Newsletter date: 23 September 2015; last updated 6:50pm AEST, 22 September 2015
Contents:
* Take Action Online: Amnesty International Australia: Stop NT's paperless arrest laws from claiming more lives
* News Analysis: Avani Dias, ABC News: Petition against Northern Territory's paperless arrest laws reaches 12,000 signatures, to be delivered to Attorney-General
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: 1 in 6 jail rate and 1 in 3 suicide rate are tools of the oppressor - institutionalised racism
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: The makeup of Australia's parliaments is racist
* Bio: Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
* About: The Stringer's Editorial policy: http://thestringer.com.au/about-us
* Support: Fund The Stringer: http://thestringer.com.au/fund-the-stringer
* Background:
WGAR News: NAAJA to challenge 'paperless arrest' laws in High Court: Minelle Creed, Living Black interview with Jonathon Hunyor on SBS Radio
WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government
WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody
WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities
* Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:
Lifeline - Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention: 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue - Talk it through with us: 1300 22 4636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
'WGAR News' postings on Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/newswire
WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
- Take Action Online
Amnesty International Australia: Stop NT's paperless arrest laws from claiming more lives
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/37819/
"The Northern Territory’s paperless arrest laws put adults and children at risk of arbitrary detention by police and unfairly target disadvantaged Indigenous people. If these laws are not repealed, more Indigenous people will be locked up and more unnecessary deaths in custody will follow. Email Attorney-General John Elferink calling on him to urgently repeal these laws before they cause more Indigenous deaths in custody. ... Last Friday, NT coroner Greg Cavenagh called for these laws to be repealed because they are "manifestly unfair", disproportionately targeting disadvantaged Aboriginal people. ... "
- News Analysis
ABC News: Petition against Northern Territory's paperless arrest laws reaches 12,000 signatures, to be delivered to Attorney-General
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/amnesty-petition-12000-signatures-...
22 Sep 15: "More than 12,000 people have signed a petition calling on Northern Territory Attorney-General John Elferink to immediately repeal the paperless arrests scheme. In August, Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh found the laws would cause more Aboriginal deaths in custody while investigating the death of Kumanjayi Langon. ... Its legal validity is now being determined by the High Court of Australia. Amnesty Indigenous rights campaigner Julian Cleary said he believed the number of signatures on the Amnesty petition demonstrated a lack of public support for the paperless arrest laws. ... " By Avani Dias
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: 1 in 6 jail rate and 1 in 3 suicide rate are tools of the oppressor - institutionalised racism
The Stringer: http://thestringer.com.au/1-in-6-jail-rate-and-1-in-3-suicide-rate-are-t...
Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/2015/09/22/1-in-6-jail-rate-and-1-in-3-suicide-...
21 Sep 15: " ... The bloodshed of colonialism continues in other forms – in narratives of human misery and suffering, in a climate of death; in the suicides and in the premature and unnatural deaths. The descendants of the invaders are now established as the governments, ruthlessly gripping power. Modalities such as institutional racism continue the one-sided deliverance. Marginalisation appears entrenched. It is impossible to be without marginalisation when there is oppression unless it is eliminated by genocide. In my making these statements, the soldiers and advocates of the neoliberal colonialist regimes argue we are perpetuating trauma and that we maintain the oppressed as the victim. They argue that we need to move on. But move on from what and to where? How? ... " By Gerry Georgatos
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: The makeup of Australia's parliaments is racist
The Stringer: http://thestringer.com.au/the-makeup-of-australias-parliaments-is-racist...
Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/2015/09/22/the-makeup-of-australia-s-parliament...
21 Sep 15: " ... Australia’s racism can be found not only in The White Australia Policy but also in its Constitution, in its various institutions and instruments, in its immigration policies, in its marginalisation of a significant proportion of the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders population and in the expectation that assimilation is the only engagement that it will have with them. Australia’s racism can be seen in its prisons – jailing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders at the world’s highest rates. Australia’s racism can be found in the underclasses of various poverty and disenfranchisement it induces upon migrants. Australia’s racism can be found in the disproportionate suicide rates among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders and among the waves of migrants and the first generation descendants of the waves of migrants. ... " By Gerry Georgatos
- Bio
Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/gerry-georgatos-contributing-editor-and-journa...
"His predominant work is in suicide prevention research and in unveiling racism and in articulating the ways forward. ... Some of his stories on homelessness in First Nations communities have led to many people housed and to restorative cultural projects. ... 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. ... "
- About
The Stringer's Editorial policy:
[scroll down page] http://thestringer.com.au/about-us
"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. The Stringer has become known for breaking stories that others initially were not prepared to investigate and report. ... "
- Support
Fund The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/fund-the-stringer
"We know how much you like reading the news on The Stringer website. If you’d like to help us continue to shine a massive great big flood lamp on the political injustices of this country and, indeed, the world then please contribute whatever you feel able to using the form below. ... "
- Background
WGAR News: NAAJA to challenge 'paperless arrest' laws in High Court: Minelle Creed, Living Black interview with Jonathon Hunyor on SBS Radio
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/08/26/wgar-news-naaja-to-challenge-paperle...
WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/06/08/wgar-background-intervention-into-no...
(last updated: 18 September 2015)
WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-justice-reinvestment...
(last updated: 18 September 2015)
WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-suicide-and-self-...
(last updated: 18 September 2015)
- Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:
Emergency:
For immediate assistance when life may be in danger
Call 000
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/emergency
Lifeline's 24/7 hotline
13 11 14
Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention services
https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Twenty-four hours a day seven days a week
The Suicide Call Back Service provides free nationwide professional telephone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide.
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
Depression. Anxiety.
Talk it through with us, day or night
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
Useful national contact numbers - Suicide Prevention Crisis Contacts
http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Suicide_Pr...
Mens Line
1300 78 99 78
MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online support and information service for Australian men
http://www.mensline.org.au/
Kids Help Line
1800 55 1800
aged 5 - 25 yrs
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
About WGAR News:
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Subscription to 'WGAR News' is free.
'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:
* The Freedom Summit's National Freedom Movement;
* the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities;
* Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), [and Northern Territory (NT)?];
* Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia;
* the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies;
* Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody;
* Aboriginal land rights and mining;
* Suicide and self-harm in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities;
* Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation;
* Aboriginal peoples and the impact of the Australian Federal Budget;
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* other Aboriginal rights issues; and
* upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia.
'WGAR News' gives priority to grassroots Aboriginal voices and grassroots voices in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples' rights.
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