WGAR News: If You Thought Sorry Was The Hardest Word, Try Mentioning Compensation: Amy McQuire, New Matilda

Newsletter date: 27 May 2015

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: If You Thought Sorry Was The Hardest Word, Try Mentioning Compensation
* Full Bio: Amy McQuire - New Matilda: https://newmatilda.com/users/amy-mcquire
* Appeal: New Matilda: Subscribe to New Matilda, While You Still Can!
* About Us - New Matilda: https://newmatilda.com/about-us

* News Analysis: Monica Tan, The Guardian: Sorry Day protesters voice anger at 'continuing stolen generations'

* Events: Grandmothers Against Removals: GMAR is leading a conference at Matagarup, the Perth Tent Embassy from May 24 - May 30, to strategise for the future and to march on May 26 - Please share
* About Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR): http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/about-gmar

* Audio Interview: CAAMA: National Day Of Action [Featuring Boe Spearim, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR)]

* Media Release: National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (Congress): National Sorry Day 2015: More Action Needed
* Statement: Les Malezer & Kirstie Parker, Co-Chairs, National Congress of Australia's First Peoples: National Sorry Day 2015: Congress Statement
* About Us - Congress: http://nationalcongress.com.au/about-us/

* Media Release: Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: This Sorry Day Tony Abbott must recommit to truly being the 'Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs'

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

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

New Matilda: If You Thought Sorry Was The Hardest Word, Try Mentioning Compensation
https://newmatilda.com/2015/05/26/if-you-thought-sorry-was-hardest-word-...
26 May 15: "Today is National Sorry Day. And as we continue to dodge justice and repeat the mistakes of our past, we still have plenty to be sorry for, writes Amy McQuire. It’s been 18 long years since the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. To commemorate this, Aboriginal communities and organisations across the country today hold events and speeches for 'National Sorry Day'. But despite the significance of the day, it fails to make a mark on the consciousness of the nation each year. ... " By Amy McQuire, a Darumbul woman from central Queensland. Amy McQuire is the former editor of the National Indigenous Times and Tracker.

- Full Bio

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

- Appeal

New Matilda: Subscribe to New Matilda, While You Still Can!
https://newmatilda.com/2015/05/24/subscribe-new-matilda-while-you-still-can
24 May 15: "Earlier in the week, we put a call out for subscribers. We’re doing it again, but this time with more gusto! New Matilda exists almost solely on paid reader subscriptions. Unfortunately, our current rate of subscriptions isn’t enough to sustain the publication. Of course, we’ll find a way to keep going - we always do. But any help our readers can provide is greatly appreciated. Traffic to the ‘new’ New Matilda is up 300 percent, but the paid subscriptions, unfortunately, are not. ... " By New Matilda

About Us - New Matilda
https://newmatilda.com/about-us
" ... New Matilda is independent journalism at its best. The site has been publishing intelligent coverage of Australian and international politics, media and culture since 2004. You'll find new stories on the homepage daily. ... Our readers are our investors. New Matilda is predominantly reader-funded and remains fiercely independent, with no affiliation to any political party, lobby group or other media organisation. Become a New Matilda funder here: https://newmatilda.com/be-a-supporter "

- News Analysis

The Guardian: Sorry Day protesters voice anger at 'continuing stolen generations'
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/26/sorry-day-proteste...
26 May 15: "Sorry Day events held around Australia see mix of happiness at surviving the stolen generation policies but sadness at ongoing Indigenous injustice ... Survivors of the stolen generation have marked National Sorry Day at events around Australia, calling the high rates of Indigenous children being removed from their families a continuing injustice. ... The national advocacy network Grandmothers Against Removals convened in Perth to lead a protest "against continuing stolen generations" and "show solidarity with communities facing closure". ... " Monica Tan, a reporter for Guardian Australia

- Events

Grandmothers Against Removals: GMAR is leading a conference at Matagarup, the Perth Tent Embassy from May 24 - May 30, to strategise for the future and to march on May 26 - Please share
http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/
"On ‘Sorry Day’, May 26, the national network Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR) will lead a protest in Perth against continuing Stolen Generations. This date marks 18 years since the release of the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report. This report detailed the horrors of the Stolen Generations of the 20th Century and called for urgent action to stop the continued removal of Aboriginal children from their families by ‘child protection’ agencies. Since 1997 however, the number of Aboriginal children being forcibly removed has increased more than five times, with more than 15,000 Aboriginal kids in foster care today. ... "

Stop Stolen Generations: During May 24-30th, 2015, the ... facebook
https://www.facebook.com/stopstolengenerations/posts/420705468091109
16 May 15: "During May 24-30th, 2015, the Grandmothers Against Removals will hold a week long National Gathering on the Forced Removals of Aboriginal children, from family, community and country. The gathering will hold a National Protest on, ‘Sorry Day’, May 26th, as this date marks 18 years since the release, of the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report. ... "

About Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR)
http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/about-gmar
"Gunnedah grandmothers fight against the removal of Indigenous kids. The group Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR) was formed in January in an effort to highlight the process of removal used by the New South Wales Department of Children’s Services. With around 6,000 Aboriginal children currently in out-of-home care in New South Wales, the Grandmothers Against Removals refuse to remain silent. They say it’s time to be a voice for other families and children who feel unable to speak against the system being accused of creating a new stolen generation. ... "

The Stringer facebook
https://www.facebook.com/TheStringerNews
26 May 15: "16,000 children removed. More than in any year of the Stolen Generations. Advocates converged on Perth via Matargarup from Byron Bay, Brisbane, Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Canberra and Melbourne. Today, on 'Sorry Day' Les Coe delivered a heart wrenching speech outside Perth Department of Child Protection. We will upload it. There were many good speaks and at the end Archie Roach's son, Amos played the didgeridoo while others danced. Australia removes Aboriginal children from their families at the world's highest rate."

- Audio Interview

CAAMA: National Day Of Action [Featuring Boe Spearim, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR)]
http://caama.com.au/national-day-of-action
26 May 15: "National Sorry Day carries different meanings for many people across the country. Some use it as a day to reflect on the past, other may use it as a day for looking forward to see what the future may hold while there are many hoping that change will be good for all. The Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance have always looked at educating their people and letting them decide what they want to do and to tell us more is one of the members of WAR Boe Spearim."

About CAAMA
http://caama.com.au/
"The Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) began operations in 1980 and was the first Aboriginal group to be allocated a broadcasting license. The Aboriginal people of Central Australia own CAAMA through an association regulated under the Incorporations Act , and its objectives focus on the social, cultural and economic advancement of Aboriginal peoples. ... CAAMA produces media products that engenders pride in Aboriginal culture, while informing and educating the wider community of the richness and diversity of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia."

- Media Release

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (Congress): National Sorry Day 2015: More Action Needed
http://nationalcongress.com.au/national-sorry-day-2015-more-action-needed/
26 May 15: "The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (Congress) calls on governments to do more to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to reunite and help keep families strong and in tact.
Congress Co-Chairs Les Malezer and Kirstie Parker said the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being removed has increased by about 500 per cent nationally over the past fifteen or so years - from 2785 in 1998 to 13,914 in 2013* - and even further since then.
"Historical removals were being exacerbated today by policies and practices that saw skyrocketing and record numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children separated from family and community," Co-Chair Parker said.
"Tragically, our children are now being removed at about 10 times the rate of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
"Culturally appropriate and very important principles like the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle are not being adhered to, ... " ... "

- Statement

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples: National Sorry Day 2015: Congress Statement
http://nationalcongress.com.au/national-sorry-day-2015-congress-statement/
26 May 15: "The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (Congress) acknowledges and pays respect to members of the Stolen Generations and their families today, National Sorry Day.
National Sorry Day marks the anniversary of the tabling of the landmark 1997 Bringing Them Home report into past government policies and practices that saw tens of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children forcibly removed from their families. ...
There is unfinished business that remains between the Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Eighteen years after the Bringing Them Home report was released, many of our people continue to suffer. ...
Congress pays tribute to its member organisations and other bodies who continue this important work, including the Healing Foundation, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Childcare (SNAICC), Link-Up NSW, the NT Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation and the National Stolen Generations Alliance. ... " Les Malezer & Kirstie Parker, Co-Chairs, National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples

About Us - Congress
http://nationalcongress.com.au/about-us/
"[Photo] The Congress National Board of Directors(Top Row: L-R) Les Malezer (Co-Chair), Kirstie Parker (Co-Chair), Rod Little, Venessa Curnow. (Bottom Row: L-R) Daphne Yarram, Gerry Moore, Tammy Solonec, Mark McMillan.
The Congress was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee in April 2010. As a company the Congress is owned and controlled by its membership and independent of Government. ... "

- Media Release

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: This Sorry Day Tony Abbott must recommit to truly being the 'Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs'
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/sorry-day-...
26 May 15: " ... "Today is National Sorry Day, where we take time to remember the Stolen Generations and work towards healing the damage caused by forcible removals of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
"We should all take time today to remember and strongly recommit to the Stolen Generations.
"There remains unfinished business, there still hasn't been reparations and the impacts of removal are still being felt.
"More than ever, many feel left behind.
 "Disadvantage is still huge and Government policies are exacerbating disadvantage rather than removing it. ...
"This Sorry Day I urge Tony Abbott to reaffirm his title as ‘Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs’ and look at the unimplemented recommendations of the Bringing Them Home report to address unfinished business"."

- 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: 21 April 2015)

- - -

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), South Australia (SA), [and Northern Territory (NT)?];
* 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 5-6 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)