Newsletter date: 20 January 2014
Contents:
* National Congress of Australia's First Peoples - A National Voice
* Congress: Message from Co-Chairs Les Malezer and Kirstie Parker
* SNAICC News: Defunding of NATSILS and Congress raises major concerns
* SNAICC News: Congress to hold urgent meetings with members and supporters
* Congress Events: Unite & Support Strong Black Voices
* Brooke Boney, NITV News: Audit chief: No guarantee Indigenous spending will be immune from cuts
* Background to National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
* NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST PEOPLES - A NATIONAL VOICE
- Congress Homepage
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples - A National Voice
http://nationalcongress.com.au/
" The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples is a national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. As a company the Congress is owned and controlled by its membership and is independent of Government. Together we will be leaders and advocates for recognising our status and rights as First Nations Peoples in Australia. ... "
* CONGRESS: MESSAGE FROM CO-CHAIRS LES MALEZER AND KIRSTIE PARKER
- Message
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples - Unite & Support Strong Black Voices
Message from Co-Chairs Les Malezer and Kirstie Parker
http://nationalcongress.com.au/unite-defend-strong-black-voices/
http://nationalcongress.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/UniteandSuppor...
14 Jan 14: "Dear Members and Supporters,
A national representative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice is fundamental to a robust, fair and just Australia. Unite and support strong black voices and community control through Congress. Congress continues and will survive, if necessary, without additional government funding. ...
Congress is owned and operated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. That is, our future is in our hands. ...
Congress continues to build a strong mandate to pursue our key goals of achieving unity through independence, giving our people a say, defending and promoting rights, creating strong partnerships, and building a sustainable organisation. ...
Les Malezer and Kirstie Parker, Congress Co-Chairs"
* SNAICC NEWS: DEFUNDING OF NATSILS AND CONGRESS RAISES MAJOR CONCERNS
- News
SNAICC News: Defunding of NATSILS and Congress raises major concerns
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1311
16 Jan 14: "SNAICC has expressed its concerns at the Australian Government’s plan to defund the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) and the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples. ... NATSILS said in a Media Release, the funding cuts will mean that even more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will not be able to access essential legal services and will further entrench Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as second-class citizens in their own country. ... "
* SNAICC NEWS: CONGRESS TO HOLD URGENT MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS
- Events
SNAICC News: Congress to hold urgent meetings with members and supporters
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1309
15 Jan 14: "National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (Congress) Co-Chairs will be holding urgent meetings with Congress members and supporters across Australia to provide information and discuss its future in the wake of the Government's advice that it may not fund the body beyond June 2104.
The schedule of meetings is as follows:
* Alice Springs, NT - 16 January
* Brisbane, QLD - 28 January
* Perth, WA - 28 January
* Townsville, QLD - 29 January
* Adelaide, SA - 29 January
* Melbourne, VIC - 30 January
* Sydney, NSW - 31 January
For more information on these meetings, please visit the Congress Unite and Support Strong Black Voices webpage. [ http://nationalcongress.com.au/congress-events/ ] "
* CONGRESS EVENTS: UNITE & SUPPORT STRONG BLACK VOICES
- Events details
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples - Events
Unite & Support Strong Black Voices
http://nationalcongress.com.au/congress-events/
"Are you concerned about the impact of federal funding cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak organisations and services?
Do you believe that a representative body chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for themselves is fundamental to a fair and just Australia?
Find out more at a Congress public meeting. Now more than ever, members, supporters and friends of Congress must stand together. ... "
* BROOKE BONEY, NITV NEWS: AUDIT CHIEF: NO GUARANTEE INDIGENOUS SPENDING WILL BE IMMUNE FROM CUTS
- Video
NITV News: Audit chief: No guarantee Indigenous spending will be immune from cuts
By Brooke Boney; Source NITV News
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/01/15/audit-chief-no-guarantee-i...
15 Jan 14: " ... The government wants a surplus of at least $15 billion dollars within the next 10 years, but questions remain over how this will accumulate. The government spends about $400 billion per year and nearly $12 billion of that is Indigenous expenditure. Mr Abbott initially stated he wanted to be "the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs," but many believe his recent budget cuts suggest otherwise. The effects of Abbott's budget cuts will not be clear until the end of February, when the first phase of the report is released. A final copy is due at the end of March. ... " By Brooke Boney
* BACKGROUND TO NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST PEOPLES:
Last updated: 23 December 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/05/background-to-the-national-congress-o...
- - -
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