South Australia

River Murray and Mallee First peoples gain native title

The first people of the lower Murray river and Mallee country were successful in their 14 year old native title claim in the Riverland region of South Australia. At a Federal Court hearing at Lake Bonney today, Justice John Mansfield made a consent determination recognising the First People of the River Murray and Mallee Region’s non-exclusive native title rights and interest over parts of their traditional land in areas of the Murray River around Renmark, Berri, Barmera, Waikerie and Morgan. The claim was originally lodged in 1998.

Geography: 

WGAR News: 'cA' paper: Cuts to welfare payments for school non-attendance - requested or imposed?

Newsletter date: 12 November 2011

Contents:
* 'cA': Cuts to Welfare Payments for School Non-Attendance
* Thanks from leaders to supporters of the Yolngu Nations Assembly
* Paddy Gibson and Barb Shaw: Alternative to the NT Intervention
* Emma Murphy: New NT education policy still sidelines Indigenous language
* Amnesty: Stronger futures in the NT must be a product of the people
* Greens Rachel Siewert: Smarter investments the key for the NT
* More on the National Health Leadership Forum (NHLF)
* What’s Working: So No to Government Intervention

WGAR News: Aboriginal leaders call for apology over NT intervention; Darwin launch of Walk With Us

Newsletter date: 9 November 2011

Contents:
* Aboriginal Leaders call for apology over NT intervention
* Report on 'Consultations' - "A flawed process and not what people said"
* Darwin book launch of 'Walk With Us' - Aboriginal views on the NT Intervention
* Video: Yuendumu Voices - Reflections on the Intervention
* National Health Leadership Forum (NHLF) to be voice to govt
* Interview with Jonathan Nichols, Editor of a APY Project
* Project: Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud exhibition
* Jon Altman: The intervention is dead, long live the intervention

WGAR News: Rosalie Kunoth-Monks on Q and A; Interviews with Djiniyini Gondarra and Michael Anderson

Newsletter date: 26 October 2011

Contents:
* Rosalie Kunoth-Monks - panellist on Q and A live from Darwin
* Interview with Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra - Yolgnu embassy proposed
* Interview with Michael Anderson - Sovereignty and Native Title
* Evidence - Free Policy Making? The Case of Income Management by Eva Cox
* Eva Cox: The lack of evidence for the benefits of Income Management
* What's Working: Tjuwumpa Rangers
* Chapter of Book: The Doctrine of Discovery in Australia
* Protesters shut down Macklin press conference
* More on APY Lands

WGAR News: Upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia - 17 events from 25 October 2011

Newsletter date: 25 October 2011
Newsletter last updated: 25 October 2011 4:20pm

Click on the links for details of the events ...

Event: Thu 18 August - Sun 30 October 2011: Wiluna to Perth, WA
Walk Away from Uranium Mining
"By coming to Wiluna you will be supporting Traditional
Owners in their opposition to uranium mining."
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/walk-away-from-uranium-mining
Event details: http://www.nuclearfreefuture.com/
Walk Schedule: http://footprints.footprintsforpeace.net/nffcampaign/upload/files/Wiluna...

WGAR News: Advocates brief UN Committee on the Rights of the Child re Australia's performance

Newsletter date: 16 October 2011

Contents:
* Advocates brief UN Committee on the Rights of the Child re Australia's performance
* Amnesty chief tells Macklin - We will be watching
* Attempted suicides in communities affected by NT Intervention has doubled
* Arnhem Land leaders are gathering on Elcho Island
* Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott calls for scrapping of Olympic Dam expansion
* What’s Working: A Better Way - ANTaR's book of success stories
* More on APY Lands
* Apology to the Aboriginal People of Australia on behalf of Australians of Arabic background

WGAR News: Amnesty International head slams decades of neglect in remote Aboriginal communities

Newsletter date: 13 October 2011

Contents:
* Amnesty International cheif Salil Shetty visits communities in Utopia, NT
* Calls for implementation of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
* Jon Altman: Homeland communities destroyed to save a bit of cash
* Amnesty International Australia Action: Tell the government: don’t abandon homelands
* Amnesty International Australia: Utopia Homelands featured on the 7pm Project
* What’s Working: Health-Utopia
* Rally against Income Management in Bankstown - 8 October 2011

BHP gets approval for world's largest open pit mine at Olympic Dam

BHP Billiton Olympic Dam mine expansion in South Australia has received a go ahead from Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke on 10th October 2011. This will create the world's largest open pit mine, over 1km deep, 4.5km long and 3km wide. The export of uranium is expected to increase from an average of 4,000 tonnes per year to 19,000 tonnes per year, and the production of copper, gold and silver also expected to increase. Olympic Dam already consumes an inordinate amount of ground water extracted from the Great Artesian Basin every day - for free. The mine expansion will entail BHP Billiton expanding groundwater extraction and building a 280 megalitres-a-day desalination plant at Point Lowly, northeast of Whyalla on Spencer's Gulf which will impact the only known breeding ground of the giant Australian cuttlefish, prawn fisheries and the sensitive marine environment.

Save Point Lowly | Save the Great Artesian Basin |
Events: National Day of Action against BHP Billiton - Thursday, October 20 - Melbourne Facebook page or Adelaide Facebook page | BHP Billitons Annual General Meeting at the Melbourne convention centre on November the 17th at 10:30am.

Geography: 
Promotion: 

WGAR News: Tracker's Brian Johnston: Reality in APY Lands different from media agenda campaigns

Newsletter date: 9 October 2011

Contents:
* Tracker's Brian Johnston: Reality in APY Lands is different from the media agenda driven campaigns
* APY Council general manager calls for full community consultation about their needs
* Head of Amnesty says govt's "top-down externally driven" efforts widen the gap
* Media re Barbara Shaw's Sydney speaking tour - 3-9 Oct 2011
* Upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia - 25 events from 9 October 2011
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other articles

WGAR News: NT govt's English in schools policy; Trucking nuclear waste through SA on way to NT

Newsletter date: 2 October 2011

Contents:
* Reminder of change of venue of 'Rebuilding from the Ground Up' launch with Barb Shaw
* A Tribute to Aboriginal Youth Suicide and Stolen Generations: 10 October 2011
* NT government's draft update to its English in schools policy
* Plan to truck nuclear waste through SA on way to NT
* Upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia - 29 events from 2 October 2011
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other articles

* REMINDER OF CHANGE OF VENUE OF 'REBUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP' LAUNCH WITH BARB SHAW: