WGAR News: Budget delivers uncertainty and blackmail to NT outstations: Central Land Council & Northern Land Council

Newsletter date: 16 May 2015

Contents:

* Joint Media Release: Central Land Council & Northern Land Council: Budget delivers uncertainty and blackmail to NT outstations
* About CLC: About the Central Land Council: http://www.clc.org.au/articles/cat/about/
* About NLC: What does the Northern Land Council do?: http://www.nlc.org.au/articles/cat/what-we-do/

* News Analysis: Steven Schubert, ABC News: 'Dysfunctional' NT Government must not run Indigenous outstations, Northern Land Council and Central Land Council say

* News Analysis: Kimberley Land Council: Creating jobs in remote communities: how we're doing it
* About KLC: About Us - Kimberley Land Council: http://www.klc.org.au/about-us/about-the-klc

* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: Four Corners' Fishbowl Journalism Does More Damage To Aboriginal People
* Analysis / Opinion: Iva Hayward-Jackson, The Stringer: An Aboriginal Perspective
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: ABC Four Corners misses the real story on the Homelands

* Background: WGAR News: Budget 2015: Concerns raised over federal plans to hand funding of Indigenous outstations to NT, in deal similar to WA: Alyssa Betts, ABC News
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA (and NT?)
* WGAR Background: Aboriginal Peoples and the impact of the Federal Budget

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

- Joint Media Release

Budget delivers uncertainty and blackmail to NT outstations - Joint Media Release CLC-NLC
Central Land Council: http://www.clc.org.au/media-releases/article/budget-delivers-uncertainty...
Northern Land Council: http://www.nlc.org.au/media-releases/article/budget-delivers-uncertainty...
14 May 15: "THE Northern Territory’s two big Land Councils say the Commonwealth must scrap plans to hand over permanent responsibility for municipal and essential services for outstations to the dysfunctional and welfare dependent NT Government.
Plans to replace the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) on Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory with a new agreement would spell an early end to a 10-year Commonwealth commitment to fund NT outstations. ...
The Land Councils called for high-level involvement of Aboriginal leaders in negotiations about these funds which are vital for all remote NT outstations and homelands.
"Unless Aboriginal people have a place at the table they have every right to suspect that the new deal will result in outstation closures," said Mr Morrison.
The Land Councils predict a repeat of the developments in WA, where the Commonwealth has washed its hands of outstations, and an unknown number of small communities face closure. ... "

- About CLC

About the Central Land Council
http://www.clc.org.au/articles/cat/about/
"The Central Land Council is a Council of 90 Aboriginal people elected from communities in the southern half of the Northern Territory. The roots of the CLC lie in the history of Aboriginal struggle for justice and our rights to our traditional land. The Land Rights Act gave Aboriginal people title to most of the Aboriginal reserve lands in the Northern Territory and gave the opportunity to claim other land not already owned, leased or being used by someone else. ... The Central Land Council is a representative body promoting Aboriginal rights. ... "

- About NLC

What does the Northern Land Council do?
http://www.nlc.org.au/articles/cat/what-we-do/
"The Northern Land Council is an independent statutory authority of the Commonwealth. It is responsible for assisting Aboriginal peoples in the Top End of the Northern Territory to acquire and manage their traditional lands and seas. In 1976 the Parliament of Australia passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (ALRA). Since then approximately 50 percent of the land in the NT has become Aboriginal land in addition to 85 percent of the coastline. A large proportion of the remaining land mass is subject to Native Title interests. ... "

- News Analysis

ABC News: 'Dysfunctional' NT Government must not run Indigenous outstations, Northern Land Council and Central Land Council say
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-14/nlc-clc-label-nt-government-dysfun...
14 May 15: "Two of Australia's most powerful Indigenous land councils have labelled the NT Government "dysfunctional and welfare dependent" and "a failed state that is almost totally dependent on the Commonwealth" as they rejected an idea for the NT to take responsibility for Indigenous outstation services. ... But the Northern Land Council (NLC) and Central Land Council (CLC) have said the NT Government would not be able to adequately run the services and would result in community closures like those planned in Western Australia. ... " By Steven Schubert

- News Analysis

Kimberley Land Council: Creating jobs in remote communities: how we're doing it
http://www.klc.org.au/news-media/newsroom/news-detail/2015/05/13/creatin...
13 May 15: "Jobs in remote communities do exist. Although contrary to popular opinion, the choice to live on country can and does provide a sustainable and rewarding livelihood. Kimberley Aboriginal people have been capitalising on their cultural knowledge, expert land management skills and native title rights to create jobs and business opportunities in remote communities. ... Rangers are on the frontline, living and working in remote communities. They are also the people that will be impacted if Aboriginal communities are closed across WA. ... "

- About KLC

About Us - Kimberley Land Council
http://www.klc.org.au/about-us/about-the-klc
"The Kimberley Land Council was formed in 1978 by Kimberley Aboriginal people as a political land rights organisation. Today, we have grown to become the peak Indigenous body in the Kimberley region working with Aboriginal people to secure native title recognition, conduct conservation and land management activities and develop cultural business enterprises. We are located in the vast Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. ... We continue to work to ensure that our land, law, language and culture lives on and continues to be vibrant and long-lasting. We do this by getting back our country, looking after our country and securing our future. ... "

