A group of women have started a blockade at Lake Tyers Aboriginal community in Victoria's far south east. The spokesperson for the blockaders is Leanne Edwards.
They set up their blockade on International Women's Day and on Friday released a second statement affirming that their blockade continues after having met with people from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria and Minister Jeannette Powell's office and recieved no joy as to their concerns.
The central issue at stake at this stage seems to be that the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust, which holds the land under communal freehold title, and of which the blockaders are members, has for practical purposes lost control of the decisions which affect this land that they own. They do not support the existing manager at Lake Tyers, however, the deputy, and Aboriginal person, retains their support.
We will send more information and updates when possible.
A statement of solidarity released by Gary Murray and Magaret Gardiner is attached, along with the blockaders' original press release and petition. Pasted in below is the latest statement.
What can I do to support the blockade
If you live nearby or are passing through and can get things to the blockade, there are a couple of immediate needs:
The blockade is relying on pre-paid phones, so cash donations will help.
The blockade camp needs camping gear, such as just a couple of tents and other gear at this stage. The site is 7km from the highway and same distance again from the community so gear for those conditions is needed.
PRESS RELEASE – FRIDAY MARCH 11, 2011
The BLOCKADE AT THE ENTRANCE OF LAKE TYERS ABORIGINAL TRUST TO STOP MANAGERS AND GOVERNMENT FROM ENTERING ABORIGINAL LAND WILL CONTINUE until our right to manage our own affairs and control our own destiny is recognized according to the UN Declaration on Indigenous people
On Tuesday evening Lake Tyers residents and shareholders met with representatives of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs Victoria. They requested that the management and workers be allowed to come back to work or they would stop the funding.
We feel that we are being put down and threatened.
We have no rights and want to exercise our right of self-determination according to the UN Declaration on Indigenous People which will enable us to control and own lives and destiny.
Our elders fought for the land so that Aboriginal people at Lake Tyers could live without government control of our lives and live with dignity and respect.
Government whose policies on us have once again failed and are AGAIN dictating us.
We the shareholders, residents and supporters of the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust request the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, the Honorable Jeanette Powell to STOP the control by the state government by removing the Administrator and handing control of our own affairs back to us.
The interim committee will be reinstated to negotiate on our behalf to resolve this situation.
Contact: Leanne Edwards (E) latessa2006@yahoo.com
Media Statement 8 March 2011
The Senior Chair of the Dhudhuroa Native Title Group Mr Gary Murray and the grandson of the prominent leader Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls said today that; "Almost fifty years ago in the 1960's Lake Tyers Men (see photo 1963 Lake Tyers Protest attached) led by Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls JP.MBE.OAM,KCVO and Bapa Mamus and former Governor of South Australia marched on the Victorian Parliament to protest about the conditions and proposed sale of Lake Tyers. Today Aboriginal women are leading the way in exposing government mismanagement and paternalism. The Waywurru and Dhudhuroa Traditional Owners from North East Victoria particularly our women stand with and strongly support the Blockade by Aboriginal Women who have placed a blockade on government mission managers. The State is breaching the human rights of the Lake Tyers residents and it is time all Traditional Owners stood up and questioned why government mission managers have created conflict and division in our communities. There needs to be a Parliamentary Inquiry into bureaucratic racism, lateral violence, social justice and the mismanagement of Aboriginal Affairs in this state Mr Murray said."
The Chair of the Waywurru Native Title Group Margaret Gardiner stated that; "Our People have an international and Australian right to determine how they manage local community affairs. For too long the State has paternalistically managed Lake Tyers from the bureaucratic ivory towers of Spring Street in Melbourne creating social and human rights injustices. We do not have to go to the Northern Territory to criticise the new style of racist intervention policies, we can see this one hour flying time east of the Victorian Parliament. Our groups support the Lake Tyers womens blockade and encourage all Indigenous groups to support and resource the protests."
See Yaalong the Rivers and Lakes, in the Mallee, Up the Mountain or in the Big Smoke,
MARGARET GARDINER
CHAIR WAYWURRU NATIVE TITLE GROUP
GARY MURRAY
SENIOR CO-CHAIR DHUDHUROA NATIVE TITLE GROUP