Newsletter date: 30 September 2012
Contents:
* SNAICC News: Report finds serious flaws in delivery of government services to NT Aboriginal communities
* Bob Gosford in the NT: Olga Havnen to government: "Lift your game, big time"
* Brian Johnstone: Black Power: The day the bush bit back [NT elections]
* Living Black: Outstanding Contribution to the Stolen Generations
* Other articles
* SNAICC NEWS: REPORT FINDS SERIOUS FLAWS IN DELIVERY OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO NT ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES
- News
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC):
SNAICC News: Report finds serious flaws in delivery of government services to NT Aboriginal communities
http://www.snaicc.asn.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=892
27 Sep 12: "The first report of the Northern Territory Coordinator General for Remote Services entitled Office of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General for Remote Services Report, June 2011 to August 2012 has called for greater accountability and transparency from government departments - at both the territory and Federal levels - delivering programs and services to Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. ... In order to improve accountability and transparency, Ms Havnen [Coordinator General Olga Havnen] argues there is "an urgent need" to examine the bureaucratic and administrative costs associated with the provision of programs and services to Aboriginal people in the NT."
- The Report
Office of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General for Remote Services Report, June 2011 to August 2012
http://servicedelivery.govspace.gov.au/2012/09/26/office-of-the-northern...
26 Sep 12: "A copy of the Office of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General for Remote Services Report , June 2011 to August 2012 (PDF 2.9mb) is available. The first report by Olga Havnen as Northern Territory Co-ordinator General for Remote Service "focuses on four major themes arising from the approach taken by governments in relation to Aboriginal people since the NT Emergency Response (NTER) commenced in 2007 and reflected in the Stronger Futures arrangements proposed for the next ten years. These are: ... "
- Related News
National Indigenous Times: Report confirms spending goes on bureaucrats
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1931-report-confirms-spending-goes-on-bureauc...
30 Sep 12: "A report by the Northern Territory's Co-Ordinator General for Remote Services, Olga Havnen which said "billions spent on improving living conditions for Indigenous Australians was wasted on bureaucrats" confirmed what Indigenous Australians had been claiming for years, the founder of the First Nations Party, Maurie Japarta Ryan said. Mr Ryan said the report deserved an immediate response from... "
* BOB GOSFORD IN THE NT: OLGA HAVNEN TO GOVERNMENT: "LIFT YOUR GAME, BIG TIME"
- Analysis / Opinion
The Northern Myth - Bob Gosford in the NT:
Olga Havnen to government: "Lift your game, big time"
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2012/09/25/olga-havnen-to-government...
25 Sep 12: "Almost a year ago I wrote here of the magnitude of Olga Havnen’s job as the replacement for Bob Beadman in the key role of Northern Territory Coordinator-General for Remote Service Delivery:
The most challenging part of Havnen’s new job will be to renew the shattered faith and trust in governments as service providers of choice - at all levels - among the NT’s Aboriginal communities. This is the elephant in the room that few in the NT and Commonwealth public services - and depressingly even fewer in the respective parliaments - can see … " By Bob Gosford, who lives in Darwin
* BRIAN JOHNSTONE: BLACK POWER: THE DAY THE BUSH BIT BACK
- News
newsTracker: Black Power: The day the bush bit back
http://tracker.org.au/2012/09/black-power-the-day-the-bush-bit-back/
27 Sep 12: "NATIONAL: The Northern Territory election last month is the most historic in our nation, for one simple reason: it’s the first time Aboriginal people have ever changed a government in Australia. Tracker writer BRIAN JOHNSTONE analyses an electoral result that changes everything. Saturday, August 25. 2012. It was the day the Northern Territory’s political landscape was turned on its head. It was the day Aboriginal voters in squalid impoverished communities in the remote dustbowls of Central Australia and the swamp lands of Arnhem Land handed Government to a backwater Country Party." By Brian Johnstone, a Walkley and Human Rights award winning journalist
- Related Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: Back Tracker: Braveheart and the Berrimah Line
http://tracker.org.au/2012/09/back-tracker-braveheart-and-the-berrimah-l...
