Newsletter date: 23 June 2012
Contents:
* Uncle Kevin Buzzacott returns to court to block Olympic Dam expansion
* Background to expansion of Olympic Dam mine challenge
* Stronger Futures Petition with 43,000 signatures official handover - audio
* Arena Magazine: Barbara Shaw: Shifting Fortunes: Mount Nancy
* SBS World News Video: NT Intervention: 'We desperately need housing'
* DARC: NT Aboriginal voices oppose 'Stronger Futures' law
* Arena Magazine Editorial: Jon Altman and Melinda Hinkson: Hope-Less Futures?
* STICS: Horror statistics mark 'fifth anniversary' of NT Intervention
* Green Left: Aboriginal panel attacks Labor for 5 years of NT intervention
* WGAR considers Stronger Futures legislation should face Human Rights scrutiny
* Whitehouse Announce Australian Tour 2012: 5-28 July
* More 'Stronger Futures' Legislation related articles
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Arena editor John Hinkson: Western Innocence - Why the West continues to devastate Aboriginal cultures
* Courier Mail: Charges against Musgrave Park tent embassy protesters dropped
* Background to the Aboriginal tent embassies
* 12 July 2012: Supporting Muckaty - Nuclear Waste through our port, MUA says No Way!!!
* Background to the proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump
* Other articles
* UNCLE KEVIN BUZZACOTT RETURNS TO COURT TO BLOCK OLYMPIC DAM EXPANSION
- News
Buzzacott returns to court to block dam expansion
newsTracker: http://tracker.org.au/2012/06/buzzacott-returns-to-court-to-block-dam-ex...
9 News: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8487431/elder-fights-on-to-stop-sa-m...
21 Jun 12: "SOUTH AUSTRALIA: An Arabunna elder has returned to the Federal Court to tell "a good story" in his bid to block the $30 billion expansion of the Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold mine in South Australia’s north. Kevin Buzzacott first took action earlier this year, claiming federal Environment Minister Tony Burke had not given enough consideration to a number of issues including the risks posed by the storage of radioactive tailings. His action was dismissed, but on Thursday he argued an appeal before the full court."
- Video
ABC: Elder takes mine expansion fight to appeal court
22 Jun 12: "An Aboriginal elder has taken his legal fight against the planned Olympic Dam mine expansion to the full court of the Federal Court. Kevin Buzzacott is challenging an earlier legal ruling dismissing his case. "My whole issue I'm fighting [is] to protect my land and it's a public interest in uranium and ... the last time around they dismissed the case and now we appealed it," he said outside the hearing in Adelaide. ... The Arabunna Native Title Group said the land surrounding the Olympic Dam mine was of significant value to Indigenous people. The appeal court will reserve its judgment."
- Related News
ABC: Legal stoush resumes over Olympic Dam expansion
http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/legal-stoush-resumes-over-olympic-02380...
21 Jun 12: "An Aboriginal elder will today continue his fight in the Federal Court to stop BHP Billiton's proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam mine in far north South Australia. The Federal Court ruled in April that the Commonwealth had properly taken into account the long-term impact of the mine, dismissing Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott's argument that some environmental impacts were not properly considered by federal Environment Minister Tony Burke."
* BACKGROUND TO EXPANSION OF OLYMPIC DAM MINE CHALLENGE:
Last updated: 22 June 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/13/background-to-expansion-of-olympic-da...
* STRONGER FUTURES PETITION WITH 43,000 SIGNATURES OFFICIAL HANDOVER - AUDIO:
- Audio Recordings
Stronger Futures Petition with 43,000 signatures official handover - audio
Sound recordings by Ellie Gilbert for 'Sovereign Union'
Sovereign Union: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/stonger-futures-petition-sign...
