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key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lForming a new voice that speaks for Aborigines without one31 August 2007 - A decade with John Howard has included: native title made harder to get with his "bucket loads of extinguishment" legislation; the elected body ATSIC sacked; the Reconciliation Council dumped; paternalistic funding conditions imposed (wash hands and attend school to get Commonwealth monies); the Northern Territory land rights act amended to increase access for mining; and now vulnerable Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory are invaded by troops. It has been a nightmare decade for Aborigines. We have been reduced to beggars in our own country. Any dissenting voice is ignored by a government that selects "yes" people to promote its own agenda, and the select few are tragically held out as the voice of Aborigines. The Howard and Rudd response to policies that have kept families and whole communities destitute is to blame the victim. Those victims, long denied a real chance to make a go of it, will now have their income stolen and must go to the local store with food vouchers: those vouchers will have a list of purchasable items on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. The balance of family incomes will never be seen by the beneficiaries because the bureaucracy keeps it to pay other costs. This demeaning approach will create greater dependency and strip the last form of human dignity from those subjected to a destructive policy. The increased police presence in community areas with "dob-in desks" is designed to humiliate, not rehabilitate. Portraying all Aborigines as pedophiles and drunks, and taking land away, undermines the remaining virtue we have: our dignity. We cannot watch developments in silence any longer. Our people deserve better. We are establishing a national black voice that will seek to represent the unrepresented Aboriginal communities. We believe we bring experience and sincerity to the national political landscape. In our quest, we will not favour any political party as we see Aboriginal issues as being above party politics. Our single aim is to improve the lot of our people. We see our culture and people as an asset, not a liability. If we cannot persuade governments, then we will take our case to the court of public opinion - to Australians, to give us a chance to create a better future. from letters page - signed by: Pat Turner, Olga Havnen, Naomi Mayers, Dennis Eggington, Sam Watson, Bob Weatherall, Michael Mansell, Michael Williams, Gracelyn Smallwood, Nicole Watson, Larissa Behrendt and Bradley Foster Launceston Source: Sydney Morning Herald 1 September 2007 letters in relation to above letter Listen to these voices Most of the signatories to the letter concerning an Aboriginal voice (August 31) are known to me personally. I believe each would have a far greater involvement in and understanding of indigenous Australia than the minister, Mal Brough. It is sad that they are not being listened to and it is tragic that in democratic Australia they need to write their letter. However, given that the Government is pursuing viciously racist policies towards indigenous Australians, and that the Opposition is weakly concurring, there does seem to be little else they can do. They certainly have my full support and my hope that public opinion leans their way. William Jonas Artarmon I fervently cling to the dream that Australians will heed the words of these articulate
and inspirational Aboriginal leaders because they know more about their cultures
than any politician. If we have the decency to properly engage Aborigines in
attempting to abolish the poverty we have imposed on them, our nation will be Jonathan Hill Old Erowal Bay Source: Sydney Morning Herald
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its one year on from the Australian Governments controversial intervention into NT Indigenous communities
action Roll back, listen to Indigenous community voices speaking about the intervention |
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