By Richard Downs, spokesperson for Alyawarr people and organiser for the
July gathering of elders and leaders:
"In Julia Gillard's address to the nation, there was no mention of the
first Australians and owners of this country on the way forward.
"She did mention how wonderfully the previous PM Kevin Rudd's apology
to the first Australians was given. Little does she know this has all
been a farce and now gone by the way side, blown across all directions
with the wind.
"Until the new PM acknowledges the racism and discrimination policy
that has been imposed on our people across the NT, until the NT
intervention is abolished; until a new chapter of engagement and
consultations begins to create a joint partnership with us... nothing
will ever change as we as Aboriginal people have lost all confidence
with the governments at federal and state levels.
"Yet we leave our door open for the new PM to meet with myself, elders
and leaders from all different language groups on the new way forward.
We advise the Prime Minister to remove all previous baggabe, including
indigenous affairs minister Jenny Macklin, who we have no confidence
in, to achieve the goals set by the federal government in closing the
gap."
Added to: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/44543