Transcript
26/11/1999
Family calls for Eddie Murray case to be reopened

KERRY O'BRIEN: Aboriginal footballer Eddie Murray died 18 years ago in
police custody in the north-west New South Wales cotton town of Wee Waa. But
awkward questions about how he died continue to recur.

After only 90 minutes in custody, Murray was found hanged in a cell, and
although the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody in the late '80s
was critical of police evidence, it concluded there was no basis for a
finding of police culpability in what was assumed to be suicide.

But another independent investigation 10 years later recommended his body be
exhumed, and a subsequent autopsy revealed a significant injury to the
21-year-old Murray's sternum, which again has led to further questions about
whether he could have hanged himself.

The family now wants the case officially reopened.

We know many Aboriginal communities find it distressing and even offensive
to depict persons who've died, so I should warn anyone who may be offended
that this story does contain such scenes.

Philippa McDonald reports.

LEILA MURRAY: We want to know what happened to our son.

Out of 12 kids, you still miss one out of them, I tell you.

I don't care how bad they are, mate, you still miss your kids.

I know I do.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Not a day goes by without Arthur and Leila Murray
thinking of their son Eddie.

ARTHUR MURRAY: He was supposed to be a first-grade footballer.

He achieved that in a way when he played for the All Blacks at Red Field.

He was offered a chance to go over to NZ with the Aboriginal All Blacks.

But his death denied him of that.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Back in 1981, their 21-year-old son, Eddie Murray, was
out drinking with male family members in their home town of Wee Waa in
north-west NSW.

Eddie was celebrating his up-coming football trip, but got so drunk he was
asked to leave the local pub and police locked him up in the station's cell.

ARTHUR MURRAY: They could have brought him home.

We only live just up the road.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Why don't you think the police took him home to your
place, if you were so close by?

ARTHUR MURRAY: Well, that's a good question.

We are also asking that question.

Why didn't they bring him home?

There was no need whatsoever to detain him and lock him in the cell.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Just over an hour after being placed in custody, Eddie
Murray was dead.

He was found by station officers, hanging from the cell's bars.

ARTHUR MURRAY: They didn't worry.

They didn't think that we would pursue it further, which we did.

LEILA MURRAY: I think the police got a shock when we wanted an investigation
into our son's death, because we knew that our son wouldn't take his own
life.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: It's been a long fight for answers for Leila and Arthur
Murray.

Unhappy with the coroner's open finding, they left Wee Waa and campaigned in
earnest for a royal commission into black deaths in custody.

But they believe even a royal commission failed to answer their questions.

So determined in their quest, the Murrays went against Aboriginal tradition
and 16 years after Eddie's death, his remains were exhumed.

It seemed finally the Murrays had a breakthrough.

The exhumation delivered startling new evidence.

ROBERT CAVANAGH, BARRISTER: Eddie Murray had a fractured sternum and that
was not identified at the time of either the inquest or the royal
commission.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: What possible conclusions would you draw from the fact
that Eddie Murray had a fractured sternum?

ROBERT CAVANAGH: He had a significant injury which was not identified.

How that injury occurred is very important to know.

It's most likely caused by a blow.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Couldn't that injury have been caused by resuscitation?

ROBERT CAVANAGH: I suppose that's a remote possibility, but the royal
commissioner cast doubt on whether resuscitation efforts occurred at all.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Barrister Robert Cavanagh is one of the authors of a
report which documents new forensic evidence following the exhumation of
Eddie's remains.

DR JOHAN DUFLOU, NSW INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE: The most likely cause
of the fracture of the sternum is one or more blows to the chest some time
prior to death.

I cannot state with any degree of certainty whether this blow was inflicted
by a person or as a result of Mr Murray falling onto a protruding surface.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: Today the Murray family arrived at the public launch of
yet another report into their son's death, but this time they were hopeful.

They're calling for his case to be reopened in light of questions being
asked that, with a broken sternum, how Eddie Murray could have hanged
himself.

PROFESSOR NIKOLAI BOGDUK, PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY AND MUSCULOSKELETAL MEDICINE:
An individual with a fractured sternum would have their chest pain strongly
aggravated by movements such as lifting the arms above the head to hold or
pull objects.

What we take for granted when reaching up, in terms of being able to balance
the upper limb as we reach up or out, would be impaired.

