Gerry Georgatos
With the Stronger Futures debacle in the Australian Senate the following could not be more timely. Nyoongar rights advocate and CEO of Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation, Robert Eggington has gathered together with several prominent Nyoongars, and a large number of the Nyoongar community, to announce their own Native Title proposals for the state government to consider.
Related: “Stronger Futures will kill us” | Government action of pure contempt towards Aboriginal peoples | "As if they were nothing" - Future government apology? | ANTaR concerned that community support has not been obtained | Stronger Futures or stronger policing | Uniting Church disappointed by Senate report | Aboriginal Catholic Ministry: Committee report ignores concerns | 2010 World Council of Churches scrutiny of Intervention | INTERVIEWS AND DISCUSSION ON THE NORTHERN TERRITORY Sunday 10pm ABC | The Crown owns Aboriginal culture and heritage – petition to change that
Mr Eggington will call for the 'rent to paid' to the Nyoongar peoples for the use of their land - 5% of the Gross Domestic Product of the south west and a suite of other priorities. The 5% must be in perpetuity.
Mr Eggington said that the Native Title offer by the state government through the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Corporation (SWALSC) must be rejected. "It is an offer that will cost our sovereignty, our rights in perpetuity. They are offering only half a billion dollars and the rest is a value placed on lands and that's it. This will not address the trauma our people have suffered, the displacement, the impoverishment, the horrific youth suicide rates we endure. This pittance on offer will not allow us to adequately assist our youth to go forwards."
"What they want from us is to lose our identity, to waive all our rights, and to assimilate and in the process they want to revise history and in effect have the opportunity of washing the blood off their hands, and pretend everything they did to our peoples is now sorted," he said.
Mr Eggington said Nyoongars like himself have to stand up, the grassroot Nyoongars, because there are many Nyoongars he said who have sold themselves out to either greed or to a suite of honorary academic titles or the pursuit of the non-Aboriginal person's dreams and aspirations, and along the way they have tragically made the choice to neglect their peoples.
On March 28, at a Stolen Wages rally organised by Western Australia's Aboriginal peoples, will feature Mr Eggington as one of the keynote speakers and he and others alongside him see it as the rightful forum to launch a proposal in challenging the state government to finally 'do the right thing'.
"If the SWALSC offer is accepted we betray our people, our history, our present hopes and we betray the future. Many have tried to rush our Nyoongar people into this betrayal, the academics, the lawyers, those who have sold themselves out to the Wadjela (the white man), and we have had non-Nyoongar people telling Nyoongars what to do - when Ben Wyatt, who has Yamatji heritage and conducts himself as a Wadjela, when he comments to Nyoongars about what we should do he should be ashamed. He is not a Nyoongar and we do not comment about his peoples although he lives and acts as a Wadjela - he should show some respect and stay quiet and understand our ways."
Some Aboriginal peoples in other countries, for instance in Alaska and Canada have secured up to 2% of the profits of resources from their soils and waters returned directly to the Aboriginal peoples to address their needs and aspirations and through the context of Aboriginal advancement by Aboriginal peoples.
"The state government needs to pay the rent to Nyoongar peoples. This is the proposal. I am not talking about royalties, I am talking about a percentage from the the total gross domestic product of the entire south west of Western Australia, of Nyoongar country," said Mr Eggington.
"This means minerals extracted, ores extracted, petroleum, gases and it means tourism, industries, infrastructure - give us 5% of the GDP and we will work with with our youth, we will reduce the incarceration rates from Wadjela prisons and from the addictions they have been afflicted with."
Dumbartung does work with youth and has a number of successful youth suicide prevention programs. However Mr Eggington is not speaking for Dumbartung and rather on behalf of a collective of like-minded Nyoongars.
"In addition to the 5%, we want certain laws removed and certain discriminatory policies against our people to be abandoned. The three-strike rule and you are in jail must go. The law where if someone lays a finger on a police officer and that's it there is a mandatory 12 month prison sentence must go - when police confront our people it is traumatic for them and a finger laid on someone or a shove should not finish them up in prison. We need to get our men out of prisons, it is not just they who are impacted, however the women and children who depend on them, they break down and hence the breakdown of the family," said Mr Eggington.
"For every one black man who is imprisoned, ten white men get rich off that," he said.
"This is our proposal, 5% for the rent, and change the laws, and let us help our people. Aboriginal advancement by Aboriginal peoples. Anything else is betrayal."
In 2010-11, Western Australia’s gross state product (GSP) was $193 billion (14.6% of Australia's gross domestic product). The south west of WA, Nyoongar country, stand alone is at least 20 billion dollars of the GSP - Mr Eggington's 5% pay the rent proposal would provide Nyoongar peoples with a billion dollars each year, not just the one off payment proposed by the state government and with restrictions as to its disbursements. Hence, Mr Eggington's proposal would wipe out poverty amongst Nyoongars.
