WGAR News: Unions Slam Closure Of Remote Aboriginal Communities In WA: Amy McQuire, New Matilda

Newsletter date: 19 April 2015

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Mia Pepper, Eco-Shout: Radioactive racism in the Wild West - WA takes aim at remote communities

* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: Unions Slam Closure Of Remote Aboriginal Communities In WA

* News Analysis: Shar Adams, Epoch Times: Australia: Indigenous Affairs Take Backward Step [Featuring Jon Altman]

* Audio Interviews: Cassandra Tim & Warren Barnsley, NIRS Weekly News-in-Review:
[Featuring: Pekeri Ruska, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance & Haydn Bromley, South Australian Aboriginal Lands Trust]

* Interview: Solidarity Online: Aboriginal community closures: 'This is an attempt to destroy our culture'
[Featuring Meriki Onus, protest organiser from the youth group Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance]

* News: Michele Jedlicka, The Inverell Times: Inverell plans second protest march over closing WA Aboriginal communities
* Audio: Kristy McMahon, NIRS: Auckland to rally in support of remote WA communities
* Event Poster: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia, facebook: "We would like to confirm that that 2nd National Call of Action will be held Friday 1st May 2015."

* Video: Myles Morgan & Andrea Booth, NITV News: NT Minister expects migration if WA communities close

* Facebook: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia: https://www.facebook.com/sosblakaustralia
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA

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

- Analysis / Opinion

Eco-Shout: Radioactive racism in the Wild West - WA takes aim at remote communities
http://www.ecoshout.org.au/blog/radioactive-racism-wild-west-wa-takes-ai...
18 Apr 15: "Pushing Aboriginal people off their land for mining interests is nothing new in Western Australia, but Premier Barnett's plans to close 150 communities and gut the Aboriginal Heritage Act takes it to a new level, reports Mia Pepper. You’d be forgiven for thinking West Australia was the Wild West. The announcement from the WA Government to close 150 Aboriginal remote communities comes hot on the heels of plans to gut the Aboriginal Heritage Act. ... " Mia Pepper, a long time anti-uranium campaigner with a strong focus on Indigenous rights. She's worked with Friends of the Earth on the campaign to shut down Roxby Downs uranium mine in South Australia and is currently the Nuclear Free Campaigner at the Conservation Council of Western Australia and Deputy Chair Mineral Policy Institute.

- Analysis / Opinion

New Matilda: Unions Slam Closure Of Remote Aboriginal Communities In WA
https://newmatilda.com/2015/04/17/unions-slam-closure-remote-aboriginal-...
17 Apr 15: "The ACTU has hit out at the 'paternalistic' approach of the Abbott and Barnett governments. Amy McQuire reports. The peak body representing Australian workers has condemned the planned closures of up to 150 remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia by the state government, stating Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s controversial ‘lifestyle choices’ comments reflect the positions of big miners like Gina Reinhart and Andrew Forrest. ... But the plans to close up to 150 remote communities have been savaged by Australians all across the country, ... " By Amy McQuire, a Darumbul woman from central Queensland. Amy is a senior reporter with New Matilda. She is the former editor of the National Indigenous Times and Tracker.

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

New Matilda - About Us
https://newmatilda.com/about-us
"New Matilda is independent journalism at its best. ... The Mission: We believe that robust media is fundamental to a healthy democracy - and there's never been a more important time for independent media in Australia. With shrinking media diversity, and huge changes underway in delivery, there are fewer and fewer outlets publishing independent-minded journalism like ours. New Matilda publishes compelling commentary on current events as well as breaking news and investigative journalism. ... "

ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions) 2015 Media Releases: http://www.actu.org.au/actu-media/media-releases/2015

About the ACTU
The ACTU is the peak union body representing almost 2 million Australian workers and their families.
http://www.actu.org.au/about-the-actu/about-the-actu
"When union delegates gathered in the Victorian Trades Hall in 1927 to establish the Australian Council of Trade Unions they had a clear vision - to lift the living standards and quality of working life of working people. And their strategy to achieve this was also clear - to build union organisation of the workforce on a national basis. More than 80 years on the ACTU, its affiliated unions and their members celebrate a proud record of achievement on behalf of working Australians and the community. ... "