DR BILL JONES, SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMISSIONER: I would say that the Murray
family have been very brave in pursuing justice and in pursuing the truth,
which, given this report and what this report says, probably still has
somewhere to go before we actually get to the truth.

PHILIPPA McDONALD: The NSW Police Minister and Attorney-General say they
will both seriously consider the report and its recommendations.

A spokesman for the NSW Police Service says its a matter for the coroner and
others in the criminal justice system.

Would you accept it if even a new investigation found that your son had
suicided?

Would you finally accept that?

ARTHUR MURRAY: No, no way in the world.

No way in the world that I would accept that Eddie died by his own hands.





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© Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1999


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  <<Letty SCOTT Media addresses Nov 9th ABC TV NEWS TRANSCRIPT (U.S.A.)>>
<<Wingecarribee Reconciliation Forum - Nov 18th Meeting>>  <<National
Indigenous Heritage Art Award 2000 : New Reconciliation Section added>>
  <<Stolen Generations.....>>  <<Indigenous Relevant Bills & Motions to Nov
26th>>  <<ABC News: GST food loophole looms>>
  <<Archbishop Desmond Tutu on reconciliation: 7:30 Report>>  <<Welfare
Debate: The 7:30 Report [transcript]; Mornington Island residents up in
arms...>>

> ----------
> From:  Daniel Taylor
> Sent:  Saturday, 20 November 1999 11:48 AM
> Subject:  Letty SCOTT Web address N0V 9th ABC TV NEWS TRANSCRIPT
> (U.S.A.)
>
>
>
> From: "News Channel 8" <wtnh@...
> Reply-To: wtnh@...
> To: wadai@... (Letty SCOTT and Daniel TAYLOR)
> Subject: Re: Please email N0V 9th article re murder in custody  transcript
>
> to us
> Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 18:56:42 -0500
>
> Hi - You can find the story on our website at
> <http://www.wtnh.com/news/1999/nov/11091999-scott.html
>
>
>
> News Channel 8 ; actual transcript
>
>
>
>
> Australian woman asks Pequots for help in proving husband's murder
> (WTNH) _ An Australian Aboriginal on an international quest for justice is
>
> now getting help here in Connecticut from a powerful ally. The
> Mashantucket
> Pequots are backing Letty Scott and her crusade against police brutality.
> Scott's husband died in a prison cell in Darwin, Australia, 15-years ago.
> Officials say he hanged himself, but Scott is convinced he was murdered.
> News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports from our southeastern newsroom at
>
> The Day.
>
> Letty Scott, Leura, Australia: "Life itself is sacred, and nobody has the
> right to kill people."
>
> Letty Scott is on a crusade for human rights. In particular, the
> 46-year-old
> Australian Aboriginal is fighting for the sake of her husband.
>
> Scott: "My husband, he had the right to his life, because life is a
> God-given right."
>
> But Scott's husband, Douglas, lost his life in an Australian jail. He was
> found hanged in his cell after being locked up for allegedly using obscene
>
> language in public.
>
> Scott: "He said 'you're not gonna see me alive, they're gonna kill me,
> they
> promised' and I said 'no they can't do this to you', and he said 'they
> promised to hang me'."
>
> Despite dozens of other Aborigines dying in custody, the Australian
> government found no evidence of police misconduct. But Letty Scott did not
>
> give up. Scott ended up in New York, where she first met someone from the
> Shinnecock Indian Tribe. They suggested she come here to Connecticut and
> contact the Mashantuckets. In his words, they're the ones with the money.
>
> Tribal leaders identified with Scott's struggle and immediately offered to
>
> help.
>
> Searle Field, Mashantucket Pequot Chief of Staff: "Some of the tribal
> council members in particular felt that now that we have resources that
> can
> be brought to bear in this kind of issue, that we have an obligation."
>
> That obligation has allowed Scott to go to Washington, London and Geneva,
> to
> try to convince international lawmakers to pressure Australia into doing
> the
> right thing.
>
> Scott: "The Australian government should just deal with these perpetrators
>
> that took Doug's life... You have to deal with these types of people and
> you've got to bring them to account."
>
> With the help of her new-found friends here, Letty Scott may very well
> succeed in doing just that.
>
> The Mashantuckets have also contacted forensics expert Dr. Henry Lee,
> asking
> him to take a team of experts to Australia to help Scott prove her husband
>
> was murdered.
>
>
> --
> Jeff Bailey
> Internet Producer
> News Channel 8 WTNH-TV
> www.wtnh.com   webguy@...
> 203.784.8805
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>

