Newsletter date: 9 June 2013
Contents:
* SNAICC News: Delegates call for action to reduce high number of Aboriginal Children in out-of-home care
* SBS Radionews: Remove harm, not children: Indigenous advocates
* Northern Territory (NT) Forced Aboriginal Adoption Media Coverage
* Vimeo: Adam Giles, Child Protection from CAAMA
* SNAICC News: Our governments have failed Indigenous children Canadian First Nations advocate tells SNAICC
* Pro Bono News: Governments Have Failed Indigenous Children
* SBS Radionews: Australia failing Indigenous child rights obligations
* NACCHO: Download the Closing the Gap progress report: small steps make ongoing commitment vital
* Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: WA's gap in Aboriginal mortality is the nation's worst
* Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Government cooperation needed to deliver better closing the gap outcomes
* Sydney eScholarship Repository: Closing the Gap on Indigenous Disadvantage
* John Lawrence, ABC: Incarceration 'cancer' blamed on disadvantage
* SNAICC NEWS: DELEGATES CALL FOR ACTION TO REDUCE HIGH NUMBER OF ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE
- Media Release
SNAICC News: Media Release 6 June 2013 Delegates call for action to reduce high number of Aboriginal Children in out-of-home care
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1094
6 Jun 13: "Delegates at SNAICC’s Fifth National Conference in Cairns today unanimously endorsed a national campaign to halve the dramatically high number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 2018.
In an emotionally-charged atmosphere, delegates at the children’s conference - the biggest forum of its type ever held - committed to support the national campaign and take action to achieve its objective by 2018.
SNAICC will partner a number of agencies (see background information) in running the campaign, which will seek to create a groundswell of support from the Australian community to change what one conference speaker described as "our national shame".
In mid-2012, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children accounted for over one third of the 39,900 children in out-of-home care across Australia. Indigenous children are being removed from their families at rates higher than at any time during the Stolen Generations eras."
- Past Event
Event: 4 to 6 June 2013: Cairns, Qld
SNAICC’s Fifth National Conference
For Our Children: Living and Learning Together
Organised by SNAICC:
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care
Keynote Speakers:
* Marta Maurás Perez (Chile)
* Cindy Blackstock (Canada)
* Assoc. Prof. Cynthia Kiro (New Zealand) - of Maori descent
* Prof. Judy Atkinson - a Jiman and Bundjalung woman
* Kathy Guthadjaka (Gotha) - a Gatjirrk Warramiri woman
living at Gawa (north-east Arnhem Land)
"The SNAICC National Conference is the largest
conference of its type in the southern hemisphere
and provides the opportunity for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander organisations, policy makers,
researchers, government representatives, other
non-government organisations and industry
representatives to gather and make renewed
commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children."
Keynote Speakers: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=931
Event details: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=67
Event details: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=965
SNAICC News: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1088
SNAICC News: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1087
SNAICC News: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1053
SNAICC News: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1044
SNAICC News: http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1032
NIRS News: http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29184/Peak-child-care-group-to-...
* SBS RADIONEWS: REMOVE HARM, NOT CHILDREN: INDIGENOUS ADVOCATES
- Audio
SBS Radionews: Remove harm, not children: Indigenous advocates
By Hannah Sinclair
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/270781/Remove-...
5 Jun 13: "Advocacy groups for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children say governments need to do more to prevent family disruption in Indigenous communities. ... The high number of Indigenous children in out-of-home care has been put under the spotlight at a national conference in Cairns. Advocates are urging federal and local governments to adopt a holistic approach to child welfare and protection. Hannah Sinclair reports."
* NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) FORCED ABORIGINAL ADOPTION MEDIA COVERAGE
- Campaign
Keeping Them Home Campaign
'concerned Australians': http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/
Respect and Listen: http://www.respectandlisten.org/
STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney): [scroll down page] http://stoptheintervention.org/
- Compilations
Respect and Listen: Keeping Them Home: Media Coverage
[scroll down page] http://www.respectandlisten.org/
WGAR News: Do forced adoptions mean forced assimilation?: Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (5 Jun 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/06/04/wgar-news-do-forced-adoptions-mean-fo...
WGAR News: Keeping Them Home - Stop the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families (Sorry Day - 26 May 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/26/wgar-news-keeping-them-home-stop-the-...
WGAR News: Keeping them Home - What have we learnt from Bringing them Home?: ACM Sydney (23 May 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/22/wgar-news-keeping-them-home-what-have...
