Newsletter date: 28 May 2014
Contents:
* Mon 26 May 2014 - National Day of Action Marking National Sorry Day: Stop Ongoing Stolen Generations!
* Wed 28 May 2014 - Alice Springs Forum marking National Sorry Day: The NT Intervention & The New Stolen Generation
* Debra Swan, The Guardian: Why I chose to quit my job in Aboriginal child protection
* Michael Safi, The Guardian: Sorry Day rallies call for changes to state child-protection regimes
* Emma Lancaster, The Wire: Gomeroi Grandmothers warn of a new stolen generation
[Featuring Aunty Hazel - Grandmothers Against Removal Gunnedah]
* ABC News: Aboriginal children in care 'a new Stolen Generation', UTS Indigenous researcher says [Featuring Paddy Gibson]
* ABC News: Aboriginality 'held against them': Paddy Gibson
* Alex Bainbridge, Green Left TV, YouTube: Police harass Sorry Day protest by mothers and grandmothers against the new stolen generation
* Gerry Georgatos, NIRS: Call for country-wide class action against removal of children
* Elke Nagy, Digital Journal: Sorry Day Protests: Stop taking our children
* 9 News: Indigenous rally against forced adoptions
* NITV News Report on Sydney & Brisbane protests
* SBS World News report on Sydney protest - from 3.30 onwards
* Background to 'Keeping Them Home': Campaign against Forced Aboriginal Adoption in the NT
* MON 26 MAY 2014 - NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION MARKING NATIONAL SORRY DAY: STOP ONGOING STOLEN GENERATIONS!
- Past Events
Event: ACT, NSW, Qld, Vic, WA on 26 May 2014; NT on 28 May 2014
26 May 2014 - National Day of Action Marking National Sorry Day
Stop Ongoing Stolen Generations!
Called by Grandmothers Against Removals Gunnedah (GMAR)
* Returning children must be the priority
* No forced adoptions
* Support & services to prevent removals
"We, as Aboriginal Grandparents and parents, have
called protests across the country on May 26
demanding the return of our children who have
been forcibly removed by child welfare agencies."
Supported by:
* Indigenous Social Justice Association
* Brisbane Sovereign Tent Embassy
* Perth Aboriginal Tent Embassy
* Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney
* Intervention Rollback Action Group Alice Springs
Event details: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/?page_id=536
Event details: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/653052328107426/
Flyer: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/FilmPromo...
Poster: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/A3POSTER_...
Leaflet: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/NDA_leafl...
NT Event on 28 May 2014: http://greens.org.au/news/nt/alice-springs-sorry-day-forum-discuss-%E2%8...
NT Event on 28 May 2014: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/public-forum-to-...
Event: 26 May 2014: various locations in Australia
National Sorry Day
"National Sorry Day is an annual day of
commemoration and remembrance of all those
who have been impacted by the government
policies of forcible removal that have
resulted in the Stolen Generations." NSDC
"National Sorry Day is a reminder of the
personal pain and ongoing damage caused
by our nation's failure to respect Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people as equals." ANTaR
Event details: http://www.nsdc.org.au
Event details: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/events/national-sorry-day
Event details: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/conferences?cid=1644
Background: http://www.nsdc.org.au/events-info/national-sorry-day/national-sorry-day
Background: http://antar.org.au/reports/sorry-day-a-reminder-unfinished-business
* WED 28 MAY 2014 - ALICE SPRINGS FORUM MARKING NATIONAL SORRY DAY: THE NT INTERVENTION & THE NEW STOLEN GENERATION
- Upcoming Event
Event: Wed 28 May 2014: Alice Springs, NT
Forum marking National Sorry Day
The NT Intervention & The New Stolen Generation
Venue: Andy McNeil Room, Alice Springs Town Council complex
Speakers include:
* Barbara Shaw
* Olga Havnen
* Alison Furber
* Karen Fusi
* Paddy Gibson
Organised by:
* the Intervention Rollback Action Group: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/
* and NT Greens
Event details: http://greens.org.au/news/nt/alice-springs-sorry-day-forum-discuss-%E2%8...
