Newsletter date: 19 September 2013
Contents:
* Gary Foley, Tracker: Warren Mundine: The white sheep of the family?
* Sovereign Union: Warren Mundine's new military intervention into Aboriginal Australia
* AudioBoo: Audio: Warren Mundine 'Military Intervention' - SBS - The Observer Effect
* AudioBoo: Noel Pearson rejected by Cape York councils - Aurukun Mayor, Dereck Walpo
* Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Lack of a Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health a disappointment
* NACCHO political alert: Abbott abolishes Indigenous health ministry
* Michael Brull, Tracker: Australia's pro-race discrimination commissioner [Featuring Tim Soutphommasane]
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Aunty Lilla Watson & Aunty Mary Graham about asylum seekers
* An Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition from the Josephite SA Reconciliation circle
* Delephene Fraser, The Stringer: History of government and Aboriginal Affairs prior to 1967 and after [Featuring ATSIC]
* SNAICC News: SNAICC congratulates Nova Peris on her historic election [as first Aboriginal woman to enter Federal Parliament]
* NACCHO congratulates Nova Peris: the first Aboriginal woman elected to Australia's Federal parliament
* ALS News: Coalition signals 20% funding cut to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
* NACCHO political alert: How will the new Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion be different?
* SNAICC News: Economic development and local empowerment the focus for new Indigenous Affairs minister
* Dan Harrison, Daily Liberal: Raise expectations for indigenous children: senator [Featuring Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion]
* GARY FOLEY, TRACKER: WARREN MUNDINE: THE WHITE SHEEP OF THE FAMILY?
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: Warren Mundine: The white sheep of the family?
http://tracker.org.au/2013/09/warren-mundine-the-white-sheep-of-the-family/
9 Sep 13: "NATIONAL: It would seem at the present time that the former National President of the ALP, Mr Warren Mundine, has momentarily eclipsed the Cape York Crusader Noel Pearson as the Aboriginal Man of the Moment," writes Gary Foley. ... Mundine’s strategic realignment to become best buddies with Abbott at the beginning of the 2013 federal election campaign may have been a surprise to some, but only those who have not been taking notice of Mundine’s mundane comments on Aboriginal matters over the past few decades." By Gary Foley, ‘elderly anarchist agitator’
* SOVEREIGN UNION: WARREN MUNDINE'S NEW MILITARY INTERVENTION INTO ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA
- Interview
Sovereign Union: Warren Mundine's new military intervention into Aboriginal Australia
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/node/696
9 Sep 13: "Warren Mundine: " ... Actually the military does have a place. One of the ideas we are looking at is how do we get surgery and medical stuff into indigenous communities. And I just had a sit there (?) one day with a cup of tea as you normally do and I said, well, you know ... In the tsunami of Indonesia, you know at Sumatra and the Indian Ocean. And I said the military has got to train for emergency services and war situations. They've got to go in there and set up a hospital, do surgery and move it on.""
See:
WGAR News: The Wire: Another military-style Indigenous intervention? [Featuring Chairperson for NACCHO, Justin Mohamad] (17 Sep 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/17/wgar-news-arguing-the-intervention-jo...
* AUDIOBOO: AUDIO: WARREN MUNDINE 'MILITARY INTERVENTION' - SBS - THE OBSERVER EFFECT
- Audio Interview
AudioBoo: Audio: Warren Mundine 'Military Intervention' - SBS - The Observer Effect
https://audioboo.fm/boos/1590476-audio-warren-mundine-military-intervent...
9 Sep 13: "Warren Mundine on the role of the military in Aboriginal communities: "Actually the military does have a place … In the tsunami of Indonesia, you know at Sumatra and the Indian Ocean. And I said the military has got to train for emergency services and war situations.""
* AUDIOBOO: NOEL PEARSON REJECTED BY CAPE YORK COUNCILS - ARURKUN MAYOR, DERECK WALPO
- Audio Interview
AudioBoo: Noel Pearson rejected by Cape York councils - Aurukun Mayor, Dereck Walpo
https://audioboo.fm/boos/1583678-noel-pearson-rejected-by-cape-york-coun...
5 Sep 13: "Mayors from Aboriginal and mainstream council in far-north Queensland say they don't recognise Aboriginal academic Noel Pearson as a leader and want his Cape York Institute to get out of their communities. Mr Pearson has been hailed as a prophet by federal opposition leader Tony Abbott and been tipped as a key indigenous adviser, if the Liberal-National Coalition wins Saturday's election. Eight Cape York councils question the transparency and effectiveness of Mr Pearson's programs, including the radical 120 million-dollar welfare reform trail."
See:
WGAR News: "Sovereign Union is a movement for freedom, rejecting Pearson's pro-assimilation" SU (10 Sep 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/09/wgar-news-sovereign-union-is-a-moveme...
