Where: Redfern Community Centre
When: 10am, Sunday 18th November, 2007
Rally: along Cleveland Street
to Victoria Park
Speakers: Shane Phillips & NT community representatives
WEAR RED AND BRING YOUR BANNERS, YOUR FLAGS,
PLACARDS…AND MOST OF ALL, YOUR MOB!!
On Saturday 24th a new Federal Government
will be decided. This meeting and rally, one week out from the election,
is our chance to ensure Aboriginal voices are heard loud and clear and the
injustices of the Government’s invasion of Aboriginal communities in the NT are
known about.
Of all the criticisms of the 11 year Howard
Government, their legacy in Indigenous Affairs will surely be remembered as a
low point in the history of this country.
They were elected in 1996 on a wave of racism
sparked by the former Liberal candidate Pauline Hanson and have since been
unrelenting in their attacks on Indigenous rights and politics. We can
see this in their approval of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge, amendments to native
title after Wik, the Reconciliation convention, the mounting of legal action
defending past Government’s removal of children, the white-washing of
Australia’s history, abolition of ATSIC, axing of the CDEP and now with the
measures in the NT to name only a few.
In the NT the Government’s so-called
emergency intervention followed the Anderson & Wild report on the
Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse in the NT. The
Federal Government initiated an ‘emergency response’ and have since passed
several laws giving them wide ranging powers over Aboriginal people’s lives,
land, resources, stores and enterprises. These include new powers to
manage welfare benefits of all Aboriginal people in the NT, changes to land
rights (eg axing of permit system to communities), assumption of 5 year lease
over Aboriginal land and greater controls by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
(eg Minister can determine who can live in the community) and changes to bail
and criminal law.
The Anderson & Wild report noted serious
issues and the need for an urgent community led response. No-where did it
recommend taking Aboriginal land, abolishing the CDEP or control of the lives
of Aboriginal people as if they’re children. This intervention has been criticised
as compromising human rights, democracy, freedom, self-determination and
Indigenous rights. Others have said if these powers can be exercised over
Aboriginal communities in the NT it can happen in NSW as well.
Come along to this family friendly gathering
at the Redfern Community centre where we will walk along Cleveland St to Victoria Park and join up
with other events are being held in the Park.
Meet 10am, Sunday 18th November,
2007.