Event details: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/public-forum-to-...
Event details: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/images/2014/gatherings/pdf/alice-foru...
Event details: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/community-gatherings
WGAR Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
WGAR Background to 'Keeping Them Home': Campaign against Forced Aboriginal Adoption in the NT:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/07/03/background-to-keeping-them-home-campa...
* DEBRA SWAN, THE GUARDIAN: WHY I CHOSE TO QUIT MY JOB IN ABORIGINAL CHILD PROTECTION
- Analysis / Opinion
The Guardian: Why I chose to quit my job in Aboriginal child protection
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/26/why-i-chose-to-quit...
26 May 14: "The forced removal of our children continues today in unacceptable numbers. This Sorry Day, we have to say no to ongoing Stolen Generations ... Every year on National Sorry Day, events are held to remember the Stolen Generations of years gone by. This year, I will be joining protests happening around the country to say that the forced removal of our children continues today in unacceptable numbers. In NSW, almost one in 10 Aboriginal children is in "out of home care". I have seen the injustice, and how unfair this system is, with my own eyes." Debra Swan, an Aboriginal women who worked long term for the department of family and community services (child protection) in Australia
* MICHAEL SAFI, THE GUARDIAN: SORRY DAY RALLIES CALL FOR CHANGES TO STATE CHILD-PROTECTION REGIMES
- Analysis / Opinion
The Guardian: Sorry Day rallies call for changes to state child-protection regimes
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/26/sorry-day-rallies-call-for-...
26 May 14: "Number of Indigenous children removed from their families has increased fivefold since Bringing Them Home report of 1997 ... Hundreds of people rallied across Australia on National Sorry Day calling for urgent changes to state child-protection regimes, which organisers say are responsible for an "ongoing Stolen Generation". ... Survivors of the Stolen Generations policies of the last century were among those addressing crowds across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia on Monday." Michael Safi, a reporter for Guardian Australia. He has previously written for the Global Mail, the Sydney Morning Herald and Crikey, and produced radio for ABC Radio National, SYN and FBi.
* EMMA LANCASTER, THE WIRE: GOMEROI GRANDMOTHERS WARN OF A NEW STOLEN GENERATION
[FEATURING AUNTY HAZEL - GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST REMOVAL GUNNEDAH]
- Audio Interview
The Wire: Gomeroi Grandmothers warn of a new stolen generation
Produced by Emma Lancaster
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=11575
26 May 14: "A group of grandmothers from Gunnedah in New South Wales are using the anniversary of National Sorry Day to warn of a new stolen generation. The grandmothers say Indigenous children are being removed at alarming rates, with almost 10 per cent of Indigenous children in state care. The Grandmothers Against Removal are calling for greater Indigenous control over the care and protection of Aboriginal children.
Featured in story: Aunty Hazel - Grandmothers Against Removal Gunnedah
Related Links: Grandmothers Against Removal: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/ "
* ABC NEWS: ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN CARE 'A NEW STOLEN GENERATION'. UTS INDIGENOUS RESEARCHER SAYS [FEATURING PADDY GIBSON]
- News Analysis
ABC News: Aboriginal children in care 'a new Stolen Generation', UTS Indigenous researcher says
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-26/stolen-generation-with-aboriginal-...
26 May 14: "Aboriginal people who live a traditional lifestyle are being punished with the removal of their children by child protective services in what is being called a new Stolen Generation, a researcher says. More Indigenous children have been removed from their families today than at any time in Australia's history, said Paddy Gibson, a senior researcher with the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at University of Technology, Sydney. ... " AAP
* ABC NEWS: ABORIGINALITY 'HELD AGAINST THEM': PADDY GIBSON
- Analysis / Opinion
ABC News: Aboriginality 'held against them': Paddy Gibson
[scroll down page] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-26/stolen-generation-with-aboriginal-...