WGAR News: Indigenous adoption push prompts Stolen Generation fears: ABC Radio Australia Video (18 May 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/17/wgar-news-indigenous-adoption-push-pr...
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Intervention hasn't made kids safer: STICS
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29350/Intervention-hasn%27t-mad...
5 Jun 13: "A group campaigning against the Northern Territory Intervention says it hasn’t resulted in safer conditions for children. Sue Gillett, from Stop the Intervention Collective, Sydney (STICS), is a former child protection policy worker. Ms. Gillett has slammed the NT Chief Minister for suggesting the Government could move to put more neglected Aboriginal children up for adoption."
* VIMEO: ADAM GILES, CHILD PROTECTION FROM CAAMA
- Video
Vimeo: Adam Giles, Child Protection from CAAMA
http://vimeo.com/67543820
4 Jun 13
* SNAICC NEWS: OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE FAILED INDIGENOUS CHILDREN CANADIAN FIRST NATIONS ADVOCATE TELLS SNAICC
- Media Release
SNAICC News: Media Release 4 June 2013 - Our governments have failed Indigenous children Canadian First Nations advocate tells SNAICC
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1093
4 Jun 13: "Canadian children’s rights advocate Cindy Blackstock has told the largest-ever conference on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that children are powerful advocates for their own rights - and governments in Canada and Australia have failed their most vulnerable children.
Professor Blackstock, Director of The Caring Society of Canada and Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, told delegates at the fifth SNAICC National Conference that the key to progress was greater engagement and participation by children themselves in programs and services that affected them.
"We work for children - so we need to work with children to ensure we are doing right by them and their families," Cindy said.
"Similar to Aboriginal children in Australia, First Nations children in Canada are overrepresented in child welfare care due to neglect driven by poverty, poor housing and substance misuse."
"Governments are simply not doing all they can." ... "
- Related News
Australian: Call to arms for indigenous kids
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/call-to-arms-for-indige...
5 Jun 13: "FORMER New Zealand Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro will today call for Australia governments to combine education, justice, housing and health responsibilities to address the plight of indigenous children. In a speech to the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care conference in Cairns, Dr Kiro says the lack of a united approach can no longer be tolerated." Patricia Karvelas
* PRO BONO NEWS: GOVERNMENTS HAVE FAILED INDIGENOUS CHILDREN
- News
Pro Bono News: Governments Have Failed Indigenous Children
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2013/06/governments-have-failed-...
4 Jun 13: " A Canadian children’s rights advocate has told a major conference on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that children are powerful advocates for their own rights - and governments in Canada and Australia have failed their most vulnerable children. Professor Cindy Blackstock, ... told delegates at the fifth Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) National Conference in Cairns that the key to progress was greater engagement and participation by children themselves in programs and services that affected them."
* SBS RADIONEWS: AUSTRALIA FAILING INDIGENOUS CHILD RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS
- Audio Interview
SBS Radionews: Australia failing Indigenous child rights obligations
By Stefan Armbruster
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/270691/Austral...
5 Jun 13: "A United Nations official says Australia is not meeting its international treaty obligations over the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children. The recently retired vice-president of the Committee for the Rights of the Child, Marta Mauras last year oversaw a critical UN review of Australia. Speaking for the committee at the National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care conference in Cairns, she said indigenous children suffered widespread discrimination in government services. Ms Mauras spoke to Queensland correspondent Stefan Armbruster about how the committee views Australia's record."
* NACCHO: DOWNLOAD THE CLOSING THE GAP PROGRESS REPORT: SMALL STEPS MAKE ONGOING COMMITMENT VITAL
- Media Release
NACCHO Aboriginal Health News Alerts:
NACCHO press release: Download the Closing the Gap progress report: small steps make ongoing commitment vital
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/06/05/naccho-press-release-download-the...
5 Jun 13: "Closing the Gap on track: but more to be done
The National Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) today welcomed the Closing the Gap Progress Report findings as confirmation that the program is working, but that there is still more to be done to ensure that the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians does not widen. ...
NACCHO Chair, Justin Mohamed (pictured above), said that it was imperative to continue the good progress made in halving the gap in child death rates, improving early childhood education and year 12 or equivalent attainment. ...
"The Close The Gap programs are working towards achieving their goal, and improving the health and life expectancy of Aboriginal Australians," said Mr Mohamed.
"The 150 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations (ACCHOs) that NACCHO represents continue to work to improve Aboriginal health and wellbeing across the board at a local community level, providing over 75 per cent of the work on-the-ground to Close The Gap. ... " said Mr Mohamed."