"Contents:
* Sovereign Union: Sovereign Union is a movement for freedom, rejecting Pearson's pro-assimilation
* Sharnie Kim, ABC News: Cape York mayors snub Indigenous leader Noel Pearson initiatives"
* GREENS SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT: LACK OF A MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH A DISAPPOINTMENT
- Media Release
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Lack of a Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health a disappointment
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/lack-minis...
17 Sep 13: "The Australian Greens said today that it was disappointing the Abbott ministry didn't include a dedicated Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
"Mr Abbott has made a point of talking about his commitment to issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples yet his spokesperson for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in opposition has been dumped to the back bench, with no replacement being named," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health said today.
"Closing the gap in health and life expectancy must be the cornerstone of Mr Abbott's commitment to be the Prime Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
"A dedicated Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health ensures that important health issues are given the time and the attention they need, rather than them coming under the wider banner of Indigenous Affairs. ... " [Senator Siewert said] "
See:
WGAR News: Chris Graham, ABC The Drum: Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs? Hardly (16 Sep 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/16/wgar-news-interviews-with-jeremy-geia...
* NACCHO POLITICAL ALERT: ABBOTT ABOLISHES INDIGENOUS HEALTH MINISTRY
- News
NACCHO political alert: Abbott abolishes Indigenous health ministry
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/09/17/naccho-political-alert-abbott-abo...
17 Sep 13: "It was not only women who missed out when Tony Abbott’s new ministry was announced in Canberra yesterday. The position of Minister for Indigenous [Health] previously held by Warren Snowdon and expected to be allocated to Andrew Laming the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Health and the Regional Health Shadow has been abolished. As yet there has not been a formal announcement about the future on Indigenous health. ... As promised, the administration of indigenous affairs will move into the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion will be Minister for Indigenous Affairs."
* MICHAEL BRULL, TRACKER: AUSTRALIA'S PRO-RACE DISCRIMINATION COMMISSIONER [FEATURING TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE]
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: Australia’s pro-race discrimination commissioner
http://tracker.org.au/2013/09/australias-pro-race-discrimination-commiss...
10 Sep 13: "NATIONAL: Every now and then, there’s a new scandal in Australia’s media. Racial slurs on a bus, or people of a certain ethnicity not welcome in a pub, whatever it may be, writes Michael Brull*. Earnest debate then follows on whether or not Australia is a racist country, with the corporate media mostly filled with people explaining how great our hearts are and that this is just yet another anomaly. By now, there have been so many ‘anomalies’ that one might start to notice a pattern. The most blatant case has been the Intervention in the Northern Territory." Michael Brull
* BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Last updated: 17 September 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* BACKGROUND TO 'STRONGER FUTURES' NEW NT INTERVENTION LAWS:
Last updated: 17 September 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
* LET'S TALK'S TIGA BAYLES INTERVIEWS AUNTY LILLA WATSON & AUNTY MARY GRAHAM ABOUT ASYLUM SEEKERS
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Aunty Lilla Watson & Aunty Mary Graham
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
11 Sep 13
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/aunty-lilla-watson-aunty-mary...
* AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION FROM THE JOSEPHITE SA RECONCILIATION CIRCLE
- Open Letter
An Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition
Facebook: ASGMWP: [scroll down right side of page] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aboriginal-Support-Group-Manly-Warringah-...
2 Sep 13: "In our collective living memories it is a rare occurrence that both people vying for Office are regular Church going Christians. It is extraordinary to us as practicing Christians and a matter of shame therefore, that both of you are determined to win office by continuing cruel, oppressive and wasteful policies towards the Aboriginal and Islander First Peoples, towards desperate Refugees and Asylum Seekers , and also by deliberate disregard for the perilous state of the Earth under global warming. ... "
Signed
Dr Alitya Rigney, Kaurna Elder
(Sisters) Robert Aitken, Joan Evans, Alice Foley, Margaret Kenny, Marion Gambin, Rebecca Scanlan, Susan Pollard, Kenise Neill, Marie Faulkner and Maureen McGuire
for the Josephite SA Reconciliation circle
* DELEPHENE FRASER, THE STRINGER: HISTORY OF GOVERNMENT AND ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS PRIOR TO 1967 AND AFTER [FEATURING ATSIC]
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: History of government and Aboriginal Affairs prior to 1967 and after
http://thestringer.com.au/history-of-government-and-aboriginal-affairs-p...
17 Sep 13: "I am a firm believer in if you want to know the future you need to look at the past. ... When ATSIC was demolished so did another layer of the representative structure and another body through which Indigenous people could use to advocate for their interests. ATSIC created a structure that linked a regional representative governance model with a national representative body, a governance structure that allowed for regional priorities to be set and met while at the same time providing an opportunity for a unified, and therefore more effective, voice at the federal level." By Delephene Fraser
* SNAICC NEWS: SNAICC CONGRATULATES NOVA PERIS ON HER HISTORIC ELECTION [AS FIRST ABORIGINAL WOMAN TO ENTER FEDERAL PARLIAMENT]
- Media Release
SNAICC News: Media Release 12 September 2013 - SNAICC congratulates Nova Peris on her historic election
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1210
12 Sep 13: "SNAICC chairperson Sharron Williams has congratulated Nova Peris on her election as a Senator for the Northern Territory and becoming the first Aboriginal woman to enter Federal Parliament.