26 May 14: "Frequent travel to visit family, and overcrowding in houses when relatives visit disrupted children's routines and stability, Mr Gibson said, citing the department. "It's basically their Aboriginality being held against them in far, far too many instances." He said it cost up to $300 per night to keep a single child in care, which he described as "obscene when you consider the poverty these families are in"." AAP
* ALEX BAINBRIDGE, GREEN LEFT TV, YOUTUBE: POLICE HARASS SORRY DAY PROTEST BY MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE NEW STOLEN GENERATION
- Video
Green Left TV, YouTube: Police harass Sorry Day protest by mothers and grandmothers against the new stolen generation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xPS_aTzvhg
26 May 14: "Dozens of Aboriginal activists and their supporters protested at the Perth offices of the Department of Child Protection as part of a national day of action on Sorry Day 2014. The protest was directed against what is being called the new stolen generation. It was organised by the Nyoongar Tent Embassy in Perth while official Sorry Day activities happened in a nearby park.
The article by John Pilger referred to in the video can be found here: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/56184
See also "Why I quit my job in Aboriginal child protection": http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/26/why-i-chose-to-quit...
Video by Alex Bainbridge including footage from Lesley White and Original Sovereign.
Didgeridoo backing from Ilario Vannucchi: ... "
* GERRY GEORGATOS, NIRS: CALL FOR COUNTRY-WIDE CLASS ACTION AGAINST REMOVAL OF CHILDREN
- Audio Interview
NIRS: Call for country-wide class action against removal of children
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/34053/Call-for-country-wide-cla...
27 May 14: "There's been a call for a class action against government departments responsible for the high rates of removal of First Nations children. Len Culbong spoke at the National Day of Action rally in Perth, saying there's an availability of lawyers to support a class action against State, Territory and Federal Governments. Mr Culbong has asked affected families willing to tell their stories to join a class action. ... " Gerry Georgatos, Correspondent
* ELKE NAGY, DIGITAL JOURNAL: SORRY DAY PROTESTS: STOP TAKING OUR CHILDREN
- News Analysis
Digital Journal: Sorry Day Protests: Stop taking our children
http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/sorry-day-protests-stop-taki...
25 May 14: "Protests are taking place across Australia due to flawed government policies leading to the unnecessary removal of Indigenous children. Today is National Sorry Day, an annual event that commemorates the stolen generations: Indigenous children who were separated from their families of origin in Australia during the twentieth century, between 1910 and 1970. And this year, there is concerted and voracious protest in response to continuing forcible removal. In a national statement, protest organisers said, ... " By Elke Nagy, Digital Journalist based in Cairns, Australia
Profile - Elke Nagy - Digital Journal
http://www.digitaljournal.com/user/355847
"Elke Nagy has an academic background in science, philosophy and law (including postgraduate law). She is also a published writer - fiction and non-fiction - and a visual artist."
* 9 NEWS: INDIGENOUS RALLY AGAINST FORCED ADOPTIONS
- News
9 News: Indigenous rally against forced adoptions
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/05/26/17/09/indigenous-rally-ag...
26 May 14: "But indigenous children are still being taken from their families at a disproportionate rate. A small gathering of indigenous Australians protested outside Queensland's parliament house on Monday, some touched by similar tragedies. Ms Fusi's mother Karen cared for the girls and fought to keep them in the federal court after her daughter's death. "In our generation they are still doing it and for us what they do is make us strong to fight them because we know we can't live in the past," Ms Fusi told AAP."
* NITV NEWS REPORT ON SYDNEY & BRISBANE PROTESTS
- Video
NITV News - 26 May part 1
http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/266464323624/NITV-News-26-May-part-1
* SBS WORLD NEWS REPORT ON SYDNEY PROTEST - FROM 3.30 ONWARDS
- Video
SBS World News 26 May 6:30 - part 2
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/video/266512963756/SBS-World-News-26-May-630-...
* BACKGROUND TO 'KEEPING THEM HOME': CAMPAIGN AGAINST FORCED ABORIGINAL ADOPTION IN THE NT
Last updated: 14 May 2014
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/07/03/background-to-keeping-them-home-campa...
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