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Aboriginals to fight Queensland invasion

21 December 2007- Media Release - We will join with other Aboriginal leaders in Queensland to fight the introduction of forced income control over Aboriginal families in Queenland.

This is no less than an extension of the Northern Territory invasion into Queensland, as designed by Noel Pearson in conjunction with Mal Brough of the former national government. We will fight for the human rights of our people in Queensland, especially in Aurukun, Hopevale, Coen and Mossman Gorge.

The Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and federal Minister, Jenny Macklin, have imposed their first big deception on the Aboriginal people of Australia by disguising their support for the Noel Pearson welfare plan and secretly planning its implementation without due regard for human rights.

This racist action will be subject to legal challenge in the Queensland and Australian courts and, if the government defies our rights by suspending the Racial Discrimination Act, we will take it to the United Nations. Our opposition will not be armchair opposition because we will protest on the streets to oppose the spread of racism by the Labor Party of Australia.

This is clearly a case of where one law should apply in Australia. If welfare payments are going to be withheld by a Families Responsibilities Commission from the most needy families then let it apply under federal law to everyone in Australia without discrimination on the basis of race. There should not be a race divide in Queensland on the promotion and exercise of universal and fundamental human rights. We know that will never happen because unions and political parties will not let innocent people be punished for the guilt of others. Somehow Aboriginal people, according to governments, are judged to be guilty by race alone.

Any and all problems with substance abuse and anti-social behaviour in Aboriginal communities is not our fault but the problem associated with continued alien domination in our lands, sustained poverty and failure to remedy injustices. Increased control by alien government and bureaucrats will only exacerbate the situation.

We are very disappointed with Premier Bligh because of the deceptive way in which this announcement has been masked and kept from community discussion, especially after clear indication the Alcohol Management Plans (AMPs) in communities have failed.

The Aboriginal people in this State virtually guaranteed the Labor Party a victory in the federal elections in a clear vote against the Brough racism. In the voting for the federal elections they rallied against the Pearson plan for control of incomes. Now Bligh and Rudd betray the trust of these people. It seems that governments change but Australia's racism against Aboriginal people does not.

The federal government can overnight commit the nation to climate change reforms, can overnight commit to gay reforms but cannot bring itself to face to face honesty with Aboriginals.

We demand the Queensland Government publicly disclose its secret negotiations with Noel Pearson and the government’s AMP outcomes and achievements in Aboriginal communities. We also call upon Noel Pearson to present himself face to face with the Aboriginal communities to explain why he should be cutting payments to needy families while he is on a government payroll of $200,000 per year.

Contact - :Les Malezer: 0419 710720; les.malezer@faira.org.au

SIGNED: Les Malezer, Terry O’Shane, Bob Weatherall, Jacqui Katona, Victor Hart,

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