- News Analysis

Epoch Times: Australia: Indigenous Affairs Take Backward Step
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1322866-australia-indigenous-affairs-tak...
16 Apr 15: "The Australian government’s handling of Indigenous affairs has received fair criticism over the years, but plans to close 150 remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia (WA), and the Prime Minister’s comments, highlight concerns that things are getting worse not better for Aboriginal people in Australia. "It’s worse now I think, than it has been at any time in the modern policy era going back to the 1970s," he said in a phone interview. "Indigenous affairs in this country at the moment are in chaos, absolute chaos," said Professor Jon Altman, a specialist in Aboriginal policy and sustainable economic development ... " By Shar Adams

- Audio Interviews

National Indigenous Radio's Weekly News-in-Review
http://www.nirs.org.au/PROGRAMS/NIRS-Weekly-News-in-Review
http://www.nirs.org.au/_content_data/_files/Weekly%20News%20In%20Review%...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2qwwbzvskmr1a0y/Weekly%20News%20In%20Review%20...
17 Apr 15: "This week's episode is presented by Cassandra Tim.
This week:
* Pekeri Ruska from Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance discusses a Melbourne protest against remote communities;
* The South Australian Aboriginal Lands Trust's Haydn Bromley on a funding deal to keep remote communities open; ...
Producers: Cassandra Tim and Warren Barnsley"

- Interview

Solidarity Online: Aboriginal community closures: 'This is an attempt to destroy our culture'
http://www.solidarity.net.au/aboriginal/aboriginal-community-closures-th...
20 Mar 15: " ... Meriki Onus, protest organiser from the youth group Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, spoke to Solidarity about the need to resist these community closures and the broader agenda of assimilation. ...
What are the next steps in the fight against community closures?: This fight is not over. There are already plans for what is happening next. We need to find ways to keep Melbourne city engaged, keep this issue on the platform and create change. We have a lot of work to do. It’s our responsibility to educate each other and get out with our feet on the streets and protest what we see happening in WA. We cannot wait for these decisions to just roll out, we have to take control of our own lives again. We don’t have a choice anymore. ... "

- News

The Inverell Times: Inverell plans second protest march over closing WA Aboriginal communities
http://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/3016932/inverell-plans-second-prot...
16 Apr 15: "PEOPLE are invited to participate in a march of solidarity on May 1 for those in Western Australia who are being removed from their Aboriginal communities. There was an initial well-supported Inverell march on Saturday, April 4, but organiser Jill Wilson said this second event coincides with the national event. People in cities across the country will join in local efforts for the March to Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia. ... " Michele Jedlicka

- Audio

NIRS: Auckland to rally in support of remote WA communities
http://www.nirs.org.au/NEWS/Auckland-to-rally-in-support-of-remote-WA-co...
17 Apr 15: "A rally will be held in the New Zealand city of Auckland tomorrow in support of Aboriginal communities in Western Australian facing closure. Labour MP and Maori woman Louisa Wall is urging Maori to attend the protest, as well as get behind a global day of action on May 1st against community closures. ... " Kristy McMahon, Journalist

- Event Poster

Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia, facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sosblakaustralia/photos/a.1042299689120174.1073...
24 Mar 15: "We would like to confirm that that 2nd National Call of Action will be held Friday 1st May 2015. Actions will begin at 10am in the Kimberley but there will be other times for other states behind this and we will promote the information specific to the locations when confirmed. Any communities wishing to organise an action on this day, please contact us so that we can support you and provide resources."

- Video

SBS News: NT Minister expects migration if WA communities close
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/04/17/nt-minister-expects-migrat...
17 Apr 15: "Koori man and Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles says he expects a potential migration of people from remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia into the Northern Territory if those communities are closed. ... "Look I think there's definitely a risk of population movement from WA across to the NT," Mr Giles told NITV ahead of the Coalition of Australian Governments meeting in Canberra. ... " By Myles Morgan and Andrea Booth; Source: NITV News

- Facebook

Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia
https://www.facebook.com/sosblakaustralia

- Background

WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/08/background-plans-to-close-aboriginal...
(last updated: 16 April 2015)

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:

* The Freedom Summit's National Freedom Movement;
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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)