18 Jun 12: "A coalition of Aboriginal, church and community leaders came together in Canberra on the 18th June 2012 to oppose the Government's proposed legislation to extend the Northern Territory intervention for Aboriginal communities. Australian Greens leader, Senator Christine Milne, was presented with a petition to stop the legislation, signed by 43,000 Australians. Community leaders present NT Intervention petition. (Audio files include comments by Barbara Shaw, George Gaymarani Pascoe, Graeme Mundine and 'The Greens')"
"* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Introduction
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - George Gaymarani Pascoe
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Barbara Shaw - NTI Activist
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Barbara Shaw 'My Grandfather'
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Catholic Bishop Pat Power
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Quakers (Aust) - Marg
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Rev Roberts
* Stronger Futures Petition - St Vincent de Paul - Dr Falzon
* Stronger Futures Petition - Graeme Mundine, Aboriginal Catholic Ministry
* Stronger Futures Petition - Sue Gillett 'Stop Income Management'
* Stronger Futures Petition - Damien Curtis 'Stand For Freedom Campaign'
* Stronger Futures Petition - Christine Milne, Leader of 'The Greens'
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Questions/Discussion 1
* Stronger Futures Petition Handover - Questions/Discussion 2"
* ARENA MAGAZINE: BARBARA SHAW: SHIFTING FORTUNES: MOUNT NANCY
- Analysis / Opinion
Arena Magazine: Shifting Fortunes: Mount Nancy - On the ground in Mount Nancy Town Camp
http://www.arena.org.au/2012/06/shifting-fortunes-mount-nancy/
June 2012: "The BasicsCard is very discriminating, it’s very shameful when going shopping. You have to scan items to make sure you have enough on your card to pay for food or other essential items. And the attitude of other customers in the shops as well as the shop assistants is very terrible, it is like they don’t even want to look at you or serve you when you have a BasicsCard. My name is Barbara Shaw and I’m a descendant of the Kaytetye, Arrernte, Warlpiri and Warumungu people. I live at Mount Nancy Town Camp, now a prescribed area since 2007 under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (the NTER or the Intervention)." By Barbara Shaw
* SBS WORLD NEWS VIDEO: NT INTERVENTION: 'WE DESPERATELY NEED HOUSING'
- Special Coverage
SBS World News: NT Intervention: 'We desperately need housing'
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1661780/NT-Intervention-We-desperatel...
21 Jun 12: "EXCLUSIVE: On the fifth anniversary on the Northern Territory Intervention, an Indigenous community in Alice Springs says they desperately need housing. The Northern Territory intervention today marks its 5th anniversary. And it could be extended for another decade under the Federal Government's Stronger Futures legislation. But not all those it's supposed to help are happy. In Alice Springs, housing in town camps remains a divisive issue. One custodian who says the intervention has achieved nothing is school teacher Felicity Hayes." Karen Ashford
* DARC: NT ABORIGINAL VOICES OPPOSE 'STRONGER FUTURES' LAW
- Statement
NT Aboriginal voices oppose 'Stronger Futures' law
GLW: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51400
21 Jun 12: "The Darwin Aboriginal Rights Coalition released the statement below on June 21. * * *
Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory have spoken out against the Stronger Futures laws, which they say continue the discriminatory and racist laws launched with the NT intervention 5 years ago today.
Maurie Ryan, of the First Nations Political Party said: "The First Nations political party does not support the Stronger Futures legislation. There are no stronger futures unless we are part of it. The legislation takes away our autonomy; it’s just empty words. ...
These voices join those of the 43,000 who signed a petition opposing the Stronger Futures laws, which was accepted by Australian Greens MPs on June 18.
On June 22, we will hold a press conference outside NT Parliament at 10am to call on the NT government to stand with those who have stood with us for freedom and against the Stronger Futures laws."
- Related News
ABC: Rally protests against Stronger Futures push
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-22/rally-against-stronger-futures-int...
22 Jun 12: "Aboriginal leaders in the Northern Territory say they want more control over their lives. A group has rallied in Darwin to call for the withdrawal of the proposed Stronger Futures legislation, which will extend Federal Government intervention measures in Territory communities for the next ten years. Phillip Goodman lives at 15 Mile camp on the outskirts of Darwin and says the intervention has eroded people's rights to make decisions in their communities. ... The proposed legislation is expected to go before the Senate next week." By Emma Masters
* ARENA MAGAZINE EDITORIAL: JON ALTMAN AND MELINDA HINKSON: HOPE-LESS FUTURES?
- Analysis / Opinion
Arena Magazine Editorial: Hope-Less Futures?
Arena: http://www.arena.org.au/2012/06/hope-less-futures/
Crikey: http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/06/21/nt-intervention-five-years-on-no-den...
June 2012: "Women and children feel much safer now we are told. It is only when we go to the ground and recall that any relations between Aboriginal people and police in the present are built upon a deeply fraught history that the prospect of increased policing takes on a different inflection." Jon Altman and Melinda Hinkson
* STICS: HORROR STATISTICS MARK 'FIFTH ANNIVERSARY' OF NT INTERVENTION
- Media Release
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney Media Release:
Horror statistics mark 'fifth anniversary' of NT Intervention 21-6-12
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/horror-statistics-ma...
21 Jun 12: "The Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney has reiterated calls for 'Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory' legislation to be abandoned, following the release of damning statistics yesterday in the 'Closing the Gap in the NT Monitoring Report July - December 2011'.
A selection of statistics from the Closing the Gap report and other official reports are detailed at the bottom of this media release.
STICS spokesperson Paddy Gibson said:
"... These discriminatory laws were supposed to expire after five years. But disgracefully, the Labor government is pushing ahead with a ten year extension through the misnamed Stronger Futures legislation".
