WGAR News: Grandmothers Against Removals call for support

Grandmothers Against Removals camp at Aboriginal Tent Embassy ahead of Canberra Protest on February 13 - call for support

https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations/posts/378025745692415

Newsletter date: 2 February 2015

Contents:

* Statement: Grandmothers Against Removals call for support
* Analysis / Opinion: SNAICC: Child placement principle should be strengthened, not attacked
* Letter: SNAICC Chairperson responds to Sammut's opinion piece in the Australian
* WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation

* Analysis / Opinion: Jon Altman, New Matilda: How Successive Governments Destroyed Black Jobs, And Why The Latest Plan Will Too
* WGAR Background: Aboriginal Peoples and the impact of the Federal Budget

* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: 8 little children on the streets; youngest less than 30 days old
* Audio Interview: Kirstyn Lindsay, Living Black Radio: Housing overcrowding under-reported [Featuring Jenny Samms]

* News: SNAICC: We must look to our humanity to solve the crisis of Indigenous incarceration
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: More than 15 % in jail for unpaid fines
* WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody

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

- Statement

Grandmothers Against Removals call for support
Green Left: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/58149
31 Jan 15: "Grandmothers Against Removals released this statement on January 28. * * *
Activists from the national movement Grandmothers Against Removals joined the Aboriginal protest convergence in Canberra over the Invasion Day long weekend, including the march on Parliament House.
Many of the Aboriginal families attending the convergence were suffering from the impact of the continuing forced removal of children by welfare agencies across the country. More than 14,000 Aboriginal children are now in "out of home care", more than at any time in Australia's history, including at the height of the Stolen Generations of the 20th century.
Several of the grandmothers remain camped at the Aboriginal tent embassy and have vowed to maintain their protest camp until a big demonstration in Canberra planned for February 13, the anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations.
While at the camp, they will continue their work of providing support and case advocacy for families struggling to have their children returned, along with making preparations for the upcoming demonstration.
The grandmothers are calling on supporters to join them at the embassy, to help with preparations for February 13. ... "

Homepage of Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR): http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/

- Analysis / Opinion

SNAICC - Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care: Child placement principle should be strengthened, not attacked
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-articles.cfm?loadref=168&id=1174
27 Jan 15: "The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) has come under attack twice in recent weeks in opinion pieces published in the Australian newspaper by Jeremy Sammut of the Centre for Independent Studies. ... SNAICC strongly disagrees with Sammut’s stance and is concerned that his opinion pieces contain a number of inaccuracies and misconceptions about the ATSICPP (as well as other Indigenous issues). ... "

- Letter

SNAICC Chairperson responds to Sammut's opinion piece in the Australian
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-articles.cfm?loadref=168&id=1173
22 Jan 15: "To: Editor, The Australian
22 January 2015
Dear Editor,
... here are the facts about the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle. I am a "modern day" Narungga/Kaurna Aboriginal woman, with an evolving but very strong culture. I lead a child protection agency and am chair of the national peak Indigenous child protection body, SNAICC. I work with this principle every day. It aims to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and agencies a say on child protection decisions - a basic right denied to us, with disastrous consequences, during the Stolen Generations era. ... " Sharron Williams, CEO Aboriginal Families Support Services (South Australia) and SNAICC Chairperson

- Background

WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-removal-of-aborigina...
(last updated: 29 January 2015)

- Analysis / Opinion

New Matilda: How Successive Governments Destroyed Black Jobs, And Why The Latest Plan Will Too
https://www.newmatilda.com/2015/01/28/how-successive-governments-destroy...
28 Jan 15: "The dismantling of a successful Aboriginal employment program by Labor and Liberal has proved to be disastrous. Professor Jon Altman explains. On a Saturday in early December last year, the Abbott government announced its proposed reform of the Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP), applicable to 30,000 unemployed Aboriginal adults living in remote Australia. The proposals, to be introduced from July 1 this year, are the clearest evidence yet that the ‘new’ government with a ‘new’ Indigenous Advancement Strategy focused on remote Australia ... has totally lost its way." By Jon Altman

- Background

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: 8 January 2015)