Human Rights Alliance Indigenous spokeswoman Natalie Flower said, "If this pay the rent proposal was followed Australia-wide by state, territory and federal governments to all Aboriginal nations then Aboriginal disadvantage would end - Australia is the world's 13th largest economy with 1.6 trillion GDP for 2012, and the 5% pay the rent concept would dedicate 80 billion each year to the descendants of the original peoples of this continent. Ten years ago, the HRA suggested a 2.7% quotient of the national GDP, the proportion of Aboriginal peoples to the population, however no-one picked up on it but that too would be acceptable - in WA it would have to be 3% at least, in the NT 32% in terms of Aboriginal population to GSP."
Broome-based Nikyina rights advocate and economics graduate, Sofie Mirniyinna said, "This is the best proposal I am yet to hear, and it would certainly address the economic and social health disadvantages that our peoples endure. Western Australia is the nation's largest exporter, 43% of the nation's total exports and yet our people are in third-word conditions. This is an opportunity for self-determination in being able to advance all our peoples. It is an opportunity for the NT Intervention and Stronger Futures to go straight to hell."
Nyoongar academic Associate Professor Len Collard said, "The percentage concept provides perpetuity, addresses the problems at large and does not extinguish our rights as the state government's strictly limited proposal to SWALSC does (extinguish)."
Stronger Futures will kill us - a must watch from Maningrida
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/03/04/%E2%80%9Cstronger-futures-will-kill-u...
Stop the Northern Territory Intervention
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/stronger-futures-legislation
Democratic process in tatters
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/articles/democratic-process-in-tatt...
A Radio National interview with Dr John Falzon
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/stronger-futures-legislation/#Media-SF
Malcolm Fraser says Australia is light years behind on Indigenous policies
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/scrap-nt-intervention-laws...
The charity, St Vincent de Paul launches a scathing attack on the Federal government
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/scrap-nt-intervention-laws...
Stand for Freedom's campaign in The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/new-aborigin...
Aboriginal leaders reject NT Intervention
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/aboriginal-leaders-reject-...
Opposition to Stronger Futures Bill strengthens
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-06/more-opposition-to-stronger-future...
Commonwealth Department of Indigenous Affairs under fire for NT Intervention
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8428454
Stand for Freedom website - consider signing the petition
http://standforfreedom.org.au/
Comments
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
actually, this makes a lot of sense!
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
The bill is about to passed in the senate, it got passed in the house of reps. There are some protestors out on the hill but we should have been thousands and shame them so the whole country be watching, i think the sydney stop the intervention collective is there but if only we get our anger there in thousands protesting instead of it lost in the ether, the bill will be passed and things keep on keeping on
I too think that the 5% is a great idea but would a greedy government that would spend on itself before others, that would spend on military would really let Indigenous people have this money, yikes i don't think so me thinks
can some update on what is happening with any protests on the hill?
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry statement on Stronger Futures
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry - Sydney Archdiocese
Statement on the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee report
on Stronger Futures
The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee has today released its report on the “Stronger Futures”
Bills.
Graeme Mundine, Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, Sydney Archdiocese said, “It is
disappointing that the Committee has comprehensively ignored a wide range of concerns raised by a
significant number of submissions and evidence from Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal
organisations, human rights groups, welfare groups, churches and others.
“The overwhelming message from Aboriginal peoples is that they do not want this legislation. Aboriginal
peoples want to be treated with respect, dignity and be full participants in creating and implementing
sustainable solutions to overcome disadvantage plaguing communities. The Government consistently spins the
line that the Intervention has delivered impressive outcomes. In fact, what little verifiable evidence there is
shows the Intervention has not delivered tangible and sustainable results and has not substantially improved
life for Aboriginal peoples. Far from it, measures such as increasing suicides and rising rates in imprisonment
show a very different picture. The Government’s dogged determination to plough on, in collusion with the
Opposition, despite the lack of evidence is astounding.
“The so called Stronger Futures legislation will further weaken and disempower communities. Aboriginal
peoples have solutions, they have ideas and they know what stronger futures would look like for them. They
need to be heard and they need appropriate support and long term commitment. They do not need legislation
that is based on punitive measures and returns us to the days of Protectionism and Assimilation. This
legislation will give the Minister inordinate power over the day to day lives of Aboriginal peoples.
“Further, the entire premise of the legislation is based on an erroneous perception that Aboriginal cultures are
inferior, inadequate and that Aboriginal peoples must deny their cultures to be successful in the modern era.