- Related Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Peak health group: Life expectancy is a long-term issue
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29348/Peak-health-group%3A-Life...
5 Jun 13: "The peak Aboriginal community health group, NACCHO, says it’s still too early to see if Closing the Gap targets on life expectancy are working or not. ... NACCHO boss Justin Mohamed says turning around high smoking rates, poor diets and a lack of exercise may take decades. Mr. Mohamed wants a long-term commitment from governments, not just three or four year funding investments."
- Related News
newsTracker: Progress lagging on life expectancy gap
http://tracker.org.au/2013/06/progress-lagging-on-life-expectancy-gap/
5 Jun 13: "NATIONAL: More action is needed to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to meet the 2031 target, a national report warns. The life expectancy gap is 11.5 years for men and 9.7 years for women. In 2008, federal, state and territory governments agreed on six targets to tackle indigenous disadvantage in life expectancy, health, education and employment."
* GREENS SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT: WA'S GAP IN ABORIGINAL MORTALITY IS THE NATION'S WORST
- Media Release
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: WA's gap in Aboriginal mortality is the nation's worst
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/was-gap-ab...
5 Jun 13: "The Australian Greens have expressed very serious concerns that the WA Government has reportedly not entered into negotiations with the Federal Government on a new funding agreement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
"Today's COAG Reform Council report shows that WA has the nation's biggest discrepancy in mortality rates for Aboriginal people compared to non-Aboriginal people," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues said today.
"Aboriginal people in our state are dying at the rate of 1322.1 per 100,000; whereas for non-Aboriginal people, the rate is 582.4.
"The difference itself is 783.7 people per 100,000 - the highest in the nation. While this gap is reducing, there is no published target for WA, so we cannot measure the progress being made.
"The mortality rate for Aboriginal children in WA is three and a half times that of other kids. ... " [Senator Siewert said]"
* GREENS SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT: GOVERNMENT COOPERATION NEEDED TO DELIVER BETTER CLOSING THE GAP OUTCOMES
- Media Release
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Government cooperation needed to deliver better closing the gap outcomes
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/government...
5 Jun 13: "The Australian Greens say more cooperation is needed between the states, territories and federal government to deliver better closing the gap outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"Today's COAG Reform Council report shows areas of improvement in some closing the gap targets, but not the broad improvement that we need," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today.
"I am pleased to see figures to suggest child mortality rates are on track to be halved and that goals around year 12 education and early childhood education are also looking better. However, in regards to outcomes especially in relation to numeracy, clearly some work is still needed in the education system.
"In spite of this, mortality rates are double those of non-indigenous children, and the rate is triple in the Northern Territory. This is unacceptable in a supposedly first world nation, and shows there is still much work to be done.
"Efforts to improve closing the gap outcomes require strong, long term investment and cooperation between our governments that goes beyond politicking, beyond party lines and beyond state and federal bickering. " [Senator Siewert said]"
* SYDNEY ESCHOLARSHIP REPOSITORY: CLOSING THE GAP ON INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE
- Analysis / Opinion
Sydney eScholarship Repository: Closing the Gap on Indigenous Disadvantage
An analysis of provisions in the 2013-14 Budget and implementation of the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package
SES: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/9115
NACCHO: http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/05/31/naccho-closing-the-gap-report-ana...
29 May 13: "Abstract: This paper presents the author’s analysis of the Indigenous provisions in the Australian Government’s 2013-14 Budget in the context of current and past strategies, policies, programs and funding support. It also looks at the implementation and impact of the Commonwealth’s Indigenous Chronic Disease Package. This work has been done using only materials and data that are publicly available. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author who takes responsibility for them and for any inadvertent errors. ... " Lesley Russell, Menzies Centre for Health Policy
* JOHN LAWRENCE, ABC: INCARCERATION 'CANCER' BLAMED ON DISADVANTAGE
- News
ABC: Incarceration 'cancer' blamed on disadvantage
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-06/nt-bar-association-on-indigenous-i...
6 Jun 13: "The Northern Territory Bar Association says the latest Closing the Gap report suggests Indigenous disadvantage is still contributing to a "cancer" of high Aboriginal incarceration rates in Australia. The Association says that in the last 20 years the Aboriginal prisoner population has increased by 268 per cent nationally, and in the last six years by 80 per cent in the Territory. Association president John Lawrence says it appears Australian governments have learned nothing from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 25 years ago." By John Lawrence
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