Newsletter date: 10 February 2013
Contents:
* The Wire: Call for Royal Commission into Native Title
* Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation: FMG's Native Title "Racism" Unravels
* Background to Mabo and Native Title
* Background to the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC)
* SBS Radionews Audio: Listing of Tarkine Indigenous sites welcomed
* Chris Graham At Large: Grog is a killer, but it’s far less dangerous than politics
* ABC: Gas hub future unclear after native title dispute
* Hands Off Country: Fifteen thousand call on Burke to stop the destruction of Aboriginal burial grounds at James Price Point
* Hands Off Country: Why Protect The West Kimberley?: Carmen Lawrence
* Respect and Listen: Save the Kimberley: Poems by Deborah Wall
* Background to the Save The Kimberley Campaign - James Price Point, north of Broome, WA
* YouTube: Australian Constitution is invalid - Ex-Solicitor Wayne Leonard
* SBS Living Black Audio: Prisons versus Treatments
* Other articles
* THE WIRE: CALL FOR ROYAL COMMISSION INTO NATIVE TITLE
- Audio Interview
The Wire: Call for Royal Commission into Native Title
Produced by Bill Walter
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=9992
7 Feb 13: "The long and complicated story of the Yinjibarndi people's tense Native Title negotiation with the Fortescue Metals Group has driven the Gerry Georgatos of National Indigenous Times to call for a Royal Commission into what he believes are racist negotiation tactics. Wirlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation chairman turned whistleblower Bruce Woodley last year alleged that Fortescue established and funded his organisation as a breakaway from the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation. He suggested that the breakaway group were then recognised by the mining giant as representative of the Yindjibarndi people in negotiations. ...
Featured in story: Gerry Georgatos - National Indigenous Times"
See:
About The Wire
http://www.thewire.org.au/about.aspx
"The Wire is a daily current affairs program broadcast exclusively on Community and Indigenous radio stations around Australia."
See:
National Indigenous Times: Exclusive breaking news - Native Title bombshell - racism at its worst
http://www.nit.com.au/your-say.html
http://www.nit.com.au/news/2437-native-title-bombshell-racism-at-its-wor...
6 Feb 13: "Gerry Georgatos. In recent months The National Indigenous Times has investigated the long standing divide between the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) and the Wirlu-murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (WYMAC). The National Indigenous Times brought to the fore two whistleblowers - lawyer Kerry Savas, who worked for the WYMAC for 18 months and the Chairman of the Board of the WYMAC, their senior most Elder, Bruce Woodley. At the same time as these whistleblowers told the nation of orchestrated underhandedness by one of the nation's wealthiest resource companies, ... "
* YINDJIBARNDI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION: FMG'S NATIVE TITLE "RACISM" UNRAVELS
- News
Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation: FMG's Native Title "Racism" Unravels
http://yindjibarndi.org.au/yindjibarndi/?p=2997
6 Feb 13: "Gerry Georgatos of the National Indigenous Times writes "abuse and trampling of inalienable rights" in FMG’s native title dealings with the Yindjibarndi People is racist, and calls for a Royal Commission. This week he reports new evidence of intermeddling involving former FMG staffer, Michael Gallagher."
See:
Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation
http://yindjibarndi.org.au/yindjibarndi/
* BACKGROUND TO MABO AND NATIVE TITLE:
Last updated: 2 January 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/07/02/background-to-mabo-and-native-title
* BACKGROUND TO THE YINDJIBARNDI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION (YAC):
Last updated: 1 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/11/27/background-to-the-yindjibarndi-aborig...
* SBS RADIONEWS AUDIO: LISTING OF TARKINE INDIGENOUS SITES WELCOMED
- Audio
SBS Radionews Podcasts: Listing of Tarkine Indigenous sites welcomed
By Andrew Bolton
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/253256/Listing...
8 Feb 13: "The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has welcomed National Heritage listing of Indigenous sites in Tasmania's Tarkine Wilderness region. However, conservationists have accused the Federal Government of betraying the environment by not listing the entire Tarkine area. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke says he had to draw a line that would incorporate natural values without delivering unacceptable social and economic outcomes. The protection offered by the listing covers only about four percent of the Tarkine or just 15,000 hectares out of 434,000. Andrew Bolton reports."
* CHRIS GRAHAM AT LARGE: GROG IS A KILLER, BUT IT'S FAR LESS DANGEROUS THAN POLITICS
- Analysis / Opinion
Chris Graham At Large: Grog is a killer, but it’s far less dangerous than politics
http://chrisgrahamatlarge.com/2013/02/08/grog-is-a-killer-but-its-far-le...
8 Feb 13: "THERE’S no question that grog kills a lot of Aboriginal people, and destroys a lot of Aboriginal lives. It’s a major problem in many communities around the country. But for all the damage grog can do to an Aboriginal community, it’s nothing compared to the damage wrought by politics. ... The solution to problems like drinking lie in the communities where the drinking occurs. ... With support, Aboriginal communities have the governance and the capacity to make their own decisions." Chris Graham, the former and founding editor of the National Indigenous Times, and Tracker magazine
See:
About Chris Graham
http://chrisgrahamatlarge.com/about-chris-graham/
"Chris Graham is the managing editor and founder of Tracker magazine, owned by the mighty NSW Aboriginal Land Council. He’s also the former and founding editor of the National Indigenous Times (NIT). ... Chris has won a Walkley Award for Excellence in Indigenous Affairs reporting, a Walkley High Commendation, and has twice been awarded the Human Rights Award - Print Category for his Indigenous affairs reporting."
* ABC: GAS HUB FUTURE UNCLEAR AFTER NATIVE TITLE DISPUTE
- News
ABC: Gas hub future unclear after native title dispute
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-07/native-title-claims-dispute/450706...
7 Feb 13: "The Kimberley gas hub is facing further uncertainty, with the State Government to face competing native title claims over the site. For 15 years, the Jabirr Jabirr and the Goolarabooloo people have had a joint native title claim over the gas hub land, north of Broome. Two years ago, they signed a deal to allow Woodside and the State Government to build the LNG precinct. But the Goolarabooloo families remain fiercely opposed to the project and, after a two-day meeting in Broome, the two groups have voted to split up the claim." Erin Parke
- Related News
National Indigenous Times:
Phillip Roe says he would die to protect Goolarabooloo Country
http://www.nit.com.au/news/2449-phillip-roe-says-he-would-die-to-protect...
7 Feb 13: "Goolarabooloo Senior Law Boss Phillip Roe hopes come May Woodside will decide to not proceed with the $40 billion giant gas hub at James Price Point (Walmandan). If the go-ahead is given Mr Roe said he is prepared to die for his Country and that hundreds of Goolarabooloo will stand their ground. He will never give up the fight."
National Indigenous Times: Barnett to pull out all stops
http://www.nit.com.au/news/2445-barnett-to-pull-out-all-stops.html
7 Feb 13: "Western Australia Premier, Colin Barnett is prepared to block all alternatives to the $40 billion James Price Point LNG hub proposal to ensure the hub is built. Woodside venture partner, Shell favours a cheaper floating LNG distant from the Kimberley's pristine coastline - this story was first broken by the National Indigenous Times last year."
* HANDS OFF COUNTRY: FIFTEEN THOUSAND CALL ON BURKE TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF ABORIGINAL BURIAL GROUNDS AT JAMES PRICE POINT
- News
Hands Off Country: Fifteen thousand call on Burke to stop the destruction of Aboriginal burial grounds at James Price Point
http://handsoffcountry.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/tony-burke-must-act-now-b...
5 Feb 13: "Woodside were recently granted a Section 18 permit from the West Australian State Government allowing them to destroy or alter the listed Aboriginal heritage sites in the area, which contain sacred and burial sites important to the traditional custodians, the Goolarabooloo. Similar applications in the 1990’s were turned back as the sites were deemed too culturally significant, yet there has been no indication from the state government as to what has changed since then to lessen this significance. Spokesperson Errol Roe continued, ... "
* HANDS OFF COUNTRY: WHY PROTECT THE WEST KIMBERLEY?: CARMEN LAWRENCE
- News and Video
Hands Off Country: Why Protect The West Kimberley?: Carmen Lawrence
http://handsoffcountry.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/why-protect-west-kimberle...
8 Feb 13: "Watch to the end ... and share ... everywhere " ... I say these are their rights as a citizen. As citizens of Australia they shouldn’t have to sell off their heritage ... to break the law. And of course it’s driven a wedge through local communities. It’s created a great deal of social unrest, and there’ll be more of that in the future. The West Kimberley is not a place for sale. It’s not a place that we can trash. And I for one don’t want to be part of the generation that’s responsible for doing that". And Redhand seconds that!"
* RESPECT AND LISTEN: SAVE THE KIMBERLEY: POEMS BY DEBORAH WALL
- Poems
Respect and Listen: Save the Kimberley: Poems by Deborah Wall
[scroll down page] http://www.respectandlisten.org/kimberley/save-the-kimberley.html
* BACKGROUND TO THE SAVE THE KIMBERLEY CAMPAIGN - JAMES PRICE POINT, NORTH OF BROOME, WA
Last updated: 4 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/11/22/wgar-news-background-to-the-save-the-...
* YOUTUBE: AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION IS INVALID - EX-SOLICITOR WAYNE LEONARD
- Video
YouTube: Australian Constitution is invalid - Ex-Solicitor Wayne Leonard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aKBbEZciKk
16 Oct 10: "The Australian constitution Wayne Leonard has discovered is in fact invalid. Australia is not a sovereign nation and remains a colony of the United Kingdom. This obviously has massive ramifications, most notably that it has never legally been a member of the United Nations because it is not in fact a nation meaning that all treaties involving Australia are void and invalid. The implications of all this are immense, effecting not only Australia but New Zealand and Canada."
* SBS LIVING BLACK AUDIO: PRISONS VERSES TREATMENTS
- Audio Interview
SBS Living Black: Prisons versus Treatments
By Marc Tong
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/253292/t...
8 Feb 13: "A landmark independent report has found rehabilitation centres provides savings and social benefits when compared to prisons. An independent report has found that savings from using rehabilitation centres instead of prisons would be sufficient enough to treat all non-violent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. ... Chair of the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee, Nyoongar man Associate Professor Ted Wilkes says funding for treatment centres could have come from this savings."
See:
WGAR News: Treatment not prison for our mob: NACCHO Aboriginal Health News Alerts (7 Feb 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/02/06/wgar-news-treatment-not-prison-for-ou...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/am-8-02.mp3
8 Feb 13: "* The federal Opposition Leader says that while governments may spend a lot of money on specific programs to help Aboriginal and Islander Australians..... there’s not enough personal engagement to see how the programs are impacting on them....where they actually live in the real world.
* A day after the Prime Minister delivered her Close the Gap Statement to Federal Parliament the leader of a Foundation delivering Aboriginal residential healing programs to youth at high risk has travelled to Canberra to try and meet with the Ms Gillard about funding cuts to the essential program."
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