Communities in the Northern Territory still live traditionally, still speak their languages and still have their
homelands. This should be celebrated, but in fact, this legislation endangers all of that. Rather than build on
the strengths of Aboriginal cultures it will fracture and diminish and is based on a deficit model of Aboriginal
development. Aboriginal peoples, not Governments, must be the ones to decide how they want to live in the
21st Century. Governments’ role is to enable those choices.
“It beggars belief that the Parliament can be pushing through such damaging legislation while at the same time
spruik about Constitutional recognition and reconciliation. You cannot continuously trample on people’s
rights and then expect to Close the Gap or be reconciled.
“The Government should go back to the drawing board. They need to move away from imposing greater
controls and punitive measures. They should engage Aboriginal people with respect, as equals and seek to
create empowering relationships. Stronger Futures is destined to join a long list of failed policies that tear
Aboriginal communities apart and further fracture already strained relationships with Government,” Graeme
Mundine concluded.
Contact: Graeme Mundine 0419 238 788
The Bill
Community Affairs
Legislation Committee
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory
Bill 2011 [Provisions]
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory
(Consequential and Transitional Provisions)
Bill 2011 [Provisions]
Social Security Legislation Amendment Bill
2011 [Provisions]
March 2012
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committee...
clac_ctte/index.htm
The Bill's Recommendations
Recommendation 1
3.18 The committee recommends that the Stronger Futures in the Northern
Territory Bill 2011 be amended to allow infringement notices to be issued in
relation to minor alcohol offences and to make it clear that infringement notices
may be issued relating to the possession and supply of liquor.
Recommendation 2
3.27 The committee recommends that processes be implemented to ensure that
the Minister responds to alcohol management plan applications in a timely
manner.
Recommendation 3
3.50 The committee recommends section 23 (1)(eb) of the Aboriginal Land
Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 be amended to remove the text "at the Land
Councils expense".
Recommendation 4
3.94 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth include in its
engagement program with remote NT communities going forward a specific
component designed to build understanding of customary law provisions and
support for this measure and in particular to clear up misunderstandings that
have arisen.
Recommendation 5
3.95 The committee also recommends that the measure and its level of
understanding in communities be reviewed in 5 years time as part of the review
and evaluation of the proposed National Partnership agreement.
Recommendation 6
3.129 The committee recommends that the government amend the Social
Security Legislation Amendment Bill to require that only agencies that have in
place appropriate internal and external review and appeal processes be approved
by the Minister to make income management referrals.
Recommendation 7
3.147 The committee recommends the Commonwealth and NT governments
provide greater clarity regarding SEAM and the Every Child, Every Day
measures, how they interact and will operate in parallel together. Further
education needs to be provided to communities where these policy changes will
ix apply in the Northern Territory as of 1 July 2012 and advice provided by both
governments must be clear as to what policy applies in different areas
throughout the Northern Territory.
Recommendation 8
3.153 The committee recommends the SEAM 2012 evaluation, and any other
material monitoring the effectiveness of SEAM and the Every Child, Every Day
initiative, be made publicly available as soon as possible following its completion.
Timing of the evaluation's release is particularly important given the
inappropriate delay in releasing the 2010 evaluation of SEAM.
Recommendation 9
4.9 The committee recommends governments work closely with the
Australian Human Rights Commission to build a culturally competent
workforce.
Recommendation 10
4.17 The committee recommends that when conducting further consultation in
relation to Stronger Futures the Commonwealth government:
- work with the framework provided by the Australian Human Rights
Commission for meaningful and effective consultation processes that
are culturally safe, secure and appropriate; and
- give consideration to the effective use of Land Councils in consultation
processes given their knowledge and expertise in consulting
appropriately with communities.
Recommendation 11
4.25 The committee recommends that in addition to the reviews of the
legislation already announced, the Commonwealth also ensure that any National
Partnership Agreement is the subject of an independent and public review and
evaluation after 5 years.
What was said to the Committee from Ntaria
4.2 In Ntaria the committee heard that people did not understand the difference
between the Intervention and the Stronger Futures package.
All [the people] want to know is what is the difference between Stronger
Futures and the intervention. That is what they want to know. What are the
changes?
What the Committee reckons
Committee comment
4.13 The committee recognises that the Commonwealth government has
acknowledged that the way that the Northern Territory Emergency Response was
introduced without consultation caused affront and hurt to Aboriginal people. The
committee acknowledges that the government has been consulting with remote
communities and town camps in the Territory about the Emergency Response and its
future. It notes the efforts undertaken in 2008 by the Independent Review Board and
in 2009 and 2011 by the Minister and her Department. The committee accepts that the
Government has carried out these consultations in good faith and sought to make them
as open and as transparent as possible.
