Media release 23 June 2011 For immediate release
Fight for alternative to NT Intervention comes to Sydney
On Saturday June 25, the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) will hold a demonstration demanding an end to the NT Intervention and support for a new alternative program 'Rebuilding from the Ground Up'.
The program was launched at a strong demonstration in Darwin on Tuesday by Aboriginal leaders from across the Northern Territory.
The 11 point plan includes the re-establishment of Aboriginal community councils, abandonment of the 'hub towns' model and investment in all communities, an end to compulsory acquisition of Aboriginal land, the rescinding of all leases signed under the NTER and recognition of the importance of Aboriginal customary law.
Rebuilding from the Ground Up was initiated by the Intervention Rollback Action Group (IRAG Alice Springs) and STICS. Along with broad support from Aboriginal community leaders, a range of organisations and prominent individuals have endorsed the statement including Tangentyere Council, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), ANTaR and Olympic champion Ian Thorpe.
Paddy Gibson from STICS said that the Intervention has been a disaster for Aboriginal communities and that a new approach based on Aboriginal self-determination was urgently needed.
Mr Gibson rejected the ‘Strong Futures’ discussion paper released by the government yesterday as maintaining the blueprint of the Intervention.
"The Intervention set out to smash Aboriginal control and dismantle Aboriginal organisations and employment programs. Forget ‘Strong Futures’ - these policies are designed to send a clear message that there is NO future in remote communities - the only choice is to 'assimilate' into 'mainstream Australia'".
"We've seen four years of devastation. Government statistics show thousands of jobs have been lost, 30 per cent more Indigenous people are in prison and rates of attempted suicide and self harm have almost doubled. Disgracefully, the ‘Strong Futures’ discussion paper refuses to face these facts.”
“The government is paying lip service to community consultation. They will not recognise rights to control community land or restore community councils. There will be no new investment in education, housing or employment for the overwhelming majority of communities”.
"Rebuilding from the Ground Up outlines demands coming from Aboriginal people about how they can turn around shocking social conditions. Abandon the 'assimilation' framework. Redirect investment from punitive social engineering programs to community controlled development".
The rally will also be hearing from Aboriginal representatives from Bankstown in Sydney's west, which will see the introduction of NT-style 'Income Management'.
Mon Wiseman from STICS said the group had organised a successful forum in Bankstown last Monday.
"We are going to fight the introduction of Income Management into NSW every step of the way. For four years the BasicsCard has humiliated Aboriginal people in the NT and now they think they can impose it on the poor here too. This government's Income Management trial is over. The verdict? Expensive, demeaning and useless" concluded Ms Wiseman.
For a full copy of the Rebuilding from the Ground Up statement and a list of current endorsements see http://stoptheintervention.org/alternatives-to-the-intervention
A website where you can explore background information, video and supporting research is now online at http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/alternatives.html
The Sydney launch of the 'Rebuilding from the Ground Up' Statement will take place at a demonstration:
1pm Saturday 25th June, Town Hall Square marching to Belmore Park.
Speakers include:
Katherine Napaljarri Parker, Kintore NT
Lee Rhiannon, Greens NSW Senator Elect
Rebel Hanlon, CFMEU
Jack Johnson, Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council (South-West Sydney)
Paddy Gibson, STICS
Nicole Watson, Jumbunna Research
- ENDS -
Note: This media release is from STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney).
This notice was posted by WGAR as a community service with the kind permission of Paddy Gibson ( paddy.gibson@gmail.com ) of STICS, and as such WGAR is not the author of the notice.
Comments
Juanita Nielsen: new book marks another anniversary
REQUIEM FOR A COURAGEOUS CAMPAIGNER
July 4 will bring the 36th anniversary of the unresolved murder of Juanita Nielsen, the 36 year-old campaigning editor of a Kings Cross newspaper who disappeared without trace and whose remains have never been found.
The date will also mark the publication of a book by Barry Ward, a former Sydney journalist who claims to have exposed the plot behind the murder and identified the killers and their associates.
With colleague Tony Reeves he investigated the case over four years and says he can prove that the plot was the consequence of police and political corruption at the highest levels.
Abducted, beaten up and jailed on spurious charges but unable to force the judicial review their allegations demanded, the pair left Sydney when an underworld tip warned that death threats they had received were about to be activated.
Still a working journalist in his late 70s Ward now lives in London and has spent many years since his return campaigning to expose the truth of Juanita's death.
On the 20th anniversary he wrote a 6,000 word cover story for Sydney's Newsweek Bulletin in which he refuted the official police version of events and named the killers. There was no response, legal or official. See an on-line version of this at http://wwwjuanitanielsencom.blogspot.com/2008/11/juanita-nielsen-murder....
For further background detail please also see http://thenelsonconspiracy.blogspot.com/
Ward's book, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, is now available on-line. For a preview please visit http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/65301.
Please explain
What has the article on Juanita got to do with the original post? hello editors ? wakey wakey
With respect to the intended post, what can one say ?
We all need self determination and who would not?, the powers that be don't want that because then we wouldn't need them 'governing' us, that would be community based government, taxes , laws etc
That is I imagine what is called 'self determination'and the assault on aboriginal communities is an assault on all those communities who seek the same.
Whether the support of Ian Thorpe is warranted in the post is questionable.
Why do some always look for the support of 'role' models ? We should all be equal in this debate , please stop putting people on pedestals, when they are brought down to earth as they all eventually do, they are then easy targets for the enemies of the cause.
Fundamental changes are needed in this land to address once and for all the disparities which have existed since the europeans landed.
Their ways do not work for the betterment of all just a select few so until we wipe the slate clean of those injustices we will be forever pissing in the wind.
We need changes in the hearts and minds of all people, especially those who 'rule' and that as far as I know my history, will never come from men and their wisdom.
For me and I must say this is a personal reflection, truth in Jesus Christ by JC for JC is the 'way', it is heart changing and it is not of men but by God when .. it is True !
When it is false it is no better , sometimes worse than any man made solution and we have a history 2 thousand years long of that experience.
Truth ? What is it ? Where is it ? but what about WHO is it ? now who said this ? I-AM the Way , the TRUTH and the Life ?? not Lenin, Buddha,Mohammed,Bob Hawke(heh), etc etc
You guessed it, or did you ?
Have I now missed the whole meaning of the original post ? maybe, maybe not.
As far as I am concerned it is all about Truth, Justice, Righteousness and the last being the greatest- LOVE
may we all find our true love, it is not what most have been led to believe, God IS LOVE.
PEACE