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: 8 little children on the streets; youngest less than 30 days old
http://thestringer.com.au/8-little-children-on-the-streets-youngest-less...
24 Jan 15: "On New Year’s Day a little girl was born, opening her eyes to the world, but to what kind of a world? Compassionate or merciless? By this Thursday, only 28 days old this little baby will be homeless. It is bullsh*t a 28 day old baby should be homeless. Not just this little baby but also her six sisters and her brother. A whole family is about to be evicted and they have not put a single foot wrong. What sort of society are we? Their mum is a good mum, who circumstance has betrayed. Where is society’s compassion? ... " By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

- Audio Interview

Living Black Radio: Housing overcrowding under-reported
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/389110/t...
30 Jan 15: "This week the ROGS report was released from the Productivity Commission, comparing jurisdictions within the Productivity Report for 2014. The ROGS Report is the Report on Government Services and the data indicates that ten percent of first nations people are living in overcrowded public housing, with concerns that reporting the issues with public housing has been under-reported. Jenny Samms is the CEO for Aboriginal Housing Victoria and she clarifies more on the report and what funding cuts mean for people on waiting lists for housing."

- News

SNAICC - Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care: We must look to our humanity to solve the crisis of Indigenous incarceration
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-articles.cfm?loadref=168&id=1179
29 Jan 15: "Indigenous education expert Chris Sarra has described the high incarceration rate of Indigenous Australians as "a stain on our society". Writing in The Guardian newspaper, Mr Sarra pointed out that Indigenous Australians are among the most incarcerated peoples in the world. "As a society," Mr Sarra writes, "Australia does better at keeping a young Aboriginal person in prison than in school or university. The Aboriginal re-imprisonment rate is actually higher than the Aboriginal school retention rate from year 7 to year 12.""

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: More than 15 % in jail for unpaid fines
http://thestringer.com.au/more-than-15-in-jail-for-unpaid-fines-9407
23 Jan 15: "One of the major reasons Western Australia’s prison population is at a record high is because the State is jailing poverty stricken fine defaulters. ... The State’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples are disproportionately burdened, once again and as per usual. They comprise less than 3 per cent of the State’s total population but are about 45 per cent of the State’s prison population. ... One in 13 of all the State’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adult males are in prison. Nearly half the Western Australians jailed for fine defaults are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

- Background

WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-justice-reinvestment...
(last updated: 24 December 2014)

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

About WGAR News:

https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news

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) and South Australia (SA);
* 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;
* Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing;
* 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.

The role of 'WGAR News' is to facilitate the voices of others, and as such, 'WGAR News' rarely writes its own articles.

'WGAR News' publishes information and opinions from a wide range of sources.
These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.

The e-newsletters include media releases, opinion pieces, news items, audio, videos and events.

Subscribers can expect to receive about 3-4 e-newsletters each week.

To subscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.

To unsubscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "unsubscribe WGAR News" in the message header.

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

Comments

WGAR News: SNAICC: Community meeting on the crisis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child removals [2pm; 12 Feb]

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/02/06/wgar-news-snaicc-community-meeting-o...

Contents:

* Event: 12 February 2015 Canberra: SNAICC invites feedback from GMAR and families affected by Stolen Generations
* Media Release: SNAICC: Community meeting on the crisis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child removals
* SNAICC Community Announcement: 13 February 2015: Grandmothers Against Removals march to Parliament House
* News: Cassandra Tim, NIRS: Family rights advocates to head to Canberra for protest
* Analysis / Opinion: MedicalXpress: Shocking new figures show Indigenous child removal crisis is getting worse
* Analysis / Opinion: Xavier Smerdon, Pro Bono: Indigenous Children in Care Up 65 Per Cent Since National Apology
* Homepage of the Grandmothers Against Removals website: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
* Facebook: Stop Stolen Generations: https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations
* WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation

WGAR News: Aboriginal Sovereign Manifesto of Demands - National Aboriginal Freedom Movement

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/02/10/wgar-news-aboriginal-sovereign-manif...