> ----------
> From:  David Tranter
> Sent:  Monday, 22 November 1999 4:48 PM
> Subject:  WINGECARRIBEE RECONCILIATION FORUM
>
> reconnet: reconciliation email network
>
> Last Thursday evening, November 18th, 400-500 people gathered together at
> Bowral, in the conservative heartland of Australia,  to attend a
> reconciliation forum organised by the Wingecarribee Reconciliation Group.
>
> The audience included about 100 Aborigines, 100 students, and many
> representatives from local organisations.  Some 50 of these
> representatives asked for  "reconciliation kits" prepared by the Council
> for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR), intending  to discus their content
> with their own group and to respond directly to CAR.
>
> The makeup of those representatives was :
> Schools: 			 18
> Community Organisations: 	 12
> Government Agencies 		 6
> Churches 			 5
> Reconciliation Groups 	 	 1
> RSL Clubs 			 1
> CWA 			 1
> Others 			 6
>
> The large attendance was obtained in 3 ways:
> By building an interesting and varied content into the evening's program
> of 3 hours (7.30-10.30pm)
> By personal invitations to all the organisations in the Shire listed in
> the Council Community Directory (over 100)
> By personal invitations to all the people listed in the directory held by
> the Wingecarribee Reconciliation Group (approx 180)
> By personal invitations to any other person identified by any of our
> "members"
> By including  a set (4) of "mini-fliers" with each personal invitation for
> wider distribution by the invitees.
> By emailing invitations through email networks
> By advertising in the local media and placing fliers in public places.
>
> The total cost of this advertising campaign was about $300, the overall
> cost of the evening, including accommodation and travel costs of speakers
> was about $800. The venue was provided free of cost by Cheavlier College.
> A voluntary collection was taken during the evening, which netted enough
> to cover all our costs with some to spare for a local link-up initiative.
>
> The program consisted of:
> A short opening address including acknowledgment of country
> Two stories by Justine Saunders including one prepared by Mick Dodson who
> was overseas.
> Addresses by Aden Ridgeway and Rick Farley
> Songs by guest entertainer Betty Little
> Questions to the speakers by a panel of 6 students drawn from high schools
> and colleges in the Southern Highlands
> Questions from the audience
> Reading of  the Draft Declaration for Reconciliation by two students, the
> standard (English) version and the Warumungu (Tennant Creek) translation.
> Tea, Coffee and Biscuits.
>
> The students had worked out their own questions by themselves after a
> short briefing session ( to make sure there would be no overlap). Their
> questions were challenging and to the point and the speakers' responses
> opened up new avenues of thought to the audience.
>
> Among the audience were many Koori Leaders and Elders, one Federal
> (Liberal) MP,  and 3 Local Government Councillors, including the Mayor.
> Despite widespread invitations, no members of the media attended.
> However, the whole proceedings were videod in excellent quality by our
> hosts, Chevalier College, and we hope to be able eventually to make copies
> oof this video available at cost to interested reconciliation groups.
>
> So far as we can judge from the comments made, the forum was very well
> received, the predominant expression by the Kooris who attended being "a
> feeling of much greater hope". Among the comments by other participants
> was the following email by Julia Wolfson of Canberra:
>
> "Just to express heartfelt gratitude for last night to you and your group
> for making such a wonderful event happen. Seeding new values into the
> hearts and minds of us all for us to carry into our everydayness is
> progress. Thank you."
>
> I am posting this message to Reconnet as a gesture of sincere thanks to
> all Reconnet correspondents whose many messages and ideas have sustained
> us over the past  year, and in the hope that our experience might possibly
> be of wider relevance to others in the cause of reconciliation.  If I
> might be allowed to identify two particular elements of our meeting
> structure which appear to us to be particularly productive, they would be:
> Involvement of students in the program, the first generation (according to
> Premier Bob Carr) "to have grown up with the "truth of their own history".
> The "outreach component" which might possibly have a "ripple effect"
> through the wider community which we have not been able to reach up till
> now *
>
> Our kindest regards to you all !
>
> David Tranter
> (Hon.Sec. W'bee Reconciliation Group)
>
> * The Aboriginal meaning of "Wingecarribee" is :  "A  flight of birds