27 Sep 12: "NATIONAL: Tracker columnist, Brian Johnstone, spent 13 years working for Northern Territory Labor politicians in Darwin and Canberra. It took him into many of the Aboriginal communities who helped deliver power to the Tory CLP Government in the recent NT election despite a long history of raced-based campaigns. Johnstone directed Labor’s media and advertising pitch during a number of those campaigns. This is an insiders account of those years which seeks to explain the shift in power and provide some insight into the short electoral history of a Territory few Australians know, or care, much about." By Brian Johnstone, a Walkley and Human Rights award winning journalist and a monthly columnist for Tracker
Solidarity: Country Liberals cynically tap anger at Intervention to topple Labor in the NT
http://www.solidarity.net.au/49/country-liberals-cynically-tap-anger-at-...
September 2012: "The Country Liberals (CLP) have swept to power in the Northern Territory elections, ... The CLP ran a cynical, yet devastatingly effective campaign in bush electorates. Their election platform here had two components, both central demands of the campaign against the NT Intervention. First, the break-up of the hated Super Shire councils, which the Henderson Labor government introduced in 2008. ... Second, an end to the "Working Futures" policy which has seen investment focussed on 20 "growth towns", at the expense of the hundreds of smaller communities and outstations on Aboriginal land." By Paddy Gibson
Crikey - The Northern Myth - Bob Gosford in the NT: Was the 2012 Northern Territory election the dirtiest ever?
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2012/09/17/was-the-2012-northern-ter...
17 Sep 12: "There is now a very real question as to whether the Northern Territory general election on 25 August 2012 – and in the bush mobile polling booths in the fortnight prior – was the dirtiest election we’ve seen in the NT’s short self-governing history. As I wrote about past elections here the day before this years poll: Both sides of politics have played that ugly game, but the Country Liberals played it better than Labor." By Bob Gosford
See:
WGAR News: Aboriginal issues and the Northern Territory (NT) Elections (5 Sep 12)
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/05/wgar-news-aboriginal-issues-and-the-n...
* LIVING BLACK: OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE STOLEN GENERATIONS
- Audio
Living Black: Outstanding Contribution to the Stolen Generations
By Michelle Lovegrove
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/234889/t...
28 Sep 12: "The Deadlys honour community members who have helped heal victims of the Stolen Generations. ... One of the most significant awards at the Deadlys ceremony was for Outstanding Contribution to the Stolen Generations. All the nominees do incredible community work in helping Stolen Generations and their families, connect, reconnect, heal, grow, move forward and find a feeling of security and family that they may never have experienced before. The award was presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda."
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Audio
3CR Community Radio 855 AM - Podcasts
[scroll down page] http://www.3cr.org.au/podcast
Different Like Us - 28 Sep 2012
[Listen to this program online] http://pod.3cr.org.au/pod/3CRCast-2012-09-27-10837.mp3
28 Sep 12: "Spoken Word artist, Abe joins me in the studio to discuss Indigenous empowerment and and what his thoughts are about building a bridges between migrant communities and Indigenous Australians."
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/am-27-09.mp3
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
27 Sep 12: "A veteran Nyungar human rights campaigner has spoken of the growing role that the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples has to play in sharing the views and opinions of the global indigenous community with Australian Aboriginal and Islander peoples."
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Michael Anderson wants a treaty
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7558-michael-anderson-wants-a-tr...
28 Sep 12: "Tent embassy co-founder and sovereignty activist Michael Anderson has lashed out against the move towards constitutional recognition and accuses the Indigenous advisers involved as out of touch with the real issues. Mr Anderson spoke at the "Dangerous Ideas" festival in Sydney earlier this week, spreading his ideas on sovereignty in the hope to start a debate on the issue. Mr Anderson says instead of constitutional recognition, Indigenous people should negotiate a treaty with the Australian Government."
National Indigenous Times: We demand a Treaty
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1936-we-demand-a-treaty.html
30 Sep 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Geoff Bagnall. A Treaty with Australia's First Peoples remains the only real option after the collapse of the Federal Government's campaign for a referendum on recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution, Aboriginal community leaders have said."
