Newsletter date: 17 March 2013
Contents:
* Brisbane Aboriginal-Sovereign Embassy: Brisbane Sovereign Embassy warriors found 'Not Guilty'
* NIRS Audio: Brisbane Embassy members have charges dropped
* Christine Flatley, Brisbane Times: Aboriginal tent embassy charges dropped
* Background to the Aboriginal tent embassies
* SNAICC News: New approaches are needed to child protection - or we risk another Stolen Generation
* Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane: Let's Talk Interviews
- Nicole Watson, researcher with Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning
- Aunty Lilla Watson & Mary Graham
- Jeff McMullen, renowned journalist
- Chris Graham, freelance journalist
* Sovereign Union: Australia's 'admissions against their own interest' - an alert to the Canberra Centenary
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* SBS Audio Radionews: NT 'mainstreams' Indigenous services
* Other articles
* BRISBANE ABORIGINAL-SOVEREIGN EMBASSY: BRISBANE SOVEREIGN EMBASSY WARRIORS FOUND 'NOT GUILTY'
- Media Release and Photos
Brisbane Aboriginal-Sovereign Embassy: Brisbane Sovereign Embassy warriors found 'Not Guilty'
Sovereign Union: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/brisbane-sovereign-embassy-wa...
11 Mar 13: "The three warriors from the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy, arrested last December for defending the sacred fire were found not guilty today in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.
Police offered no evidence against Wayne Wharton, Boe Skuthorpe-Spearim and Hamish Chitts. This was in stark contrast to the period since their arrest where police first imposed draconian bail conditions which prevented the three from participating in cultural and religious ceremony and then wasted court time and tax payer money trying to keep the bail conditions in place. Eventually after three court appearances the bail conditions were dropped.
Today's finding is a vindication for the Embassy and a silent acknowledgement by the colonial authorities that the Embassy does have the support of the community and does have the support of the tribes on whose land Brisbane stands.
The Embassy will proudly continue the business of raising the question of First Nations Sovereignty, a question that all people who call this country home must engage with. ... "
- Upcoming Event
Event: Sun 24 March 2013: South Brisbane, Qld
The Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy - 1 Year Strong!
Corroboree
First Nations gathering: All welcome!
Flyer: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=167969003353278&set=p.1679690033...
WGAR Background to the Aboriginal tent embassies: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* NIRS AUDIO: BRISBANE EMBASSY MEMBERS HAVE CHARGES DROPPED
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Brisbane Embassy members have charges dropped
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28778/Brisbane-Embassy-members-...
12 Mar 13: "Further charges against three members of the Brisbane Sovereign Embassy have been dropped. Bogaine Spearim, Uncle Wayne 'Coco' Wharton and Hamish Blake were charged with contravening a police direction at a protest over the closure of the Embassy last year. Mr Spearim says he believes the police didn't have any evidence to convict them."
* CHRISTINE FLATLEY, BRISBANE TIMES: ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY CHARGES DROPPED
- News
Brisbane Times: Aboriginal tent embassy charges dropped
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/aboriginal-tent-embassy-charg...
14 Mar 13: "Police have dropped charges against three Aboriginal activists who were arrested while trying to re-establish a tent embassy in Brisbane. Wayne Wharton, Bogaine Skuthorpe-Spearim and Hamish Chitts were arrested in inner-city Musgrave Park shortly after midnight on December 12. ... When they fronted the Brisbane Magistrates Court this week for a hearing, police announced they were dropping the charges." Christine Flatley
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:
Last updated: 12 March 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* SNAICC NEWS: NEW APPROCHES ARE NEEDED TO CHILD PROTECTION - OR WE RISK ANOTHER STOLEN GENERATION
- Media Release
SNAICC News: SNAICC Media Release - New approaches are needed to child protection - or we risk another Stolen Generation
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1018
8 Mar 13: "The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals an already serious situation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is getting worse.
Figures show than one-third of all children in out-home-care in Australia are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and that our children are eight times more likely to be the subject of substantiated child abuse and neglect. ...
Addressing the underlying causes that lead to child abuse and neglect is at the core of improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Our children and families continue to experience systemic discrimination and disadvantage in health, education and housing.
Any long-term and sustainable solutions to our children’s welfare must be based on ensuring the basic needs of our children and families are met.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities must be empowered to participate in a meaningful way in the design and delivery of programs that affect their lives. ... "
- Related News
SNAICC News: SNAICC submission says increased participation is the key to change in Queensland
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1021
15 Mar 13: "SNAICC has made a submission to the Queensland Child Protection Inquiry calling for greater participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in service design and delivery. The submission supports calls by the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak (QATSICPP) for the establishment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander controlled child and family wellbeing 'hubs' across the state."
SNAICC News: Queensland child protection inquiry releases discussion paper
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1013
7 Mar 13: "The Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry has released a discussion paper to initiate a conversation about the significant child protection issues that the commission has heard and examined to date. ... The paper devotes a chapter on the alarmingly high level of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Queensland’s child protection system - exploring both the underlying causes and failures in the system that account for the high numbers. ... "Queensland’s current approach to child protection is clearly failing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children ... "
SNAICC News: Review of Family Support Program is an opportunity for new approaches
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1014
7 Mar 13: "The Australian Government’s Family Support Program (FSP) funds non-government organisations to deliver services that strengthen family wellbeing and community cohesion, protect the best interests of children, close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage, and build parents’ capacity to participate in work. ... SNAICC’s key position on the development of the Family Support Program is that different ways of working are needed to address negative trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family wellbeing."
- Related Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Call for family service funding security
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/28800/Call-for-family-service-f...