4.14 Nevertheless, the committee is concerned that there remains misunderstanding
of the stronger futures bills in the Northern Territory and that the committee has heard
complaints raised about the manner in which the consultations were undertaken. The
committee notes with serious concern the degree of confusion, and frustration
expressed in relation to the Stronger Futures consultations. There appears to be a
discrepancy between the level of consultation undertaken, as reflected in FAHCSIA's
evidence and the consultation evaluation report, and the level of understanding within
communities.
Dr Gondarra
4.18 The committee heard concerns from many submitters about the length of the
sunset clause provisions of the Stronger Futures bill. An example of this evidence was
presented by the Reverend Dr Gondarra OAM:
...the Northern Territory's emergency response took away any sense of
cooperation with the Indigenous jurisdiction by introducing section 91 of
the NTA law. Now the government wishes to extend this law for another 10
years. Our law is about justice and is active against crime. That is the
Australian law. So why is this sanction necessary?
Dissenting Report from the Australian Greens
Dissenting Report
The Australian Greens
1.1 The Stronger Futures package of legislation effectively extends the measures
put in place by Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) or 'Intervention'. The
Australian Greens opposed the Intervention and we likewise oppose the Stronger
Futures legislation. There is no substantive evidence to show that the Intervention has
had a positive effect on the lives of Aboriginal people in the NT. Rather, Aboriginal
people, their representative organisations, and the community sector have made it
clear that the top-down, punitive nature of the Intervention is actually undermining
and disempowering Aboriginal people and communities. The ineffectiveness of these
measures is not surprising considering international research on Indigenous economic
development points to the success of community driven measures over top-down
approaches.
1 Extension of an Ineffective and Expensive Approach
1.2 The Australian Greens oppose the continuation of the ineffective and
expensive approach of the Intervention. To date there has been no evidence the
measures of the intervention have been effective. Rather, they appear to be eroding
local governance and disempowering communities. Furthermore. the new legislative
package has not been subject to effective consultation.
Dr Cassandra Goldie - nothing like this in other countries!
Dr Cassandra Goldie of the Australian Council of Social Services expressed it
in this way:
We want to emphasise just how deeply concerned national groups, local
groups and regional groups—who have deep expertise in how to provide
the right supports to people who are living on low incomes and who are
struggling in a particular way—are with the way in which government
should be working with those communities. We really want to emphasise
that this set of bills takes us off further entrenching what we see as being
fundamentally contrary to basic human rights, to what is practical and is
working. To the best of our knowledge, there is nothing like this in
comparative countries, so we really want to highlight how deeply
concerned our groups are with the direction that this legislation will set us
off in...
Re: "Pay the Rent" Make me
Pay the rent, what rent? we stole the land off you we owe no rent. I dare you to try and take it back,you don't have the balls do you? Because we will kick your arse again.Remember it was the Aboriginals that started the killing now you sook because we kicked your arse and took your land you fucked up a long time ago and there is no turning back the clock so stop your crying it will do you no good.You lot will have to find a job and work like the rest of us!
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
Can we have the comment by White Man on Fri 16/03/2012 12:19am removed please.
It is offensive and entirely unnecessary.
When people read comments like this, they should be aware that the person making the comment may not be who they say they are. They may just want to stir up a very sensitive and divisive issue.
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
"When people read comments like this, they should be aware that the person making the comment may not be who they say they are"This is true but in this case I am who I say I am I am a white man and proud of it,but that will make me a racist because I am white right?
"They may just want to stir up a very sensitive and divisive issue"I would have thought it was people like Gerry Georgatos who is doing the stirring by writing such garbage and might I add a "professional stirrer" at that.
"What they want from us is to lose our identity, to waive all our rights, and to assimilate"No one wants you to lose you identity and no one can stop you being who you are just the same as people like Gerry can hold on to his Greek identity by eating Greek food and and practicing Greek culture in things like song and dance etc these are things that are promoted in Australian society.Yes we want the Aboriginal people to assimilate with the rest of us because apartheid does not work, it is people with this mind set that will harm the Aboriginal people not help then.What we have at the moment is Aboriginal communities that have a big Problem with things like Alcohol abuse,child abuse,school truancy,and parents that don't give a shit about their children what I mean about this is you can go into many towns in Australia and see Aboriginal children as young as 6 years old running around the streets as late as 2am in the morning when I see this I say these parents are either too drunk to know better or just don't give a shit about them.The only way to fix this problem is to get them away from this way of life or change it as we have seen for years their is no changing it so lets bring them them into our communities embrace them and show then what is the right way to bring up children, by that I mean sending them to school get them away from child abuse and alcohol and have them near Infrastructure such as hospital's,Schools,doctors,work,clean living environment etc then watch the youth suicide rate drop when these people have hope for the future and live the same as the rest of us and feel apart of the Australian community but your apartheid idea and not assimilating will be the death of your culture.