"The government's own statistics demonstrate shocking increases in incarceration, there is more unemployment, there is an acute self-harm crisis, domestic violence incidents are rising, less children are in school, more children are being submitted to hospital for malnutrition and being taken away from their families". ... "
- Related News
newsTracker: Intervention’s five-year anniversary marked by failure: group
http://tracker.org.au/2012/06/interventions-five-year-anniversary-marked...
21 Jun 12: "NATIONAL: An anti-intervention group has slammed the Gillard government’s claims that it is making progress in Northern Territory, on the fifth anniversary of the intervention. ... But the report has been slammed by the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney’s Paddy Gibson. He says the report shows little progress on school attendance, an increase in self-harm and suicide rates and does not paint a good picture of efforts to reduce unemployment."
Koori Mail: NT intervention failures highlighted
[scroll down page] http://www.koorimail.com/index.php
21 Jun 12: "CAMPAIGNERS against the Northern Territory intervention have accused Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin of deceiving the nation about Aboriginal employment in prescribed areas. The Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney said the latest Closing the Gap in the NT Monitoring Report instead demonstrated shocking increases in incarceration rates, unemployment, domestic violence, truancy and malnutrition."
* GREEN LEFT: ABORIGINAL PANEL ATTACKS LABOR FOR 5 YEARS OF NT INTERVENTION
- News
Green Left: Aboriginal panel attacks Labor for 5 years of NT intervention
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51412
22 Jun 12: "Aboriginal speakers lashed out against the Labor government’s five-year-old NT intervention at a forum organised by Arena Magazine on June 21. Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, a former mayor of Barkly shire in the Northern Territory, said: "A lot of us are going through severe trauma. We live in terror of our language, ceremonies and land being taken away." She drew parallels between her people’s current nightmare and that faced by the Jews during the Holocaust of World War II."
See related past event:
Event: Thu 21 June 2012: Fitzroy, Melbourne, Vic
Arena Magazine and Arena Journal, and
concerned Australians invite you to attend
INTERVENTION
A Public Forum on the Northern Territory Intervention
into Indigenous communities and the
Stronger Futures legislation.
Chair: Gary Foley
Speakers:
* Professor Jon Altman
* Rosalie Kunoth-Monks
* The Hon. Alastair Nicholson
* Barbara Shaw
Incorporating the launch of:
Arena Magazine’s special issue on the NT Intervention
and Arena Journal’s special issue on settler colonialism
Event details: http://www.arena.org.au/2012/06/nt-intervention-public-forum/
Event details: http://www.arena.org.au/category/events/project-space-events-and-discuss...
Event details: http://concernedaustralians.com.au/media/NT_Intervention_forum_Invitatio...
Event details: http://events.leader-news.whereilive.com.au/events/northern-territory-in...
Arena homepage: http://www.arena.org.au/
'concerned Australians' homepage: http://concernedaustralians.com.au/
* WGAR CONSIDERS STRONGER FUTURES LEGISLATION SHOULD FACE HUMAN RIGHT SCRUTINY
- Media Release
WGAR considers Stronger Futures legislation should face Human Rights scrutiny
WGAR: http://wgar.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/120622-working-group-for-aboriginal...
Indymedia Australia: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/06/22/wgar-considers-stronger-futures-legis...
22 Jun 12: " ... The Working Group for Aboriginal Rights condemns the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention and its proposed extension for ten years and expansion into other parts of Australia, through the proposed 'Stronger Futures' legislation.
The Working Group for Aboriginal Rights urges the Australian government to fully accept and respect the sovereign rights of Aboriginal Nations and Peoples and to cease their paternalistic actions towards Aboriginal people, who have successfully survived climatic and social change over millennia. Aboriginal people are capable of running their own lives and communities, but it is the lack of self-determination and the governments’ ruthless attempts to assimilate Aboriginal Peoples into 'one Australia', which is really the cause of the perceived 'problem'. ...
We urge that there is scrutiny of the Stronger Futures bills in order to bring them in line with the international Human Rights covenants and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."
* WHITEHOUSE ANNOUNCE AUSTRLIAN TOUR 2012: 5-28 JULY
- Upcoming events
Event: 5 to 28 July 2012: Various locations: NSW, Qld, ACT, Vic
Whitehouse Announce Australian Tour 2012
"While the Federal Government urges Australians
to get behind what is essentially an extension of
the Intervention into the Northern Territory for the
next ten years under a new title 'Stronger Futures',
a funk/hip hop crew - ironically called Whitehouse -
are urging their listeners to oppose what they
view as more of the same government oppression
on Australia’s first peoples."
Event details: http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/news/tournews/173328/whitehouse-announce-aust...