15 Mar 13: "The Secretariat of Aboriginal and Islander Child Care has called for the funding security of Child and Family Centres. 38 centres have opened across Australia since 2011. Secretariat CEO Frank Hytten says the centres provide important services to Indigenous families, but he’s concerned their funding hasn’t been guaranteed past 2014."
* INDIGENOUS RADIO STATION 98.9FM BRISBANE: LET'S TALK INTERVIEWS
- Audio Interviews
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Nicole Watson
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
13 Mar 13: "Nicole is a Lawyer, a Lecturer and researcher with the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney and a Columnist with Tracker Magazine"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/nicole-watson-5/
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Aunty Lilla Watson & Mary Graham
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
11 Mar 13: "Speaking about Aboriginal Terms of Reference, the Decolonisation of First Nations Peoples and building capacity in First Nations communities."
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/aunty-lilla-watson-mary-graham/
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Jeff McMullen
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
12 Mar 13: "Jeff McMullen, Honorary CEO of the Ian Thorpe’s Foundation For Youth and renowned Journalist."
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/jeff-mcmullen-10/
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Chris Graham
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
11 Mar 13: "Freelance Journalist, Chris spoke about the WA Elections, Northern Territory government leadership challenges, Police brutality and Alice Springs emergency summit"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/chris-graham-67/
* SOVEREIGN UNION: AUSTRALIA'S 'ADMISSIONS AGAINST THEIR OWN INTEREST' - AN ALERT TO THE CANBERRA CENTENARY
- Media Release
Sovereign Union: Australia's 'admissions against their own interest' - an alert to the Canberra Centenary
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/australias-admissions-against-their-o...
12 Mar 13: "On the centenary of Canberra (12 March) it is timely to draw attention to the fact that the sovereignty question, as it relates to Aboriginal nations and peoples, is now a living and active thought and aspiration, which is steadily developing into a nationwide movement.
It is now essential that we look at some international legal factors that give rise to the strengthening of our asserted positions of ‘sovereignty never ceded' and ‘continuing sovereignty'. ...
In conclusion, there are many more admissions against interest made by governments in Australia, but one final example is in Mabo (No. 2) the High Court admitted that the statehood of Australia is a weak skeletal framework that can fracture: ... "
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT:
Last updated: 12 March 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* SBS AUDIO RADIONEWS: NT 'MAINSTREAMS' INDIGENOUS SERVICES
- Audio
SBS Podcasts Radionews: NT 'mainstreams' Indigenous services
By David Crisante
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/258340/NT-main...
15 Mar 13: "The new Northern Territory Chief Minister, Adam Giles, has announced a major change to the way his government will represent Indigenous Territorians. Adam Giles has axed the Indigenous portfolio from his new Cabinet because he says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters should be addressed by all his ministers. David Crisante reports. Adam Giles has become Australia's first Indigenous head of government and he wants to end the divide between the Territory's Indigenous and mainstream services."
- Related Media Release
SNAICC News: Media release 14 March 2013 - SNAICC congratulates Adam Giles on becoming first Indigenous head of government
[Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1022
15 Mar 13: "SNAICC Chairperson Sharron Williams has congratulated Adam Giles on becoming Australia’s first Indigenous head of government.
"This is an historic event for Australia. It is a reflection of how much more involved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander citizens have become in the parliamentary process - both as voters and politicians - in the past 30 years," Ms Williams said.
"We congratulate Mr Giles and wish him the very best. We hope that his elevation to Chief Minister heralds a new direction for the NT Government in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs. ...
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are entitled to feel proud about Mr Giles’s rise to leader of the government. Indigenous voters in the NT - so instrumental in the Country Liberals’ election win - are also entitled to expect more from his government for their children and families.
"Mr Giles’s elevation creates an important opportunity to engage with Aboriginal organisations and families - the most disadvantaged Australians - and empower them to deliver solutions to the serious issues that confront them.""
- Related Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/am-15-03-update.mp3
15 Mar 13: "* Northern Territories new Chief Minister Adam Giles has announced his new Cabinet the fourth reshuffle since the Country Liberals Government came to power seven months ago.
* Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbot have both acknowledged and welcomed the appointment of Adam Giles as the first Aboriginal person to be appointed as the leader of a state or Territory government."
ABC Radio National: NT's new chief minister Adam Giles discusses the "non coup"
Presented by Waleed Aly and Julian Morrow
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/nt27s-new-chief-minis...
14 Mar 13: "The Northern Territory's new chief minister Adam Giles says there was no plan to overthrow his predecessor Terry Mills. After just seven months in power, he says the Country Liberal Party under Mr Mills had simply lost its way."
See:
WGAR News: Greatest challenge for Giles is to remedy the ills resulting from intervention: Jeff McMullen, SMH (16 Mar 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/03/15/wgar-news-greatest-challenge-for-gile...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Video
ABC: Australian of the Year Awards - Australia's Local Hero 2013 - Shane Phillips - Indigenous leader
http://www.abc.net.au/australiaday/awards/default.htm?src=rtmp://cp44823...
http://www.abc.net.au/australiaday/past/default.htm#ShanePhillips
"Advocate for Aboriginal rights, Shane Phillips is a respected member of the Redfern Aboriginal Community and is regarded as the voice of the community on issues including juvenile justice and Aboriginal deaths in custody. He is the fulltime CEO of the Tribal Warrior Association, a non-profit organisation directed by Aboriginal people and Elders that offers training for employment and helps at the grassroots level with emergency relief for struggling families. He also operates a mentoring program to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. ... "
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Kerry Charlton
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
14 Mar 13: "Consultant and Facilitator with Churches Together Indigenous People’s Partnership speaking about what Churches should be doing for First Nations Peoples."
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/kerry-charlton/
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