Newsletter date: 16 February 2013
Contents:
* Let's Talk: Live Broadcast 5th Anniversary of the Apology Link-Up Event
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Chris Graham about the National Apology
* NIRS: Chris Graham slams lack of compensation and change for Stolen Generations
* Shelter SA: Mr Rudd, why aren’t you talking about self-determination
* Fiona Arney, The Conversation: Making the national apology count for Indigenous children
* Greens MLC Tammy Franks: Five or Fifteen Years After Saying Sorry is High Time to Make Amends
* NIRS: Unfinished business: Call for compensation for NT Stolen Generations
* The Wire interviews Christine Jacques Doolan of the Stolen Generations Alliance
* CAAMA: Stolen Gen in Centre say "The Apology" means little for them!
* NIRS: High incarceration rates amongst Stolen Generations a problem
* NITV: Five years on from apology to Stolen Generations
* News on Justice for TJ Hickey
* Other articles
* LET'S TALK: LIVE BROADCAST 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APOLOGY LINK-UP EVENT
- Audio
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Live Broadcast 5th Anniversary of the Apology Link-Up Event
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
15 Feb 13: "Sheryl Sandy, CEO of Link-Up
Sam Watson, Chair of Link-Up
Uncle Des Sandy, Yuggera Tradition Owner
Jack Munro, Stolen Generations member, Link-Up helped Jack find his father in 2012.
Dr Norman Sheehan, Associate Professor at the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Design Anthropology at Swinburne University"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/live-broadcast-5th-anniversar...
* LET'S TALK'S TIGA BAYLES INTERVIEWS CHRIS GRAHAM ABOUT THE NATIONAL APOLOGY:
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Chris Graham
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
13 Feb 13: Tiga Bayles interviews Chris Graham
"Freelance Journalist and an editor for Tracker Magazine
Speaking about the National Apology, Gawad Kalinga, Closing the Gap and Grog bans"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/chris-graham-66/
* NIRS: CHRIS GRAHAM SLAMS LACK OF COMPENSATION AND CHANGE FOR STOLEN GENERATIONS
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Chris Graham slams lack of compensation and change for Stolen Generations
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7851-chris-graham-slams-lack-of-...
15 Feb 13: "NIRS/98.9fm: A leading journalist in Indigenous affairs says little has come from Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations after its fifth anniversary. In 2008, then-Prime Minister Rudd tabled a motion in Parliament apologising to Indigenous Australians for past government removal policies. Tracker Magazine's Chris Graham told 98.9fm Mr. Rudd's apology was merely an act to benefit himself and, if he was sincere, he would have paved the way for compensation."
* SHELTER SA: MR RUDD, WHY AREN'T YOU TALKING ABOUT SELF-DETERMINATION
- Media Release
SHELTER SA Media Release - Mr Rudd, why aren’t you talking about self-determination
Lateral Love Australia: http://lateralloveaustralia.com/2013/02/13/shelter-sa-media-release-mr-r...
13 Feb 13: "More than 600 people showed their commitment to the journey of healing for the Stolen Generations by attending the Reconciliation SA Annual Anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations Breakfast, held in South Australia. The breakfast honoured members of the Stolen Generations and informed the non-Aboriginal community about their ongoing needs - it was great to see many members of the Stolen Generations and their families in attendance. ...
Mr Rudd talked about the issues the Stolen Generations continue to face, ... Mr Rudd wants Aboriginal attendance to proportionately match non-Aboriginal representation amongst our university students. Dr. Alice Clark, Executive Director of Shelter SA said "We can all appreciate this sentiment on this important day of recognition but there are glaring omissions in Mr. Rudd’s speech" and asked "why isn’t anybody talking about self-determination or the cultural safety and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Islander (including the Torres Strait) peoples within the university system?".
No-one, including Mr. Rudd, seems to be paying attention to the particular housing needs of Aboriginal people ... "
- Event
Event: Wed 13 February 2013: North Terrace, Adelaide, SA
The Apology: 5 Years On
"Reconciliation SA is pleased to welcome the
Hon. Kevin Rudd as the Keynote speaker at the
Annual Anniversary of the National Apology
to the Stolen Generations Breakfast.
The breakfast is held to honour the members
of the Stolen Generation and continue to inform the
non-Aboriginal community about their ongoing needs."
Event details: http://www.amnesty.org.au/sa/event/31026/
See Kevin Rudd's 2008 Apology Speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3TZOGpG6cM
See:
WGAR News: Sovereign Union: The Apology is still an empty vessel (14 Feb 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/02/13/wgar-news-muckaty-northern-territory-...
* FIONA ARNEY, THE CONVERSATION: MAKING THE NATIONAL APOLOGY COUNT FOR INDIGENOUS CHILDREN
- Analysis / Opinion
The Conversation: Making the national apology count for Indigenous children
http://theconversation.edu.au/making-the-national-apology-count-for-indi...
