Newsletter date: 23 March 2013
Contents:
* Tracker: Dept hampered native title inquiry: report
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Professor Jon Altman re Native Title Act Proposed Amendments
* NITV News: Native Title changes reverse burden of proof to government
* Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Onus of proof reversal is essential to native title reform
* Background to Mabo and Native Title
* CAAMA: Cross Cultural Program Acknowledges Aboriginal Law
* The Wilderness Society: WildCountry and Aboriginal Australia
* The Wire Audio: Remote communities' land in NT could be open to privatization
* PS News: NT community living under microscope
* Other articles
* TRACKER: DEPT HAMPERED NATIVE TITLE INQUIRY: REPORT
- News
newsTracker: Dept hampered native title inquiry: report
http://tracker.org.au/2013/03/dept-hampered-native-title-inquiry-report/
19 Mar 13: "NATIONAL: A parliamentary committee has blasted the attorney-general’s department for "hampering" an inquiry into native title reforms. Under changes the federal government announced last June, "good-faith negotiation" will be legislated, Indigenous land use agreements will become more flexible and land covered by native title will no longer be subject to income and capital gains taxes. The Senate’s legal affairs committee tabled a report into the Native Title Amendment Bill 2012 on Monday, that was critical of the department."
* LET'S TALK'S TIGA BAYLES INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR JON ALTMAN RE NATIVE TITLE ACT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Professor Jon Altman
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
19 Mar 13: "Professor Jon Altman is a researcher at Canberra Univesity
Speaking about the re-shuffle of the new NT Parliament, the Federal Election campaign and the Native Title act Proposed Amendments"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/professor-jon-altman-6/
* NITV NEWS: NATIVE TITLE CHANGES REVERSE BURDEN OF PROOF TO GOVERNMENT
- Video
SBS World News: Native Title changes reverse burden of proof to government
Source: Jeremy Geia, NITV News
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1748214/Native-Title-changes-reverse-...
19 Mar 13: "Proposed changes to Native Title could force governments to provide proof that claimants do not have connection to country. Currently Indigenous groups must demonstrate they have kept their cultural ties to land and sea alive. The move has support in both houses of Parliament, but it's still uncertain whether the major parties will agree to the changes. The history books and scientists claim Australia's first peoples have been here for tens of thousands of years, but when it comes to the Native Title process, black Australians have to prove their connection to country."
* GREENS SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT: ONUS OF PROOF REVERSAL IS ESSENTIAL TO NATIVE TITLE REFORM
- Media Release
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Onus of proof reversal is essential to native title reform
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/onus-proof...
18 Mar 13: "Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Issues:
The Australian Greens have reaffirmed their commitment to improving native title as part of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Government’s Native Title Amendment Bill 2012.
"The Greens are very supportive of reforms which improve Native Title, but the Government’s legislation doesn’t go far enough," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues said following the report’s tabling in the Senate.
"The Greens have made additional comments and recommendations to this inquiry because we need to do more to address the failures of the current native title system.
"The Native Title Act must deliver on its initial intent to provide meaningful rights and a basis for economic and community development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"We have recommended that the Bill incorporates provisions which reverse the onus of proof, as is provided for in my Native Title Amendment Bill, currently before the Senate. ... " [Senator Siewert said]"
* BACKGROUND TO MABO AND NATIVE TITLE:
Last updated: 3 March 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/07/02/background-to-mabo-and-native-title
* CAAMA: CROSS CULTURAL PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGES ABORIGINAL LAW
- Audio and Photos
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Cross Cultural Program Acknowledges Aboriginal Law.
http://caama.com.au/cross-cultural-program-acknowledges-aboriginal-law
20 Mar 13: "A Cross Cultural Program at Charles Darwin University has brought together Yolngu of East Arnham land and non-Aboriginal peoples in a spirit of understanding, trust and respect. 10 years of negotiations between the Dhurili nation of North East Arnham land and senior academics from Charles Darwin University has led to the delivery of a Masters Degree in Indigenous Knowledges."
* THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY: WILDCOUNTRY AND ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA
- Analysis / Opinion
The Wilderness Society: WildCountry and Aboriginal Australia
A continental and transcultural view of the Australian environment
http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/indigenous-conservation/wildcount...
21 Mar 13: "WildCountry is addressing global and continental conservation imperatives and recognising the important relationship between conservation, Aboriginal lands and the rights and responsibilities of Indigenous people. Leading-edge conservation science is very valuable in contemporary nature conservation and land management in Australia. At the same time, Aboriginal land and sea rights, Indigenous ecological knowledge and the expertise of Traditional Owners in land and sea management are crucial elements of the contemporary conservation agenda."
* THE WIRE AUDIO: REMOTE COMMUNITIES' LAND IN NT COULD BE OPEN TO PRIVATIZATION
- Audio Interview
The Wire: Remote communities' land in NT could be open to privatization
Produced by Lidia Nikonova
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10146
18 Mar 13: "A new policy proposal in the Northern Territory could see Remote communities’ lands further opened up to private ownership. Many of remote communities have a communal model of ownership, but the new Policy Homeland Extra aims to smooth the way for land to be privately owned. ... While some believe the policy will improve the living conditions, it could also change the kin-based structure of the communities. And private ownership may also radically change the communal lifestyle, some experts argue.
Featured in story:
* Professor Jon Altman, Australian National University
* Mark Hughes, The Centre for Independent Studies"
* PS NEWS: NT COMMUNITY LIVING UNDER MICROSCOPE
- News
PS News: NT community living under microscope
http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn35312.html
19 Mar 13: "A discussion paper on reforming community living area land in the Northern Territory has been released for public comment. Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin said during Stronger Futures consultations, Aboriginal people said they wanted to reduce barriers to economic development. "Reforming community living areas is one way we are looking to help remove barriers to economic development," Ms Macklin said. She said a community living area was a small portion of land granted out of a pastoral lease and granted as conditional freehold to an Aboriginal community or family ... "
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Shaw wants remote community focus
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28890/Shaw-wants-remote-communi...
22 Mar 13: "A prominent Alice Springs-based Aboriginal advocate says new Chief Minister Adam Giles must represent the Northern Territory’s Indigenous communities. ... Mt. Nancy town camp resident Barbara Shaw says Adam Giles needs to focus on remote communities if he’s to fix problems in larger towns."
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