"If this pay the rent proposal was followed Australia-wide by state, territory and federal governments to all Aboriginal nations then Aboriginal disadvantage would end"What a load of rubbish throwing money at this problem will not fix it,you have to educate them on how to spend the money.Here's a question how much does a aboriginal adult get paid a year off the government now?I know the figure lets see if you people have the guts to tell the truth include all payments and loan rates,I bet I get no truthful answer because it will shock the rest of the readers.
" Mr Eggington said Nyoongars like himself have to stand up, the grassroot Nyoongars, because there are many Nyoongars he said who have sold themselves out to either greed or to a suite of honorary academic titles or the pursuit of the non-Aboriginal person's dreams and aspirations, and along the way they have tragically made the choice to neglect their peoples"
So in other words if you go live with the white man and give your children a better way of life you have sold yourself out go and get fucked Mr Eggington one of my mates did this and now is doing very well for himself he tells me how his people back in the bush are just jealous of his success but forget how hard he worked,as he say's to me he has given his children a future of hope and opportunity and they are more important than a pack of drunks in the bush.He is my nextdoor neighbour and I could not ask for a better family to live next to but no doubt you you will condemn him for having a shot at life!
"The law where if someone lays a finger on a police officer and that's it there is a mandatory 12 month prison sentence must go - when police confront our people it is traumatic for them and a finger laid on someone or a shove should not finish them up in prison"Mate if you touch a policeman or woman you should be given 10 years gaol these people put their lives on the line every shift they work if your people behaved themselves you got no problem, but we have all seen the way your people conduct themselves in places like Alice Spring and Cairns we need the Police to make the streets safe from your people tell me these places have no problem with drunken Aboriginal people?But you will call me racist for repeating what I see right?
"For every one black man who is imprisoned, ten white men get rich off that," if what you say is true why would they let the deaths in custody happen?if it's all about money or maybe it is out of their control!Mate you are a racist with that statement and I bet it is just not the white man getting rich I bet there are Italians and Greeks in the money loop too but we will just blame the white man because you are racist shame on you.
Sitting on your arse's with your hands out will harm your people not make things better you have too much time on your hands and that is where the trouble starts get off your arse and work like the rest of us and watch things change for the better
Into the mind of the problem
This part of your response, as banal as it may seem, goes to the mindset, the heart of the problem and why there are discriminatory and racist policies manifest even by a federal politicians - though they know what you've written here is factually incorrect the underwriting are similarly their premises and the premises of a guilt ridden guilt conscious Australia forever searching for hostile denials as some sort of Harry Houdini from the truth of the historical, contemporary and national identity.
This is what you wrote above:
"If this pay the rent proposal was followed Australia-wide by state, territory and federal governments to all Aboriginal nations then Aboriginal disadvantage would end"What a load of rubbish throwing money at this problem will not fix it,you have to educate them on how to spend the money.Here's a question how much does a aboriginal adult get paid a year off the government now?I know the figure lets see if you people have the guts to tell the truth include all payments and loan rates,I bet I get no truthful answer because it will shock the rest of the readers.
Your imputation that there are special benefits to Aboriginal peoples is wrong.
Your imputation that Aboriginal peoples may receive more monies per head of population than non-Aboriginal Australians is wrong.
Your comment that money is thrown at some problem that can't be fixed is false - the full suite of funding has never been met, that's the problem. What they've received is piecemeal and most have never reached from the arms of governments. What very little they do get with the right to Aboriginal advancement by Aboriginal peoples has done some good.
You writing out of stereotypes and misinformation that have been shoved down people's throats is typical of the problems and indicative of the nescience and other ignorance.
I will converse with you whenever even though you are banal and obstinate in your repetition of views and stances, your narrow-minded verbal diarrhoea and your clear as the light of day prejudices and biases.
I won't address the rest of your points, I have addressed them numerous times in many other instances. Sadly, you are entitled to your views and stances as damaging as they are to other peoples, that is the nature of the beast of individualism and democracy intertwined - then therefore so be the conversations.
See ya mate, Gerry
Blinded by the truth
Come on Gerry give us the figure in dollars how much they get a year? and no bullshit, please include the programs and projects like the ones below on you dollar figure
Community Development Employment Projects program (CDEP)
Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Legal Services - provide medical and legal services
the Indigenous Employment Programme - provides flexible financial assistance to help create employment and training opportunities for Indigenous people in the private sector
Indigenous education programs such as the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) and Parent School Partnership Initiative (PSPI).
Go on Gerry tell every one how much they really get and don't worry about things like free fishing licences and the money it costs for the up keep of Aboriginal Drinking Paddocks.You have not got the guts to put a price on it have you Gerry?