13 Feb 13: "Five years ago, Kevin Rudd made an apology to the Stolen Generations of this country for the wholesale practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families ... Can we now as a nation say that we have provided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children the promised future, "a future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again"? Unfortunately, the past is reflected in our current care and protection systems for children and young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are over-represented in these systems at a rate eight to ten times that of non-Aboriginal children." Fiona Arney, Chair and Director, Australian Centre for Child Protection at University of South Australia
* GREENS MLC TAMMY FRANKS: FIVE OR FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER SAYING SORRY IS HIGH TIME TO MAKE AMENDS
- Media Release
Tammy Franks MLC: Five or Fifteen Years After Saying Sorry is High Time to Make Amends
http://www.tammyfranks.org.au/2013/02/13/five-or-fifteen-years-after-say...
13 Feb 13: "On the fifth anniversary of the historic federal apology to the Stolen Generations, or Sorry Day, Greens' Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation spokesperson Tammy Franks MLC, has called on the Weatherill State government to show commitment to active reconciliation by making amends and supporting a reparations tribunal for the victims and survivors of the Stolen Generations. ...
"The time for words is now done and the time for action has come. Real reparations, including compensation, are urgently needed. It holds practical and symbolic meaning to living members of the Stolen Generations and would also assist in addressing the ongoing disadvantage faced by their families and communities who were and are deeply damaged by past policies of forced removal.
"On this special anniversary I call for all sides of politics to take the apology a step further and turn the words 'I’m sorry' into a genuine act of Reconciliation and work together to provide reparations," Ms Franks concluded."
See:
WGAR News: Sovereign Union: The Apology is still an empty vessel (14 Feb 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/02/13/wgar-news-muckaty-northern-territory-...
* NIRS: UNFINISHED BUSINESS: CALL FOR COMPENSATION FOR NT STOLEN GENERATIONS
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: Unfinished business: Call for compensation for NT Stolen Generations
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7842-unfinished-business-call-fo...
13 Feb 13: "Members of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations are calling on the Federal Government to pay compensation for past wrongs. Northern Territory Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation Director Eileen Cummings says it's been five years since the National Apology and now is the time to act. She says they welcomed the National Apology but there is still unfinished business."
* THE WIRE INTERVIEWS CHRISTINE JACQUES DOOLAN OF THE STOLEN GENERATIONS ALLIANCE:
- Audio
The Wire: Kevin Rudd meets with Stolen Generations five years after Apology
Produced by Lisa Burns
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10017
13 Feb 13: "Today has been a historic day for Indigenous Australians. The House of Representatives have passed an Act of Recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, pre-empting a future Constitutional Referendum. This coincides with with the 5th anniversary of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology.
Featured in story:
* Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia
* Christine Jacques Doolan, South Australian Representative, Stolen Generations Alliance"
* CAAMA: STOLEN GEN CENTRE SAY "THE APOLOGY" MEANS LITTLE FOR THEM!
- Photos
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association: Stolen Gen in Centre say "The Apology" means little for them!
http://caama.com.au/stolen-gen-in-centre-say-apology-means-little-for-them
14 Feb 13: "Central Australian members of the Stolen Generations say nothing has changed for them since former PM Kevin Rudd made the National Apology 5 years ago. Each year fewer and fewer members gather at "The Bungalow" in Alice Springs to remember their shared history ....but the Commonwealth’s ongong failure to recognise and compensate them ....continues to cause ongoing grief."
- Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/am-14-02.mp3
14 Feb 13: "Central Australian members of the stolen generations say nothing has changed for them since the National Apology made by Kevin Rudd five years ago."
* NIRS: HIGH INCARCERATION RATES AMONGST STOLEN GENERATIONS A PROBLEM
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: High incarceration rates amongst Stolen Generations a problem
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7838-high-incarceration-rates-am...
13 Feb 13: "The convenor of a Stolen Generations issues group says high Indigenous incarceration rates remain a key issue to address amongst victims of government removal policies. Five years since the national apology to the Stolen Generations by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is being marked today. Jim Morrison from Bringing Them Home WA says a survey taken a year after the apology found a third of Aboriginal prisoners in New South Wales were victims of the Stolen Generations. Mr. Morrison says addressing the impacts of the Stolen Generations needs to be a holistic approach."
See:
Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
* NITV: FIVE YEARS ON FROM APOLOGY TO STOLEN GENERATIONS
- Videos
SBS World News: Five years on from apology to Stolen Generations
Source: NITV News
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1733962/Five-years-on-from-apology-to...
14 Feb 13: "Today marks the fifth anniversary of Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations. NITV News looks back at the history of each state and territory's apology."
* NEWS ON JUSTICE FOR TJ HICKEY:
- News
newsTracker: Family want new TJ Hickey investigation
http://tracker.org.au/2013/02/family-want-new-tj-hickey-investigation/
15 Feb 13: "NEW SOUTH WALES: Supporters of Thomas "TJ" Hickey have presented a petition to the NSW government calling for a fresh investigation into the Aboriginal youth’s death. Family and friends marched through central Sydney to NSW Parliament on Thursday, exactly nine years after the 17-year-old died while fleeing from police on a bicycle on February 14, 2004. TJ was thrown off his bike and impaled on a fence, sparking riots in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern. Protesters yelled, "We want justice!" outside Parliament House ... "
National Indigenous Radio Service: 'We believe we have a case against police involved in Hickey death'
http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7852-we-believe-we-have-a-case-a...