> taking off from still water"  It is our hope that the message of
> reconciliation which participants took away from this forum will also take
> wing and spread  throughout   the wider community.
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> ----------
> From:  Lynn Pollack
> Sent:  Sunday, 21 November 1999 10:49 PM
> Subject:  WRG Addenda
>
> reconnet: reconciliation email network
>
> Congratulations to you all - am delighted it was such a success!!
>
> There is absolutely no doubt that all that hard work and planning
> were worth the effort!!  You must all be exhausted and very relieved
> but hopefully the glow of the evening will keep the spirit alight until
> your energies are restored and all the sparks created by the evening
> will light new fires of inspiration .
>
> This gives me a chance to add a postscript to the Newsletter which I
> passed on previously.
>
> Meg did let me know that the October meeting did not follow the
> format outlined in the newsletter
>
> "The Wingecarribee Reconciliation Group was delighted to be able to help a
> man separated from his mother to meet her again.   They shared his
> birthday
> together for the first time in his thirty years." They and their three
> children,
> his sister and her little daughter were at the (October) meeting to show
> us
> photographs and to tell us how pleased they were.
>
>  The Group also made a submission to the Shire Council about its
> Social Plan and arranged for one  of its Koori members to meet with
>  the Council and contribute to the document."
>
> Do hope others will post reports of other discussions in their areas and
> if
> anyone
> knows of more coming up in the Sydney region please let me know as have
> an enquiry and am not aware of any more planned myself.
>
> LFP
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Lynn Pollack
> Sent:  Saturday, 20 November 1999 6:55 PM
> Subject:  New Reconciliation Section added to National Indigenous
> Heritage Art Award 2000
>
> reconnet: reconciliation email network
>
> Australian Heritage Update (Sep/Oct 1999) no. 14
> includes the following paragraph
>
> Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award 2000
> Entries have been called for the Fifth National  Indigenous
> Heritage Art Award.  A selection of up to 100 works submitted
> for the Award will be shown in The Art of Place Exhibition at
> Old Parliament House, Canberra from 17 August to
> 22 October 2000
>
> A new Reconciliation Section has been added to the Award
> for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists who jointly create
> an entry.
>
> Contact Alison Archer
>
> The Australian Heritage Commission also sponsors National Heritage
> Competitions for writing and song writing (latest closed 5 Nov) and
> videos (closes 10 Dec)
>
> Heritage Rave, Songs of Place and Heritage in Focus are part of the
> Commission's Celebrating Australia's Heritage public education
> program.  This program is focusing on Australia's heritage places
> and how they have helped to shape the national identitity.
>
> Contact Michele Parsons
>
> The Commission staff are also seeking information about the heritage of
> the
> Paroo River Catchment region (Qld/NSW border)
>
> Contact Michele Parsons
>
> AHC GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601
> TEL 02 6274 1111
> FAX 02 6274 2095
> http://www.ahc.gov.au/
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> To unsubscribe, write to reconnet-unsubscribe@...
> Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Monday, 22 November 1999 6:09 PM
> Subject:  from ABC Newsmail re Stolen Generations.....
>
> Mon, 22 Nov 1999 16:10 AEDT
> Catholic Church to assist
> stolen generation to trace
> their roots
>
> The Catholic Church has compiled a list of
> schools, homes and orphanages it ran to help the
> Indigenous children who lived there learn about
> their origins.
>
> The directory has been published in response to
> recommendations in the Bringing Them Home
> report into the stolen generation.
>
> The report stated children who had been removed
> from their parents should have access to the
> personal records held at the institutions.
>
> Bishop Pat Power, from the Australian Catholic
> Social Welfare Commission, says they hope the
> directory will help to reunite some families.
>
> "It must be terrible if you really don't know who you
> are, (if) you don't know who your bothers or sisters
> were or have been separated from them for so
> long," he said.
>
> "That's a tragedy of monumental proportions and
> today I think we are taking a small step and, of
> course, there are many more steps that need to be
> taken, but we are taking a small step to remedy
> some of that."
>
> © 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>

