justice Association released this statement on February 25. ***
The Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA), is organising a rally outside the office of the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) in Sydney as part of a national day of action for Justice for Rex Bellotti Jnr.
We will send the message to all Australian police forces that all forms of police brutality must end.
Bellotti was run over by a WA police car on March 6, 2009. Although badly injured, the WA police never accepted responsibility for their actions. Rex Jnr. was a very good football player but now is in real danger of losing his leg. His family has had to pick up the bill for all the treatments needed for his injuries. ...
The rally will gather at St James Court, 111 Elizabeth St, Sydney on March 6, at 12 noon."
- Event
Event: 6 March 2013: Sydney, NSW
Part of the National Day of Action for
Justice for Rex Bellotti in Perth, WA
Rally outside office of Police Integrity Commission (PIC) NSW
Organised by Indigenous Social Justice Association - Sydney (ISJA)
Event details: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Redfern-Waterloo/message/7099
ISJA Statement: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53467
News: http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28702/Anti-police-brutality-ral...
* NIRS: ANTI-POLICE BRUTALITY RALLIES TO BE HELD FOUR YEARS AFTER BELLOTTI INCIDENT
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Anti-police brutality rallies to be held four years after Bellotti incident
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28702/Anti-police-brutality-ral...
3 Mar 13: "A series of rallies will be held across the nation this Wednesday against police brutality, marking four years since an Aboriginal boy in Western Australia was hit by a police vehicle. Rex Bellotti was 15 when he was struck in an incident in Albany and his father, Rex Sr., says he’s not satisfied with the police version of events that cleared them of any wrong-doing. The Indigenous Social Justice Association says rallies will be held in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne."
* BACKGROUND TO ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND DEATHS IN CUSTODY:
Last updated: 2 March 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
* SBS WORLD NEWS: INDIGENOUS KIDS AT RISK IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE: REPORT
- Video and Audio
SBS World News: Indigenous kids at risk in out-of-home care: report
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1742130/Indigenous-kids-at-risk-in-ou...
1 Mar 13: "A report on children in out-of-home care throughout Australia has found that Indigenous Australians face particularly dire conditions. The report by the CREATE Foundation is based on a survey of more than one-thousand children, including three-hundred Indigenous children. It found Indigenous children move six times on average during their time in care, and that their cultural needs are not being properly addressed. The report's author Dr Joseph McDowall says Indigenous children are more likely to be disadvantaged by the out-of-home care system than other ethnic group."
* NIRS: SCHOOLS MUST TEACH EFFECTS OF REMOVAL POLICIES: ADVOCATES
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Schools must teach effects of removal policies: Advocates
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28703/Schools-must-teach-effect...
3 Mar 13: "There’s been a call for more acknowledgment in Australian schools of the effect of past government policies on Indigenous people. The fifth anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s National Apology to the Stolen Generations was celebrated nation-wide recently. But Richard Weston, chief executive of Stolen Generations support group, The Healing Foundation, it shouldn’t be seen as the end of the issue. Mr. Weston says there’s room for improvement in the way the nation’s colonial history is taught to Australian students."
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