Newsletter date: 6 November 2013
Contents:
* Michael Mansell, The Guardian: Why I turned down an Australia Day award
* SBS Living Black Radio's Michelle Lovegrove interviews Michael Mansell: No to Australia Day Award Nomination
* Linda Seaborn, Green Left: Mansell refuses Australia Day award nomination
* Amy Corderoy, Sydney Morning Herald: Aboriginal activist refuses Australia Day award
* The Stringer: South Sea Islander blackbirding descendants live in disadvantage
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies
* MICHAEL MANSELL, THE GUARDIAN: WHY I TURNED DOWN AN AUSTRALIA DAY AWARD
- Analysis / Opinion
The Guardian: Why I turned down an Australia Day award
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/29/australia-day-award...
29 Oct 13: "Australia Day is a celebration of an invasion which resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Aborigines. To participate would be to abandon the continuing struggle of my people. When I was nominated for an Australia Day award for Senior Australian of the Year I knew I could not possibly accept it. Australia Day is 26 January, a date whose only significance is to mark the coming to Australia of the white people in 1788. It's not a date that is particularly pleasing for Aborigines. The British were armed to the teeth and from the moment they stepped foot on our country, the slaughter and dispossession of Aborigines began." Michael Mansell, an Aboriginal from Tasmania, a founding member and secretary of the Aboriginal Provisional Government
* SBS LIVING BLACK RADIO'S MICHELLE LOVEGROVE INTERVIEWS MICHAEL MANSELL: NO TO AUSTRALIA DAY AWARD NOMINATION
- Audio Interview
SBS Living Black Radio: No to Australia Day Award Nomination
By Michelle Lovegrove
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/298167/t...
1 Nov 13: "Micheal Mansell rejects his nomination for an Australian Day Award. ... Tasmanian lawyer Michael Mansell has caused a flurry around the country after announcing his decision to reject a nomination for an Australia Day Award. Mr Mansell's been nominated Tasmania's Senior Australian of the Year, for his work in advancing, protecting, growing and improving the lives of Palawa people in Tasmania. But Michael Mansell says he morally can't participate in an event that celebrates the invasion of the English and the demise of his people."
* LINDA SEABORN, GREEN LEFT: MANSELL REFUSES AUSTRALIA DAY AWARD NOMINATION
- Analysis / Opinion
Green Left: Mansell refuses Australia Day award nomination
https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55263
2 Nov 13: "Tasmanian Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell said he was grateful for the thoughts behind his Australia Day award nomination but that he "would be a hypocrite to accept it". ... He called for a treaty between Aboriginal nations and Australia, which should include "land, and an Aboriginal Assembly and eight seats in Federal Parliament". He said this could occur without any constitutional change. ... Mansell called for a change of date for Australia’s national day from January 26. He suggested the date a treaty is made could be the new day of celebration, creating an inclusive day rather than a race-based one." By GLW author Linda Seaborn, Hobart
* AMY CORDEROY, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: ABORIGINAL ACTIVIST REFUSES AUSTRALIA DAY AWARD
- Analysis / Opinion
Sydney Morning Herald: Aboriginal activist refuses Australia Day award
http://www.smh.com.au/national/aboriginal-activist-refuses-australia-day...
27 Oct 13: "Prominent Aboriginal lawyer and activist Michael Mansell says he cannot morally accept an Australia Day award nomination because the day is inextricably linked to the invasion of Australia by white settlers. Mr Mansell is a finalist in the Senior Australian of the Year award for his dedication to "social, political and legal reform to improve the lives of Tasmanian Indigenous People". But he said he could not in good conscience accept it or the Tasmanian nomination because it is a key part of the Australia Day celebrations, which is a race-based day that "marks the coming to Australia of whites"." Amy Corderoy, Health Editor, Sydney Morning Herald
- Related News
The Mercury: Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell rebuffs Australia Day Award
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/aboriginal-activist-michael-m...
28 Oct 13: "TASMANIAN Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell says he would not accept an Australia Day Award unless a treaty was signed, giving Aborigines a greater role in Parliament. Mr Mansell has been selected as a finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards in Tasmania, in the Senior Australian of the Year category. But the outspoken lawyer said he could not accept a nomination for an award that celebrates the date of arrival of British settlers."
ABC News: Michael Mansell rejects Australia Day award
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-27/michael-mansell-rejects-australia-...
27 Oct 13: "Tasmanian lawyer and activist Michael Mansell claims any Aboriginal person who accepts an Australia Day award is abandoning principle for personal glory. He has rejected his own nomination for an award on moral grounds. Michael Mansell has been nominated for Senior Australian of the Year, especifically for work in improving the lives of Tasmania's indigenous community. Mr Mansell says he is grateful for the nomination but says it would be hypocritical for him to accept the award."
- Related Video
NITV News: Mansell rejects Australia Day Award nomination on moral grounds
By Natalie Ahmat
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/10/28/mansell-rejects-australia-...
28 Oct 13: "Tasmanian lawyer Michael Mansell has rejected a nomination for an Australia Day Award on moral grounds. "How can someone on principle say they will accept an award when that award is part and parcel of the celebration of the victory of one race against the demise of my people," says Mr Mansell. Mr Mansell is in the running to be named Tasmania's Senior Australian of the Year, for his work in improving the lives of Palawa people. But he says to accept the nomination would be hypocritical."
* THE STRINGER: SOUTH SEA ISLANDER BLACKBIRDING DESCENDANTS LIVE IN DISADVANTAGE
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: South Sea Islander blackbirding descendants live in disadvantage
http://thestringer.com.au/south-sea-islander-blackbirding-descendants-li...
1 Nov 13: "Last week, the National body of the Australian South Sea Islanders held a national forum in Brisbane which marked a significant moment in the history of Australian South Sea Islanders and their Aboriginal families said interim national president, Emelda Davis. Ms Davis said it was the first time that its members were able to gather together to elect their first national governing bodies. "The new structures give our people the necessary authority to deal with important Australian South Sea Islander matters that have remained largely invisible to the political processes that direct government policy. ... " said Ms Davis." By The Stringer
See:
WGAR News: SBS News: 150 years on, South Sea Islanders seek apology for Blackbirding (3 Nov 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/11/02/wgar-news-2013-gathering-of-nations-i...
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT AND THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:
Last updated: 5 November 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
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