"Nova’s election is another important step in the reconciliation process and her profile will help to bring to the fore the issues and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander citizens in the NT," Ms Williams said.
"Just as important, Nova’s election should inspire other Indigenous Australians -particularly our women - to run for parliament. A healthy Australian democracy needs to reflect the diversity of the country’s population and cultures in its houses of parliament.
"Nova becomes only the fourth Aboriginal representative in Federal Parliament’s history. Let’s hope her election leads to a substantial rise in the coming years. ... ""
See:
WGAR News: Xavier La Canna, ABC Darwin: Peris criticises intervention, super shires (16 Sep 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/16/wgar-news-interviews-with-jeremy-geia...
* NACCHO CONGRATULATES NOVA PERIS: THE FIRST ABORIGINAL WOMAN ELECTED TO AUSTRALIA'S FEDERAL PARLIAMENT
- News
NACCHO congratulates Nova Peris: the first Aboriginal woman elected to Australia’s Federal parliament.
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/09/09/naccho-congratulates-nova-peris-t...
9 Sep 13: "The chair of NACCHO Justin Mohamed today congratulated the new senator for the NT Nova Peris who has become the first Aboriginal woman to win a seat in Australia’s Parliament. Whilst this news had hardly any coverage here in Australia there was extensive coverage internationally. Here are two of those reports."
* ALS NEWS: COALITION SIGNALS 20% FUNDING CUT TO ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LEGAL SERVICES
- News
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): ALS News: Coalition signals 20% funding cut to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
http://www.alsnswact.org.au/news_items/92
6 Sep 13: "Hidden amongst the Coalition’s costings announcement yesterday was a funding cut of $42m to the Indigenous Policy Reform Program, the program which provides funding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) across Australia. NATSILS Chairperson, Shane Duffy, said that while NATSILS are seeking clarification from the Coalition as to the full detail of the indicated cuts, if such a move is solely targeted at ATSILS funding it would be highly disappointing given the Coalition’s stated commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ... "
See:
WGAR News: Coalition's proposed cuts 'a heartless decision' says ALSWA: Aboriginal Legal Service of WA (9 Sep 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/08/wgar-news-coalitions-proposed-cuts-a-...
WGAR News: Greens Senators Rachel Siewert & Penny Wright: Abbott cuts to Indigenous legal services hypocritical (17 Sep 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/17/wgar-news-arguing-the-intervention-jo...
* NACCHO POLITICAL ALERT: HOW WILL THE NEW INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER NIGEL SCULLION BE DIFFERENT?
- News
NACCHO political alert: How will the new Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion be different?
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/09/18/naccho-political-alert-how-will-t...
18 Sep 13: ""We’re bringing the functions of a whole range of Indigenous specific functions across to Prime Minister and Cabinet. Health will stay with Health, education will stay with Education, but there are a whole range of functions we’re taking out of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and out of other departments, functions that are either remote or Indigenous specific""
"Nigel Scullion will today be sworn in as Indigenous Affairs Minister, in a series of interviews yesterday with ABC radio and the Alice Springs news he spelt out his plans for Indigenous Affairs within the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet."
See:
WGAR News: Amy McQuire, Tracker: Scullion announced as Indigenous affairs minister (17 Sep 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/09/17/wgar-news-arguing-the-intervention-jo...
* SNAICC NEWS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL EMPOWERMENT THE FOCUS FOR NEW INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER
- News
SNAICC News: Economic development and local empowerment the focus for new Indigenous Affairs minister
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1214
17 Sep 13: "The new Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Nigel Scullion, says the focus of his term in the new Coalition Government will be economic development and the empowerment of local people, families and communities. "This is a great opportunity to make a fundamental change to this most important area of national policy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs," Senator Scullion said as Minister elect. Minister Scullion will be a member of Cabinet in the Tony Abbott administration, with Indigenous Affairs as a stand-alone portfolio coming under Prime Minister and Cabinet."
* DAN HARRISON, DAILY LIBERAL: RAISE EXPECTATIONS FOR INDIGENOUS CHILDREN: SENATOR [FEATURING INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER NIGEL SCULLION]
- News
Daily Liberal: Raise expectations for indigenous children: senator
http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1783991/raise-expectations-for-indi...
18 Sep 13: "Incoming Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has attacked the "passive racism" of public servants who hold lower expectations for Aboriginal children attending school. Senator Scullion, who will be sworn in on Wednesday, told Fairfax Media state and territory departments had treated indigenous children who did not attend school differently to non-indigenous children who played truant. "In my view there is a different approach to mainstream kids and to Aboriginal kids," he said." By Dan Harrison
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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
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