15 Feb 13: "The Indigenous Social Justice Association says it wants the reopening of the inquiry into the death of TJ Hickey because there's evidence that was never put to it. A rally was held in Redfern in Sydney yesterday marking nine years since the teenager's passing. The parents of the 17-year-old and the local community blamed police for his death, but an inquest cleared police of any role in the incident. ISJA spokesperson Ray Jackson says a petition for the inquiry to reopen containing fifteen hundred signatures has been presented to the New South Wales Government."
Socialist Alternative: "They say accident, we say murder!"
http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7657:%E2%80%9C...
14 Feb 13: ""They say accident, we say murder!" shouted protesters during a march called to bring justice for TJ Hickey, who died in Sydney at the hands of the cops on St Valentine’s day nine years ago. ... TJ’s mother Gail, his Family, his Community, the Indigenous Social Justice Association, and other supporters continue to call for justice for TJ and his Family - and all those other families affected by deaths in custody. The ninth anniversary protest saw a petition demanding that TJ’s case be reopened, that important evidence be examined and that witnesses be heard." By Petra Weber
- Event
Event: Thu 14 February 2013: Waterloo, Sydney, NSW
Rally 9th Anniversary of TJ Hickey's death:
9 Years Too Long! Re open the TJ inquiry!
Demand justice for TJ and all other Deaths in Costody!
Organised by the Hickey family and the
Indigenous Social Justice Association: http://www.isja-msg.com/index.htm
Flyer: http://indymedia.org.au/files/flyer%20front%209th%20anniversary%20tj%20h...
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/9-years-too-long-re-open-the-tj-inquiry
Event summary: http://www.greenleft.org.au/events/53144
TJ Petition: https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/re-open-the-coronial-inquiry-into...
WGAR Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
WGAR Background to the justice for Kumentjaye Briscoe campaign: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-the-justice-for-kumentj...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- Analysis / Opinion
Solidarity Online: "Captain’s pick" Nova Peris will make NT Labor’s problems worse
http://www.solidarity.net.au/53/captain%E2%80%99s-pick-nova-peris-will-m...
Febrauary 2013: "Prime Minister Julia Gillard has appointed Indigenous former-Olympian Nova Peris as the lead candidate on the Labor Party’s Northern Territory (NT) Senate ticket for the September federal election. This virtually guarantees that Peris will be the first Indigenous Labor representative in the federal parliament. This so-called "captain’s pick", however, is cynical tokenism that will only add to Labor’s crisis. This turn to celebrity rides rough-shod over the local committed Labor members and branches and has increased the disillusionment with Labor. Labor leaders’ use of "star power" candidates like Peter Garrett, Maxine McKew and now Peris, is part of the general, long-term deterioration of Labor, desperate to find ways to try to maintain votes as it slides in the polls but remains determined to continue along its right-wing policy trajectory." By Paddy Gibson
- News
SNAICC News: Justice reinvestment inquiry - have your say!
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=994
14 Feb 13: "Justice reinvestment approaches to criminal justice have been gaining momentum within Australia over the past few years - justice reinvestment looks for alternatives for imprisonment. Currently the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into the "value of a justice reinvestment approach to criminal justice in Australia." The Committee will produce a report on its recommendations by 16 May 2013."
SNAICC News: Mixed progress in the latest Closing the Gap report
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=997
15 Feb 13: "SNAICC has welcomed the positive news contained in the report - notably the improvements in child mortality rates and enrolments in early childhood services. However, SNAICC points out that enrolment is just the first step to access. We need to ensure that the barriers to attendance and engagement by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are removed so that we can measure real outcomes. SNAICC has called on governments to guarantee funding and other support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services ... "
SNAICC News: First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) website
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=995
14 Feb 13: "First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) website has a number of publications on the site including several that relate to the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The site was developed by Mark Quinlan. First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) is a national peak organisation thatl represents 37% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia who are living with a disability and also their families and carers."
- - -
About WGAR News:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/30/about-wgar-news-working-group-for-abo...
Subscription to 'WGAR News' is free.
'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:
* the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities;
* the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and tent embassies;
* other Aboriginal rights issues; and
* upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia.
'WGAR News' publishes information and opinions from a wide range of sources. These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.
The e-newsletters include media releases, opinion pieces, news items, audio, videos and events.
Subscribers can expect to receive about 7 e-newsletters each week.
To subscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
To unsubscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "unsubscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
Sample WGAR News e-newsletters:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-sample-wgar-news-e-ne...
- - -
WGAR events postings:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-events-postings
WGAR background info web-pages:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-background-info-...
- - -
You can also subscribe to our second list 'Contact WGAR' which provides a point of contact and includes occasional activities and events.
To subscribe, email contactwgar@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR Contact" in the message header.
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
WGAR Website: http://wgar.wordpress.com/