Gerry you don't want to touch on the other points because you know I am right.Or should we believe that Aboriginals have no problem with Alcohol abuse,child abuse,school truancy, your going to tell me that Alice Spring and Cairns and many other towns have no crowds of drunken Aboriginals in the streets at night right? Gerry you live in fairy land mate until people like you can face up to the short comings of the Aboriginal people instead of turning a blind eye these big problems can not be fixed.
My answer mate, kindly, Gerry
You've said it yourself before - you are a racist - that's plain speaking
You have a problem with Aboriginal peoples as you see them because of the perceptual modifications, you don't listen to facts and figures, you listen to broadcast stereotypes and dishevelled news grabs.
Have you been to Alice Springs and Cairns because I have, and you seem to describe images that are not the everyday images I have these places.
You have to stop pulling out every piece of crap - fishing licences etc., and offset it as some tax burden on the Australian citizen - why don't you get your facts straight, do some study, model the figures against the backdrop, inculcate the benefits and subsidies, grants and offsets of major non-Aboriginal organisations, communities and peoples. The only stat that should predominately guiding if you're not prepared to do some level headed contextual research is to look at the gross state products and the gross domestic product - for instance in WA, the GSD is 193 billion per annum and it's 14.4% of the GDP (over a trillion and a half per annum), and WA for instance has the highest per capita income of its citizens, Australians do well alround, and then look at the per capita spend and the per capita income of Aboriginal Australians as compared to non-Aboriginal Australians, and you will see the spend per head Aborginal person is less than on a non-Aboriginal person, and similary you will see that equity provision and per head income for a non-Aboriginal Australian outstrips by a upteen furlongs an Aboriginal person. You will find the spend on remote, semi-remote communities if they are Aboriginal or predominately Aboriginal is much less than any non-Aboriginal community or town. These figures quash your arguments of knit-picking to garner a portrayal of a benefits profligation and culture of favour dispensation at the comparative expense of non-Aboriginal Australians that does not exist.
Seriously mate you, and many others, including many in government, should be embarrassed at your targeting of a minority of peoples, of 2.5% of the total population, of peoples dispossessed and disenfranchised, battered and bruised, many of this generation, and of past, who trauma recovery is not possible for - you know better, you surely choose to find every excuse to push people down from your own consciousness. Whatever challenges in life you may have faced as you once and a while describe are legimate challenges you manage, and good on you, however your journey is not an excuse to displace anger upon others - we have enough parliamentarians doing this.
Kindly, Gerry
Re: My answer mate, kindly, Gerry
Gerry I know "White Man"is ruff in the way he comments, but I must say he is right about most of the things he says (not all)Alice Springs is a bad bad place to be. As a woman I would not dare to go out at night because of alcohol fuel violence it is bad Gerry.I know you do a lot of good but you must face the facts since alcohol was banned in communities the Aboriginal people come into town to drink and it is not pretty.
Here is a clip that explains what I have to deal with every day here in Alice Springs, it is not nice I am ready to leave with many others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO6nFwB2dqU&feature=related
Please don't think I am racist Gerry but it is hard to live like this.
The truth can not be hidden gerry
Still no dollar value Gerry what you afraid of?The truth?
"Have you been to Alice Springs and Cairns because I have, and you seem to describe images that are not the everyday images I have these places"Gerry I lived in Alice Springs for seven years how long were you there for?a week?Drunken Aboriginals and aboriginal kids as young as 6years old rule the streets at night everyone their knows it.Gerry either you have not spent time there or you are hiding the truth which one is it Gerry?
Gerry watch this video and see the reason I left the Alice this happens every night you got no idea what goes on, and that maybe the reason you go into bat for them.Gerry you would not last 10 min on the streets of Alice springs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO6nFwB2dqU&feature=related
Now lets see if Gerry has the guts to tell the truth about what really goes on?Gerry I just call a spade a spade but you gooders like you call me racist for repeating what I see, you are the one with the problem not me mate, try telling the truth Gerry
White man 1 Gerry 0
White Man you got Gerry on that one, I did not know Alice Springs was so bad,makes me wonder what the next generation of Aboriginals will do, go down the same old track or lift their game, if they don't lift their game most of them will be in jail, after seeing their conduct they have only themselves to blame, there comes a point in time you must be responsible for your own actions you can't blame the the white man for ever!