> Fyi - some information sent through networks
>
> a) re heritage (I'm sure you were aware of this already Colin)
> b) re Teoh
>
>
> BILLS & MOTIONS IN SENATE THIS WEEK.
>
> Monday 22 Nov            2pm - 6.30pm / 7.30pm - 9.50pm
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Bill 1998
> Provides for the preservation and protection from injury or desecration =
> of certain indigenous areas and objects of particular significance and =
> provide for the accreditation of heritage protection regimes in force in =
> States and Territories. Repeals the Aboriginal and Torres Strait =
> Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 and makes related savings and =
> transitional provisions; and amends the Archives Act 1983, Freedom of =
> Information Act 1982 and Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1997 in relation to =
> disclosure of confidential indigenous information.
> Reps: Intro. 12/11/98; Passed 11/2/99
> Senate: Intro. 15/2/99; 2nd reading adjourned 15/2/99
> SBC report 13/98 (tabled 9/12/98; motion to adopt report amended and =
> agreed to 9/12/98): Provisions of bill referred to Legal and =
> Constitutional Legislation Committee 9/12/98; extensions of time to =
> report 8/3/99, 22/3/99; report tabled 31/3/99
>
> HOUSE OF REPS
> Thursday 25 Nov        9.30am - 2pm / 2.00pm - 5.30
> Administrative Decisions (Effect of International Instruments) Bill 1999
> Responds to the High Court decision in Minister for Immigration and =
> Ethnic Affairs v Teoh by providing the necessary statutory indication to =
> ensure that entry into a treaty by the Australian Government does not =
> give rise to a legitimate expectation in administrative law that the =
> Government will act in accordance with the treaty, which could form the =
> basis for challenge.
> Reps: Intro. 13/10/99; 2nd reading adjourned 13/10/99
> Senate:SBC report 18/99 (tabled and adopted 20/10/99): No reference
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Tuesday, 23 November 1999 11:04 AM
> Subject:  ABC News: GST food loophole looms
>
>
> ABC news
> Mon, 22 Nov 1999 16:23 AEDT
> GST food loophole looms
>
> The Federal Opposition has revealed an apparent
> loophole in the tax legislation which could allow
> the Government to reimpose a goods and services
> tax (GST) on food.
>
> Labor has highlighted a provision which gives the
> government 12 months after the GST comes in to
> broaden or narrow the tax's base, without
> legislative amendments or the consent of the
> states.
>
> The government's Senate leader, Robert Hill, said
> he will check the legislation, but said it is
> nonsense to suggest the government would try to
> bring food into the net.
>
> But Labor Senator John Faulkner said the
> government could still broaden the range of goods
> taxed.
>
> "What guarantee can we have, given the
> statements of the Prime Minister ... in relation to
> the application of the GST to some Olympic
> tickets.
>
> "What guarantee can we have that the
> government will not unilaterally increase the rate
> or reimpose the GST on all food," he said.
>
>
> Residential rentals
>
> Meanwhile, the Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello,
> has accepted the GST could be applied to a
> portion of residential rentals on furnished
> properties.
>
> The Opposition has quoted in Parliament a
> taxation accountant who believes the GST can be
> charged on the furniture component of a
> residential property rented as furnished.
>
> Mr Costello said while residential rentals will be
> input taxed and not subject to the GST, it is
> possible furnished accommodation could attract
> an amount of tax.
>
> "I suppose if she's referring to a separate
> agreement which amounts with a rental for
> furniture and there was a separately identifiable
> amount then you might be able to make that
> argument out," he said.
>
> © 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> ABC TV The 7:30 Report
> Transcript
> 25/11/99
> Archbishop Desmond Tutu on
> reconciliation
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: There are many remarkable stories
> about the emergence of South Africa from the awful
> yoke of apartheid to democracy -- a struggling
> democracy, but democracy nevertheless.
>
> The most remarkable story is, of course, that of Nelson
> Mandela, who walked from prison after 28 years,
> forgiving his captors and becoming a powerful symbol
> for healing in a bitterly divided nation.
>
> Another powerful chapter in South Africa's transition
> from repression to healing was the Truth and
> Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Nobel Laureate
> Archbishop Desmond Tutu, which offered amnesties as
> a carrot to anyone prepared to tell the truth about the
> country's brutal past.
>
> What followed was an extraordinary chronicle of man's
> inhumanity to man, but also of man's wonderful
> capacity to forgive. Archbishop Tutu is in Australia to
> receive the Sydney Peace Prize and I spoke to him
> about our own struggles with reconciliation.
>
> Desmond Tutu, with the Truth and Reconciliation
> Commission, you rejected a focus of conventional
> justice on instead finding the truth, without the
> automatic threat of punishment.
>
> To what extent did that work?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU, 1984 NOBEL PEACE
> PRIZE LAUREATE: Oh, it's worked wonderfully.
>
> We've got a country that has remarkable stability when
> you consider, for instance, Russia, which made the
> transition at about the same time as we did from
> repression to democracy.
>
> But even more importantly, the fact of the matter is that