Contents:

* Manifesto: Aboriginal Sovereign Manifesto of Demands - National Aboriginal Freedom Movement Aboriginal Embassy, Canberra, Australia
* Audio: Adam Evans, NIRS: Protesters come face-to-face with politicians during 'sit-in' [Featuring Tauto Sansbury and Gerry Georgatos]
* Audio Interview: Living Black Radio: 090215 ACT Freedom Sit In [Featuring Tauto Sansbury]
* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: They Came For The Abbott Spill, And Missed The Only Real Story In Town
* Audio: Ninah Kopel, The Wire: Protesting worlds worst child removal rate [Featuring Sue-Ellen Tighe, Michael Anderson and Tauto Sansbury]
* Video: NITV News - 9 February 2015: "GMAR groups from across the country rallied with Freedom Movement campaigners on the grounds of Parliament house to deliver a set of demands ... "
* News & Photos: CAAMA Radio at First Nations Freedom Movement Canberra 2015
* News & Photos: 9 News: Protesters attempt to derail TODAY Show's Canberra broadcast to bring attention to indigenous deaths in custody
* Photos from the Sit-In: Sovereign Union & Stop Stolen Generations Facebook
* Current Event: Freedom Movement Sit-In at Parliament House, Canberra, from 9 February 2015
* WGAR Background to the National Freedom Movement

WGAR News: Communique from Grandmothers Against Removals National Committee and the Aboriginal Tent Embassy rally - 13 February 2015

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/02/13/wgar-news-communique-from-grandmothe...

Contents:

* Statement: 13 Feb 2015 - National Statement marking the Anniversary of the National Apology
Communique from Grandmothers Against Removals National Committee and the Aboriginal Tent Embassy rally on the anniversary of the National Apology - February 13 2015
* Audio: Gerry Georgatos, NIRS: Grannies group protest marks apology anniversary [Featuring Grandmother Priscilla Whiteman]
* Audio: Gerry Georgatos, NIRS: Child welfare rally to coincide with National Apology anniversary [Featuring Aunty Hazel Collins of GMAR]
* Audio: NIRS: Plea for policy change underscores seventh apology anniversary [Featuring SNAICC CEO Frank Hytten & Aunty Hazel Collins]
* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: 'It Must Never Happen Again': Seven Years On From The Apology, Guess What Is Happening
* Flyer: Join Our Fight Against Ongoing Stolen Generations: National Protest 13 February 2015 Outside Parliament House Canberra! Marking 7th anniversary of national apology

* Audio: Life Matters, ABC Radio National: The increase in Indigenous child removals [Featuring Debra Swan of GMAR, Jeremy Sammut, Sue-Anne Hunter & Deidre Mulkerin]
* Video: NITV News - 12 February 2015: "Fighting for their kids; The Grandmothers Against Removals tell their story in the nation's capital."
* Audio & Article: Darren Mara, SBS News: Stolen Generations forum marks Apology anniversary
* Media Alert: "Stolen Generations are worse than ever before", testify affected Aboriginal Families on Anniversary of National Apology
10am Thursday 12 February, 2015 - Room S23, Federal Parliament House - Hosted by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert

* News: Emma Sleath, ABC Alice Springs: 'Give back our children', Aboriginal grandmother says

* Homepage of the Grandmothers Against Removals website: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
* Facebook: Stop Stolen Generations: https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations
* WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation

* Audio: Justin Fenwick, The Wire: Aboriginal rights in the hands of a new generation [Featuring Gerry Georgatos, Tauto Sansbury, Michael Mansell & Debra Swan of GMAR]

WGAR News: Justice for Julieka Campaign: Deaths In Custody Watch Committee WA

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/02/06/wgar-news-justice-for-julieka-campai...

Contents:

* Bulletin: January edition of the Deaths In Custody Watch Committee WA Inc 'iNSiDE Out' E-Bulletin
* Campaign: Deaths In Custody Watch Committee WA: Justice for Julieka Campaign
* Petition: Deaths In Custody Watch Committee WA: Petition in relation to the Death in Police Custody of 22 year old Ms Dhu
* News: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: Julieka Dhu's Family Slams Barnett Govt Over Death In Custody And Town Closures
* News: Human Rights Law Centre: Still no answers for the family of Julieka Dhu
* News: Caitlyn Gribbin, ABC News: Ms Dhu's family call for urgent inquest into Aboriginal woman's death in police custody
* Audio: Warren Barnsley and ABC News, NIRS: Calls for answers on Ms Dhu's death continue six months later [Featuring Ms Dhu's grandmother, Carol Roe]
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Family of Ms Dhu still waiting for answers