Re: The truth can not be hidden gerry
what are you talking about? gerry is the one dude who knows the streets, he walks among them and been everywhere, he still walks and is there among the poor, the homeless and those doing it tough
gerry doesn't have to worry about surviving he is welcomed by all, the man is not one of your armchair critics or dogooders he is the real mccoy
Re: The truth can not be hidden gerry
If Gerry knows what he is talking about why has he not seen what I see every night in Alice Springs?Is he sleep walking? or is he just hiding what happens in Alice Springs at night?I live here and I see it live from my arm chair most night of the week.But don't take my word for it research it yourself go on line look up the Alice Springs phone book and dial any number at random (including Aboriginal people)and ask the people who live there if it is true the streets are full of drunk Aboriginal gangs, and are there young girls selling sex to get money for grog, are there children as young as 8 years old out on the streets at 2am all up to no good,Then you will find out how little Gerry really knows.Please do it so you know the truth.
Re: My answer mate, kindly, Gerry
Gerry you are out of touch you might want to read this
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/aboriginal-australia/violence-i...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/01/3126665.htm?site=alicesprings
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3149671.htm
http://www.smh.com.au/national/no-town-like-alice-20110525-1f45n.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/destroyed-in-alice/stor...
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/fears-for-alice-as-crime-escalates/...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-02-23/kids-soliciting-for-sex-in-alice-s...
Gerry you need to tell white man you were wrong on this one mate
Re: My answer mate, kindly, Gerry
Leon, i don't think you are listening to what gerry is writing
interesting you listen to others
Re: My answer mate, kindly, Gerry
Why would I listen to someone that say's Alice Springs has no problem when I too have seen it first hand?Why would you listen to Gerry when it is quite clear he has no idea what happens in Alice Spring?
Re: Into the mind of the problem
This part of your response, as banal as it may seem, goes to the mindset, the heart of the problem and why there are discriminatory and racist policies manifest even by a federal politicians - though they know what you've written here is factually incorrect the underwriting are similarly their premises and the premises of a guilt ridden guilt conscious Australia foreverThis part of your response, as banal as it may seem, goes to the mindset, the heart of the problem and why there are discriminatory and racist policies manifest even by a federal politicians - though they know what you've written here is factually incorrect the underwriting are similarly their premises and the premises of a guilt ridden guilt conscious Australia forever searching for hostile denials as some sort of Harry Houdini from the truth of the historical, contemporary and national identity., contemporary and national identity.
Gerry there is nothing uninteresting about what white man writes,he tells it the way it is, which is very interesting and unusual not Banal at all.
Gerry I don't think you can say White Man is searching for hostile denials as some sort of Harry Houdini from the truth of the historical he said "Pay the rent, what rent? we stole the land off you we owe no rent"(Classic) as you see Gerry white man is not in denial or trying to change history this is one man you can not lay you usual guilt trip on you need to change you tactics on white man Gerry.
"Your imputation that Aboriginal peoples may receive more monies per head of population than non-Aboriginal Australians is wrong"Gerry I don't know the answer to this maybe you can help do aboriginal people pay rent on the houses they live in in their communities and do they get free health and free electricity?if some of this is not free what do they pay and if it is free then they do get more money.I and I bet many others would like to know the figures and why won't you answer white man's question on what they do receive in a dollar value?.If you are going to deny the accusations of white man give us a dollar value, get it out in the open for us all to see if there is nothing to hide.
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
"This is true but in this case I am who I say I am I am a white man and proud of it,but that will make me a racist because I am white right"
You are not a racist because you are white.
You are not a racist because you are white and proud of being white.
But I believe you are being callous because of your insensitivity to serious problems (which largely affect mainly them) in another cultural group.
"I would have thought it was people like Gerry Georgatos who is doing the stirring by writing such garbage and might I add a "professional stirrer" at that."
No I think you are being insensitive.
The following two comments made by you are contradictory:
"No one wants you to lose you identity and no one can stop you being who you are just the same as people like Gerry can hold on to his Greek identity by eating Greek food and and practicing Greek culture in things like song and dance etc these are things that are promoted in Australian society"
and
"but your apartheid idea and not assimilating will be the death of your culture. "
Assimilating is losing your culture. And people should understand just how offensive any expectation of assimilation is to Aboriginal people given the damage that over 200 years of this expectation being forced upon Aboriginal people has done.
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
"But I believe you are being callous because of your insensitivity to serious problems (which largely affect mainly them) in another cultural group"
We are all grown up we can only tell the truth.
Show me one culture that has not changed in 200 years?Many new Australians still hold onto their cultures through friends and families but when it comes to mixing with people in public and working they Assimilate with the Australian culture the other option is Apartheid, that will kill the Aboriginal people dead in their tracks it is a easy choice!
"I would have thought it was people like Gerry Georgatos who is doing the stirring by writing such garbage and might I add a "professional stirrer" at that." No I think you are being insensitive.