National Indigenous Times: Traditional owners want Royal Commission on uranium mining
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1934-traditional-owners-want-royal-commission...
30 Sep 12: "By National Indigenous Times West Australian reporter Gerry Georgatos. Traditional Aboriginal Elders have called for a Royal Commission into the uranium mining industry and demanded organisations claiming to represent Indigenous views stop misrepresenting Traditional Owners. Chairperson of the Western Australian Nuclear Free Alliance, Kado Muir said there had never been more concern among... "
National Indigenous Times: South Australia’s "dead of night" attack on Native Title
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1929-south-australias-dead-of-night-attack-on...
30 Sep 12: "By National Indigenous Times reporter Geoff Bagnall. South Australian Indigenous Association President and Nunga Elder, Alison Thorne has condemned the South Australian Government's "dead of night" action passing legislation that has taken away Native Title rights to negotiate over oil and gas... "
National Indigenous Times: Health workers considering strike action over feared cuts to Torres Strait services
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1928-health-workers-considering-strike-action...
30 Sep 12: "Far north Queensland health workers are considering strike action over fears jobs will be cut in the Torres Strait despite the Queensland Government's denial any frontline jobs will go. Simone Kolaric from the Torres Strait-Northern Peninsula health service said positions would be cut but frontline jobs were safe. "I am determined to see no reduction in critical frontline clinical services as a... "
National Indigenous Times: Protest forces backdown on prisoner funerals ban
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1927-protest-forces-backdown-on-prisoner-fune...
30 Sep 12: "By National Indigeous Times West Australian reporter Gerry Georgatos. A proposal by Western Australia's Department of Corrective Services (DCS) to deny Aboriginal prisoners the ability to attend family funerals has been met with outrage from Elders and community members and a protest was held outside the DCS last week by affected families and community... "
National Indigenous Times: "Dootch" Kennedy demands views of local Lands Councils be heard
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1932-dootch-kennedy-demands-views-of-local-la...
30 Sep 12: "The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) Chief Executive Geoff Scott was a "rogue CEO" who "is bullying local land councils", the Chairman of the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council, Roy "Dootch" Kennedy has claimed. Mr Kennedy lashed out over Mr Scott's plan to push for the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council to become actively involved in mining in the... "
National Indigenous Times: Geoff Scott unveils a plan to mine New South Wales
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1933-geoff-scott-unveils-a-plan-to-mine-new-s...
30 Sep 12: "The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) is hoping for progress soon on its mining prospecting applications over two thirds of the State. The Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Scott said his organisation wants to be a real player in the State's resources sector."
National Indigenous Times: Dan Sultan slams "racist" Australia
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1924-dan-sultan-slams-racist-australia.html
30 Sep 12: "The ARIA winning singer Dan Sultan has accused Australia of being a "fundamentally racist country" ahead of a series of protest concerts. Descended from the Gurindji people, Sultan claims successive administrations have failed to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people under Australian law. Sultan will headline the inaugural Rock For Recognition shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and... "
National Indigenous Times: Urgent funding needed to save our languages, warns Wyles-Whelan
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1923-urgent-funding-needed-to-save-our-langua...
30 Sep 12: "The Chair of an Aboriginal language group in north Queensland has warned urgent funding is needed before 80 per cent of Indigenous languages spoken in the far north Queensland region are lost. The North Queensland Regional Aboriginal Language Corporation (NQRALC) Chair, Troy Wyles-Whelan issued the warning to the standing committee for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs... "
National Indigenous Times: Congress welcomes recommendations as a way forward to save Indigenous languages
http://www.nit.com.au/news/1922-congress-welcomes-recommendations-as-a-w...
30 Sep 12: "The recommendations from a Parliamentary Committee inquiry reinforce the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples' priority to address the crisis in protecting and maintaining Aboriginal languages, Co-Chair Jody Broun has said. Ms Broun congratulated the committee on their report, "Our Land Our Languages" saying almost every point in the Congress submission was... "
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