* Analysis / Opinion: Nancy Jeffrey, The Daily Telegraph: Statistics that tell us things have to change
* Analysis / Opinion: Chris Sarra, The Guardian: We must look to our humanity to solve the crisis of Indigenous incarceration
* Audio: Jordan Curtis, The Wire: Campaign to lower young indigenous incarceration [Featuring Sarah Hopkins, Chairperson of Just Reinvest & Mick Gooda]
* Analysis / Opinion: Jason Thomas, SBS News: How much does it cost to keep people in Australian jails?
* Analysis / Opinion: PS News: Call for justice on legal aid cuts
* News: Land Rights News - Northern Edition: APONT raises concerns over youth in detention
* Analysis / Opinion: John B. Lawrence SC, Land Rights News - Northern Edition: Lock-up mania: NT leads the world
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: 11 years on, the protests remain large but no justice for TJ Hickey family

* WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody

WGAR News: Highest child removal rates in the world - worse than Stolen Generations: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/02/16/wgar-news-highest-child-removal-rate...

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Highest child removal rates in the world - worse than Stolen Generations
* Video Doco: Eleanor Gilbert, Vimeo: Grandmothers present 'end genocide' demand to Senator Rachel Siewert
* Audio: The Stringer Audio/Radio News: Paddy speaking about Grandmother Audrey Martin's grandchildren
* Audio: The Stringer Audio/Radio News: Paddy speaking about the high removal rates
* News: Kylie Galbraith, The Northern Daily Leader: Grandmothers' anti-removal campaign reaches Canberra
* Media Roundup: Diet Simon, Linksunten Indymedia: Grandmothers protest worst ever stealing of Australian Aboriginal children
* Photos: Workers Bush Telegraph: Grandparents against Removals [Protest at Parliament House, Canberra]
* Video: NITV News - 13 February 2015: Fighting for their kids - Grandmothers Against Removals tell their stories
* Video: NITV News - 13 February 2015: Grandmothers Against Removals: Hands off our children
* Audio: ABC AM: More Aboriginal children being removed from their homes than ever before [Featuring Vanessa Colbung and Olivia Nigro of GMAR]
* Audio: 130215 Living Black News Bulletin: Grandmothers Against Removals protest at Parliament House
* Audio: Gerry Georgatos, NIRS: Protest against 'cruel' removal of Aboriginal kids [Featuring Aunty Hazel Collins of GMAR]
* Audio: Gerry Georgatos, NIRS: Greens: High removal rates to continue unless funding boosted
* News: Latika Bourke, SMH: Kevin Rudd warns of the emergence of a new stolen generation

* Homepage of the Grandmothers Against Removals website: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
* Facebook: Stop Stolen Generations: https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations

* WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation

WGAR News: National Children's Commissioner cites racism as factor in child removal: SNAICC

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/21/wgar-news-national-childrens-commiss...

Contents:

* News Analysis: SNAICC: National Children's Commissioner cites racism as factor in child removal [Featuring Megan Mitchell]
* Analysis / Opinion: Saffron Howden, SMH: Racism 'a factor' in child removal [Featuring Paddy Gibson]

* Upcoming Event: 6th SNAICC National Conference - 15-17 September 2015, Perth: For Our Children - Community Voices: Sharing Knowledge & Practice

* Video: Olivia Nigro, YouTube: Stop Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities - Vanessa Culbong (GMAR WA)
* Photos: Grandmothers Against Removals: GMAR Rally February 13 2015: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
* Facebook: Stop Stolen Generations: https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations

* Extended Background Videos: SNAICC, YouTube: SNAICC Forum - "Stop the Creation of Another Stolen Generation!"
[Chair: Kerry Arabena; Panel: Muriel Bamblett, Aunty Lorraine Peeters, Eva Jo Edwards, Megan Mitchell & Helen Szoke]

* WGAR Background: Removal of Aboriginal children and the continuing Stolen Generation