Insensitive this is the same bloke that calls white people invaders regardless if they have been here for two weeks or were born here 20 years ago, this is the man who's family came to Australia and reaped the rewards of white man's hard work, this white man,s country gave his family a better way of life than they could of had in Greece.You think I am worried if I hurt Gerry's feelings? the bloke that bit the hand that fed him and his family,I think not
White man you are a legend
White man you are a legend, these people got no comeback for you,you have eaten them up on every issue.
Thanks for saying what is on all our tongues.
P.S I think the person that calls himself Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 21/03/2012 - 1:06pm is Gerry, he is a bit shy to comment after the what he said about Alice Springs.Just goes to show you how much he really knows about indigenous people and how they live!!!!!!
Big man with nothing to say
That's right White Man you are a smart alec? Big man with nothing to say
Old man Col
Re: Big man with nothing to say
And what do you have to say Old man Col?
"It is a significant step in the reconciliation process"
People should be aware of what the deal between the State Government and the SWALSC Nyoongar community is and is not .
What it is not:
It is not a one document reconciliation between settler Australia and the traditional Nyoongar owners.
It is not a treaty.
It doesn't deign some form of future sovereignty for the Nyoongar people.
It is not the last step in reconciliation.
It does not make up for 150+ years of attempted genocide, assimilation policies and discrimination.
What it is:
It does resolve a number of native title claim in relation to the native title act of 1993 and does prevent or significantly limit any future claims that can be made in relation to this act..
It will provide the Nyoongar community with significant resources and some land which they don't currently have.
It is a significant step in the reconciliation process.
Sure, it will restrict some future claims but I'm don't believe that these restrictions will be as great as some people, on either side of the debate are making out. People should find out more about what the future legal effect will be before making their decision whether to support it or not.
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
what a great idea, yes the rent needs to be paid!
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
Great stuff Gerry.
As for the so called media editors of WA inc , well, allowing abuse against your own Guidelines "AGAIN".
Gee, tell us exactly who you are and who you work for ? that would be an eye opener ?
As we can see from white man's comments above, what underlies a brutish and sinister spirit is actually a very clever, well 'educated' person or persons, paralleling the criminal 'governments' across this land with their 'stick' and 'carrot' approach.
This is what 'most' Aboriginal and other disenfranchised people have had to confront for '2' many years, no wonder they 'own' the media, the voice and in many cases the hearts and minds of the mass that blindly follow them.
Know your enemy - they can be sitting at your table right now !
keep up your good works Gerry
John you are the enemy you are white
John I see you are are another white man, another white invader a person that has helped kill off the Aboriginal people, a racist,You are the enemy, you made them alcoholics,you made them abuse children,just ask people like Gerry!This is the crap that is pointed at us even though most off us have never seen or spoke to a Aboriginal person.The reason these people are disenfranchised is because of the rubbish people like Gerry ram down their throats that white man is the enemy, that it is only them that have a tuff life.It is this crap that stops then from having a go at life they are told they are different every day by these shit stirrers no wonder they give up hope.
Gee, tell us exactly who you are and who you work for ? that would be an eye opener ?Well my name is Wayne I am a builder that has worked on many Aboriginal projects around Australia and seen the crap first hand.I have worked in most corners of the world you want to see racism go work in a black mans country then you will see racism I have nothing on these people.Sorry I know you would have liked it if I said I worked for ASIO or one of the political parties no conspiracy here just observations taken from lifes journey.
John the media is owned and run by Zionist jews along with Hollywood they are out to destroy every one not just the Aboriginal which has been pointed out by people on this site (good to see some people can think for them selves)John I do not follow media I talk to people travel the world and make my own judgement.Here is a question for you John tell me one country that is run by black people that is not fucked up?by pointing out this point your are labeled a racist what for telling the truth?If it was not for white man the world would be still in the dark ages.
Know your enemy - they can be sitting at your table right now !
John your enemy is that anti white man Gerry!
"As for the so called media editors of WA inc , well, allowing abuse against your own Guidelines" "AGAIN".
John I have noticed that too, I usually would have been deleted by now, the editors must be on a protest for gay rights or something or are just smashed from too much drugs you know what these greenie wankers are like!So it is good to be experiencing freedom of speech for a change and not getting deleted because I have a different view to a pack of Homosexual greenies and Gerry the anti white man
Interview with Rob Eggington and Iva Jackson-Hayward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R76C-XmLZxw
Re: "Pay the Rent" - say Nyoongars - "Stronger Futures can ...
$2,000 what a disgrace
the $2000 offer = racism
March 28 rally
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/rowdy-noongar-protest-...
Andrew Bartlett's views
http://andrewbartlett.com/?p=7977
The rally
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8442933/wa-aboriginal-protesters-dem...
Police back again
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/13291482/police-back-at-heirisso...