- Analysis / Opinion

New Matilda: Four Corners' Fishbowl Journalism Does More Damage To Aboriginal People
https://newmatilda.com/2015/05/12/four-corners-fishbowl-journalism-does-...
12 May 15: "The more things change, the more they stay the same. Particularly when it comes to responsible reporting of Aboriginal poverty. Amy McQuire explains. Last night Four Corners pointed its lens into a few Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and produced a beautiful piece of promotion for the WA government and its plans for a catastrophic assault on Aboriginal homelands. Every year, there seems to be a new story on Aboriginal poverty. But it’s more than just ‘poverty porn’. ... " By Amy McQuire, a Darumbul woman from central Queensland. Amy McQuire is the former editor of the National Indigenous Times and Tracker

Amy McQuire - New Matilda
https://newmatilda.com/users/amy-mcquire

About Us - New Matilda
https://newmatilda.com/about-us
" ... New Matilda is independent journalism at its best. The site has been publishing intelligent coverage of Australian and international politics, media and culture since 2004. You'll find new stories on the homepage daily. ... The New Matilda news digest is the best way to keep up to date with our coverage. We publish three times a week - it lands in your inbox at lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and in the evening on Sundays. ... It's free! ... "

- Analysis / Opinion

Iva Hayward-Jackson, The Stringer: An Aboriginal Perspective
http://thestringer.com.au/abc-four-corners-misses-the-real-story-on-the-...
13 May 15: "Last nights Four Corners show was by a Government funded television station the ABC. Some of the obvious questions were not asked or properly investigated. Why did the ABC use one Aboriginal Community from the Kimberly that is already shut down and demolished to demonize all Aboriginal Communities in Western Australia and assist the Western Australian Government in its forced closures? Why continually show alcohol affected Aboriginal people in Broome? The issues are not solely about the Kimberly it is about all Aboriginal Communities in the State of Western Australia. Get your facts right ABC. ... "

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: ABC Four Corners misses the real story on the Homelands
http://thestringer.com.au/abc-four-corners-misses-the-real-story-on-the-...
13 May 15: " ... Four Corners had contacted me for some backgrounding on the Homeland communities, and to discuss the threats by the Western Australian Government to close down many of the communities. I did this but much of what I had to say did not eventuate in the thematic of the coverage by Four Corners. ... Four Corners can best serve the Australian people by travelling to communities where despite their poverty they still do their best, are happy. They can also travel to communities such as the Kimberley’s Lombadina where its eighty residents, who the majority may earn a few hundred dollars only a week, live in the highest quality of health. ... " By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/gerry-georgatos-contributing-editor-and-journa...
" ... Georgatos is considered by some as a ‘polarising’ and ‘controversial’ writer and social justice campaigner. He is an expert in his fields, particularly in the understanding of racism and in suicide prevention - and involves himself at the coalface in addition to interfacing with Governments. His advocacy style can at times be confrontational. He works with a sense of urgency. ... "

About Us - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/about-us
"The Stringer is an independent online news site, delivering free-to-access independent news to readers daily. ... The Stringer was founded by media academic and producer Jennifer Kaeshagen. ... Independent news media contributes to the unfolding landscape of human rights and social justice. It is The Stringer’s aim to provide every opportunity to the rise of voices that far too often are denied. If The Stringer believes in the importance of a story we will sustain coverage - this is what The Stringer terms through-care journalism. ... "

- Background

WGAR News: Budget 2015: Concerns raised over federal plans to hand funding of Indigenous outstations to NT, in deal similar to WA: Alyssa Betts, ABC News
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/05/14/wgar-news-budget-2015-concerns-raise...
15 May 15: "Contents:
* Audio: Justin Fenwick, The Wire: Indigenous funding masks another agenda [Featuring Senator Nova Peris & Paddy Gibson]
* News Analysis: Steven Schubert, ABC News: 'Dysfunctional' NT Government must not run Indigenous outstations, Northern Land Council and Central Land Council say
* News Analysis: Shalailah Medhora, The Guardian: Remote Indigenous communities could close if NT government takes full control
* News: NITV News: Fears of community closures spreading to NT after budget handout
* News: Alyssa Betts, ABC News: Budget 2015: Concerns raised over federal plans to hand funding of Indigenous outstations to NT, in deal similar to WA
* Audio Interview: Mikaela Simpson, CAAMA Radio: Aboriginal Communities Left Out In The Cold Following Budget Announcement... [Featuring Shayne Neumann]
* Video: Robert Burton-Bradley, NITV News: Indigenous activist accuses government of 'racist budget' [Featuring Michael Mansell]
* Petition: Change.org: Restore IAS funding that SA Aboriginal communities need to stay open and sustainable
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA (and NT?)
* WGAR Background: Aboriginal Peoples and the impact of the Federal Budget
* Background: Diet Simon, Linksunten Indymedia: Aborigines expect more misery from new national budget
* Background: Diet Simon, Linksunten Indymedia: Australian government budget leaves indigenous affairs in a "trauma zone""

WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA (and NT?)
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/08/background-plans-to-close-aboriginal...
(last updated: 15 May 2015)

WGAR Background: Aboriginal Peoples and the impact of the Federal Budget
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-aboriginal-peoples-a...
(last updated: 15 May 2015)

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)