WGAR News: The plan to undermine the Land Rights Act: Ian Viner, Respect and Listen

Newsletter date: 4 December 2014

WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Ian Viner, Respect and Listen: The plan to undermine the Land Rights Act
* Audio Interview: Chris Komorek & Jennie Lenman, Radio Adelaide: Move to privatise Aboriginal land [Featuring Ian Viner]
* Audio Interview: Waleed Aly, Dr Rebecca Huntley, Erica Vowles & Claudette Werden, RN Drive, ABC RN: Land Rights Act "undermined" by leases [Featuring Ian Viner]
* Analysis / Opinion: Murray Garde, 'concerned Australians': The Importance of Engaging Experienced of Cross-Cultural Interpreters for all Negotiations with Indigenous Communities
* Timeline: Respect and Listen: Land Rights: Timeline
* Media: Respect and Listen: Land Rights under attack: Media Coverage
* Audio: Rhianna Patrick & Ursula Raymond, Awaye!, ABC RN: The Walk-Off Project
* News: Bob Gosford, Crikey: The Gurindji people farewell that "jangkarni marlaka"
* News: Land Rights News - Central Australia: Land Rights changes voted down by Senate
* News: Land Rights News - Northern Edition: Land Rights Act must not go to the Territory: The original policy architect
* Compilation: Respect and Listen: Land Rights under attack
* Background: Respect and Listen: Dismantling the Land Rights Act - 99 year leases
* Background: WGAR: Background to Dismantling the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT) - 99 year leases

- Analysis / Opinion

Respect and Listen: The plan to undermine the Land Rights Act
Respect and Listen: http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...
'concerned Australians': http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/media/Ian_Viner_Plan_to_undermine...
Tasmanian Times: http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/the-plan-to-undermin...
October 2014: "WITH the Commonwealth Government’s push for 99-year leases, the Forrest Report call for Aboriginal land to be privatised so as to be bought and sold, and attacks upon the Northern Land Council in particular over their defence of traditional ownership and their responsibilities under the Land Rights Act, the iconic 1976 Land Rights Act is under threat like never before. The whole framework and security of traditional Aboriginal land, protected by the Land Rights Act, is in danger of being subverted by Governments, bureaucracies and people who have no real understanding or sympathy for traditional communal land ownership. 99-year town leases turn traditional ownership upside down. ... " By Ian Viner
Ian Viner was Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the Fraser Government (1975- 1978). He still practises as a barrister in Perth, and retains a keen interest in Indigenous issues.

"This article is extremely important and topical as there is a move to 99 year whole of township leases [over Aboriginal townships] in the NT. It is also relevant as we remember the passing of Gough Whitlam who led the path to inalienable land rights - now under threat like never before. Gough is highly respected amongst all Aboriginal peoples." Tasmanian Times

Independent Australia: Abbott and Forrest’s assault on Indigenous land rights
https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/abbott-and-...
31 Oct 14: "The iconic 1976 Land Rights Act is under attack like never before under the Abbott Government, writes former Fraser Liberal Government Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ian Viner AO QC (via Northern Land Council - Northern Edition). ... "

- Audio Interview

Radio Adelaide: Move to privatise Aboriginal land
https://radio.adelaide.edu.au/move-to-privatise-aboriginal-land/
31 Oct 14: "The iconic 1976 Land Rights Act which gives communal land ownership to the traditional custodians of the land is under threat. Chris Komorek spoke to former Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in Malcolm Fraser’s government and barrister Ian Viner about how this erodes the First Nation people’s rights. Produced by Jennie Lenman"

- Audio Interview

RN Drive, ABC Radio National: Land Rights Act "undermined" by leases
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/land-rights-act-22und...
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2014/10/rnd_20141030_1915.mp3
30 Oct 14: "... Known as "township leasing", the arrangement allows the Federal Government to lease land back from traditional owners for 99 years. ... some traditional groups, such as the Northern Land Council, have accused the Federal Government of trying to snatch land away from traditional owners. Ian Viner, Aboriginal Affairs Minister for the Fraser government, claims allowing 99 year government leases over traditional aboriginal land threatens the 1976 Land Rights Act, which he helped to implement."
"Presented by Waleed Aly and Dr Rebecca Huntley ...
Guest: Ian Viner, Perth-based barrister and Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs from 1975 to 1978 under the Fraser Government.
Credits: Producer: Erica Vowles / Claudette Werden"

 

- Analysis / Opinion

'concerned Australians': The Importance of Engaging Experienced of Cross-Cultural Interpreters for all Negotiations with Indigenous Communities
'concerned Australians': http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/media/Murray_Garde_Interpreters_f...
Respect and Listen: http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...
Crikey: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/11/07/%E2%80%9Ckabindi-kebdjirr...
" …An information campaign to convince the traditional owners of the Gunbalanya to enter into a 99-year township lease (under section 19A of the Land Rights Act), and to inform them of benefits that would accrue from the lease, is in full swing. A number of meetings between Australian Government representatives and traditional owners have already taken place at Gunbalanya. ... It’s not always easy to have an accredited interpreter present at every meeting but it can be argued that no free, prior and informed consent can be obtained without consultation and deliberation being conducted in Kunwinjku, which is the first language of all traditional owners at Gunbalanya." Murray Garde

"FOR more than 20 years, Dr Murray Garde has been working as an interpreter in the Kunwinjku language of Western Arnhem Land. The Northern Land Council engaged Mr Garde to act as an interpreter with Traditional Owners of Gunbalanya after they signed an Agreement In Principle in August for a 99-year township lease to the Commonwealth."