* MORE 'STRONGER FUTURES' LEGISLATION RELATED ARTICLES:
- News
NT News: Aboriginal voices oppose new intervention
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2012/06/21/308291_ntnews.html
21 Jun 12: "ABORIGINAL people across the NT have spoken out against the Stronger Futures laws, which they say continue the discriminatory and racist laws launched with the NT intervention five years ago. Maurie Ryan, of the First Nations Political Party said, "The First Nations political party does not support the Stronger Futures legislation." "There are no stronger futures unless we are part of it. "The legislation takes away our autonomy, it’s just empty words. "Stronger Futures is just the intervention under another name," Mr Ryan said."
National Indigenous Times: Hear our voices: Don’t pass the Intervention
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1299-hear-our-voices-dont-pass-the-interventi...
21 Jun 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Geoff Bagnall.
Northern Territory community leaders travelled to Canberra last Monday to once again appeal to the Federal Parliament's Senate to scrap plans for an extension of the Intervention through the proposed Stronger Futures legislation."
National Indigenous Times: Bankstown protest told of damage to communities by income management
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1298-bankstown-protest-told-of-damage-to-comm...
21 Jun 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Geoff Bagnall.
More than 70 people braved a cold and wet Saturday to gather in Sydney's west to protest the roll-out of the Federal Government's income management scheme in the region, which they say will further stigmatise vulnerable people. The rally, held in Bankstown, also marked the fifth anniversary of the Intervention in the Northern... "
* BACKGROUND TO 'STRONGER FUTURES' NEW NT INTERVENTION LAWS:
Last updated: 22 June 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
* BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Last updated: 24 May 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* ARENA EDITOR JOHN HINKSON: WESTERN INNOCENCE - WHY THE WEST CONTINUES TO DEVASTATE ABORIGINAL CULTURES
- Analysis / Opinion
Arena Magazine: Western Innocence - Why the West continues to devastate Aboriginal cultures
http://www.arena.org.au/2012/06/western-innocence/
June 2012: "Boyce places responsibility at the door of the evangelising social orders who saw themselves as bringing civilisation with a 'faith in enterprise, order and the virtues of respectability' … While the Nazis were extreme in the generalisation of these ideas and practices … the West has by no means come to terms with how those ideas are directly implicated in its extreme practices towards Indigenous cultures… Cultural blindness is no longer quite an appropriate description. It seems more appropriate to speak simply of indifference, the West sensing that it is possible to transcend culture practically." John Hinkson, an Arena Publications editor
* COURIER MAIL: CHARGES AGAINST MUSGROVE PARK TENT EMBASSY PROTESTERS DROPPED
- News
Courier Mail: Charges against Musgrave Park tent embassy protesters dropped
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/charges-against-musgrave-p...
21 Jun 12: "POLICE have dropped charges against five activists arrested in the wake of a last month's fiery protest at Musgrave Park. Prosecutor Rob Lamason told the Brisbane Magistrates Court police offered no evidence against the men - all wearing clothing emblazoned with Electrical Trades Union insignia - arrested during the protest at the Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy at West End, in Brisbane's inner-city. ... Outside court, Mr Ong, speaking on behalf of the group, said: "We were at a protest and did nothing wrong." "Everyone can see it was ludicrous (that we were arrested)."" Tony Keim
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:
Last updated: 5 June 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* 12 JULY 2012: SUPPORTING MUCKATY - NUCLEAR WASTE THROUGH OUR PORT, MUA SAYS NO WAY!!!
- Upcoming Event
Event: Thu 12 July 2012: Darwin, NT
Supporting Muckaty
Nuclear Waste through our port, MUA says NO WAY!!!
"Our 2012 Quadrennial Conference declared our support
for the people of Muckaty. We also recognise the unique
threat that the nuclear waste will pose to the environment,
communities on the transport route & workers
transporting & handling radioactive waste."
Event details: http://www.mua.org.au/events/supporting-muckaty/
* BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSED MUCKATY NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP:
Last updated: 11 June 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-proposed-muckaty-nu...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- News
National Indigenous Times: Moree plans rent strike
21 Jun 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Geoff Bagnall.
One of Moree's Aboriginal leaders has called on his community in the north west of New South Wales to stop paying rent to the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) because he claims the NSWALC is colluding with government against Aboriginal people in New South Wales."
National Indigenous Times: Sovereignty should have been included on Native Title agenda
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1294-sovereignty-should-have-been-included-on...
21 Jun 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Rhonda Hagan.
Prominent Townsville activist and academic, Dr Gracelyn Smallwood, joined with other local Townsville protesters to voice their opposition to the recent National Native Title Conference held in their city. "We're not against anybody at that conference," Dr Smallwood said whilst holding a placard outside the Entertainment Centre where the... "
- - -
About WGAR News:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/30/about-wgar-news-working-group-for-abo...
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'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:
* the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities;
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WGAR Website: http://wgar.wordpress.com/