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Aboriginal Communities Need Time

8 July 2008 - National Native Title Council - The WA government should take a 100-year view when considering the future of remote Aboriginal communities.

“Any decision as early as January 2009 to close communities would be disastrously premature,” said Chairperson Brian Wyatt.

“The consequences of an overnight relocation of large numbers of people from remote communities to regional centres, which are mostly unprepared for such impacts, would be calamitous for the towns, society at large and the lives of the individuals concerned.

“Let’s not forget that many indigenous communities function well. Plus, many exist so that the people can get away from their local towns that don’t want them there anyway.

“Instead, governments – state, territory and federal – should open a window of transition of up to 100 years for remote communities. This would provide time for new generations to equip themselves with the education and skills required for lives in the outside world and adjust to the pain that living away from one’s traditional country and culture can bring.

“It is overdue for Australian society to draw a deep breath and reflect on 200 years’ mismanagement of Aboriginal affairs. The clear message is that quick fixes devised without genuine consultation with indigenous people never work.

“During the period of transition, even small homeland communities would be entitled to expect quality ongoing services such as health, education and housing.

“As education standards rise and opportunities in the outside world open up, it is inevitable that the cost to taxpayers of communities would fall as many closed of their own accord.

“Government also needs to be more accommodating of Aboriginal people’s need to maintain strong links to their traditional country. Granting of native title or agreed settlement of claims, ownership of reserves and joint management of conservation reserves have all progressed too slowly thus far.

“Maintaining links to traditional country is vital for the well-being of indigenous people. The ability to go back to country must extend forever, way beyond a 100-year period of transition,” Mr Wyatt said.

The National Native Title Council is the voice of Australia’s native title representative bodies and service providers. Chairperson Brian Wyatt is also CEO of WA’s Goldfields Land and Sea Council.

Media Contact:          Brian Wyatt

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Source: National Native Title Council

WA Government must come clean on plans for remote communities

9 July 2008 - ANTaR - The West Australian Government should release details of a policy that could see the closure of hundreds of remote Aboriginal families forced to leave their homes, according to Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR).

State Indigenous Affairs Minister, Michelle Roberts was recently quoted in the West Australian newspaper that the Government was currently assessing whether or not to continue funding small Aboriginal communities across the state.  Ms Roberts was quoted as saying that a Sustainable Indigenous Communities policy would guide the government’s decision making on where funding would be directed.

However, ANTaR National Director, Gary Highland said that his organization had not been able to source a copy of the policy.

“The Minister’s Sustainable Indigenous Communities policy is not on the WA Government website and does not appear to have been circulated to Land Councils and other Aboriginal organisations,” Mr Highland said.

“It appears that Government decisions impacting on the lives of hundreds of Aboriginal families are being made according to a policy that at best hasn’t been publicly released and at worst hasn’t yet been written.”

Mr Highland said that he had heard from Government sources that a Taskforce in relation to the new policy had been established, but the composition of the Taskforce and its terms of reference are unknown.

“The Government should come clean about this new policy that could impact of the lives of hundreds of Aboriginal families,” Mr Highland said.

Mr Highland urged Minister Roberts to make the policy publicly available and invite comment from affected communities as well as other interested organisations and individuals.

“Aboriginal people need to be involved in decisions impacting on their communities, but to date this hasn’t happened.”

Mr Highland said that Aboriginal people were understandably fearful of government moves to defund remote communities, given the former Federal Minister’s ideologically driven claim that these were “cultural museums” that should be shut down.

“It needs to be acknowledged that many remote communities and outstations function well.  Research from the Northern Territory points to improved health outcomes from people who live on their own country and maintain a traditional lifestyle,” Mr Highland said.

“This is an extremely complex and sensitive issue.  There is a risk that a policy of the kind being foreshadowed by the Minister could be seen by Aboriginal people to be another wave of dispossession.”

Media contact: Gary Highland ANTaR

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