" ... Murray Garde is highly qualified for this assignment, and the NLC has total confidence in his expertise as an interpreter. Linguists have taught us for a long time about the problems that arise from cross-purposes communication. Murray Garde’s article demonstrates the value - indeed, in some instances, the necessity - of engaging an experienced cross-cultural interpreter for complex negotiations such as those that arise from profoundly important public policies that will have impact on the lives of current and future generations of Aboriginal people. ... " Joe Morrison, CEO, Northern Land Council

- Timeline

Respect and Listen: Land Rights: Timeline
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights.html#ALRA-Ti...

- Media

Respect and Listen: Land Rights under attack: Media Coverage
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...

Vale Gough Whitlam
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...

Quotes
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...

German Language
http://www.respectandlisten.org/uploads/downloads/NT_Intervention/Land-R...

- Audio

Awaye!, ABC Radio National: The Walk-Off Project
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/awaye/the-walk-off-project/...
1 Nov 14: "In 1975, Gough Whitlam famously arrived in Gurindji country with the leasehold title and symbolically poured soil into Vincent Lingiari's hands. It marked the beginning of the modern land rights movement, and the end of a long, hard campaign by the Gurindji, who walked off Lord Vestey’s cattle station in 1966 and went on strike for equal pay and the return of their land."
"Presented by Rhianna Patrick ...
Credits:
* Producer: Ursula Raymond
* Interviewee: Violet Wardrill, Judith Donald, Leah Leaman, Theresa Yibwoin, Biddy Wave Hill Nangala Steven Long, Ena Oscar, Pauline Ryan, Topsy Dodd, Jimmy Wave Hill, Peanut Bernard Puntyiari, Brenda L Croft, Hannah Middleton"

- News

Crikey: The Gurindji people farewell that "jangkarni marlaka"
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/10/22/the-gurindji-people-farew...
22 Oct 14: "As a mark of respect, Gurindji people will now refer to this man as ‘kulum Whitlam’. This great man helped us get better wages, health, education and housing, and most importantly, gave us our land back. Our people pay their respects to the family of kulum Whitlam," Gurindji elder Michael George
" … In 1966, Vincent Lingiari initiated a workers’ strike to protest against the poor conditions on Wave Hill Cattle Station and a claim for their traditional lands. The Gurindji campaign went on for nine years until Prime Minister Whitlam’s visit where he ceremonially proclaimed,
"Finally, to give back to you formally in Aboriginal and Australian law ownership of this land of your fathers. Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands this piece of the earth itself as a sign that we restore them to you and your children forever." Gough Whitlam, August 16th 1975
This event was a defining moment, which led to the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, generating momentum for the broader Aboriginal land rights movement." Bob Gosford

- News

Land Rights News - Central Australia May 2014: Land Rights changes voted down by Senate – page 5
http://www.clc.org.au/files/pdf/Binder1%28web%29.pdf
Vol 4, No1: May 2014: " … The 2006 law amended the Land Rights Act to make it possible for Land Councils to hand over some of their main functions to other groups of residents or traditional owners who applied for them. These functions included the granting of township leasies and other leases and permission to mine on Aboriginal land. But up until this year, no such groups have applied. … "

- News

Land Rights News - Northern Edition: Land Rights Act must not go to the Territory: The original policy architect
Sovereign Union: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/land-rights-act-must-not-go-t...
July 2014: "Mr Ian Viner AO QC, the Federal Minster for Aboriginal Affairs in the Fraser Government who introduced the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act in 1976, is totally opposed to the idea that the Commonwealth should surrender the Act to the Northern Territory. The idea was floated by the NT Chief Minister, Adam Giles, in an interview with the ABC's radio current affairs pro-gram, Background Briefing, on Sunday July 13."

- Compilation

Respect and Listen: Land Rights under attack
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/land-rights-...

- Background

Respect and Listen: Dismantling the Land Rights Act - 99 year leases
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights/dismantling-...
6 Nov 13: "Statement by Rev. Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM regarding MOUs on township 99 year leases
I express my deep concern at the actions of the Abbott Government as evidenced by the behaviour of the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion, in hastily procuring MOUs on township leases for 99 years in Gunbalanya and Yirrkala in recent weeks. He is quoted as saying that this was part of a blitz to encourage other communities around the country to sign similar deals."

Respect and Listen: Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/land-rights.html

Central Land Council, Australia: The Aboriginal Land Rights Act
http://www.clc.org.au/articles/cat/land-rights-act/

STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney): Outstations - Homelands
http://stoptheintervention.org/outstations---homelands

- Background (compiled by WGAR)

Background to Dismantling the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT) - 99 year leases
https://indymedia.org.au/2013/12/31/background-to-dismantling-the-aborig...
(Last updated: 1 January 2014)

Background to Aboriginal Community Living Area Land Reform in the Northern Territory (NT)
https://indymedia.org.au/2013/04/12/background-to-aboriginal-community-l...
(Last updated: 13 October 2013)

About WGAR News - WGAR background info web-pages
https://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-background-info...
(Last updated: 1 June 2014)

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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