> we were able to unearth very considerable truth that
> had been hidden under official lies, cover-ups, where
> Cabinet ministers and high officials were prepared to
> perjure themselves.
>
> We now know, for instance, who bombed the
> headquarters of the Southern Council of Churches.
>
> At the time it happened, the Government claimed it was
> ANC, and now a former cabinet minister came forward
> to tell us.
>
> And I believe too that whilst reconciliation is a long
> process, we have had some extraordinary examples in
> the course of the commission's work which must be
> very, very potent examples for everyone in our
> country.
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: What stands out in your mind as
> some of the most potent examples that you witnessed?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: The daughter of one
> of the ANC activists who had been abducted by the
> police and was gruesomely murdered, mutilated in a
> burnt-out car.
>
> When her family came to the Truth and Reconciliation
> Commission and they told their story, we hadn't, at the
> time, got all the details about what had happened
> because the amnesty applications hadn't come through,
> but we knew more or less what had happened, and I
> asked her whether she would be ready to forgive people
> who had done this kind of thing to her father when she
> was a teenager.
>
> The hall was jam-packed, but you could hear the
> proverbial pin drop as she said, "Yes, we would like to
> forgive, but we'd like to know whom to forgive."
>
> And you have an incredible sense of the privilege of
> being in the presence of this extraordinary exchange,
> and often, I could say to the audience, "Let us keep
> quiet, because we are in the presence of something
> holy."
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: Do you any better understand, as a
> result of this process, the depth of man's inhumanity
> and the capacity for man's inhumanity to man?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: You are often
> devastated by what you've got to hear of the things that
> we were capable of doing -- all of us.
>
> All of us have an incredible capacity, in fact, for evil
> because the people who were the perpetrators of these
> atrocities don't have horns, they don't have tails. They
> are like you and me.
>
> They are men, mainly, who kiss their wives, ordinary
> human beings, and you said what an extraordinary
> depth of depravity -- yes, yes, yes. That is so.
>
> But the extraordinary thing is the paradox that in the
> process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
> the end result for me has been something that I was not
> expecting -- that I would be exhilarated so much by the
> example, the evidence of our remarkable capacity for
> good.
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: Having seen the worst of this kind of
> ingrained and senseless conflict, tribal conflict in Africa,
> the institutionalised bitterness of apartheid, of northern
> Ireland -- you've seen that at first-hand too -- what
> practical advice, having seen all of this and no doubt
> thought about it deeply, what practical advice do you
> offer Australia as we struggle with our own
> reconciliation process?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: Yes. I have a stock
> answer.
>
> The first thing I say is one of the things we really found
> most annoying was to have people come from outside
> and come and pontificate about how we should solve
> our problems.
>
> Having said that --
>
> (Both laugh uproariously) KERRY O'BRIEN: You're not
> going to let sentence that stop you?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: No.
>
> What I would say to you here is that we did find it very,
> very potent for people to tell their story, to let the pain
> that is sitting in the pit of their tummies find expression.
>
> Let them tell their story and let's not have people be the
> know-alls.
>
> Let them articulate for you what it is that bugs them.
> And I think that you are a remarkable people. You
> helped us fight the awfulness of apartheid and for that,
> we want to say a very big thank you.
>
> You are a wonderful people, you are champions in all
> kinds of sport. I get very upset that you defeated us in
> cricket and rugby.
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: (Laughs) I'm not.
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: But I believe too that
> you could become champions in giving moral
> leadership.
>
> I think that you have a wonderful opportunity of being
> able to say that, you know, "We are connected with the
> generations that have gone before as we are connected
> with the generations that come.
>
> "We are connected in the things in which we glory while
> connected in the things of which we are ashamed and we
> can't pretend there is not that connection.
>
> "We may deny it until we're blue in the face -- we have
> those connections."
>
> And it will be wonderful to be able to say, "For those
> parts of our history where things didn't go as they
> should have, we're sorry."
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: We've got terribly hung up on this in
> this country over whether the Government, in
> particular, on behalf of all Australians should actually
> say to Indigenous Australians those simple words, and
> particularly the stolen generation, "We're sorry".
>
> The expressions of deep regret have been used and a
> motion has been passed in the Parliament of deep
> regret, but those words "we're sorry" somehow seem to
> be going one step too far.
>
> Do you understand that?
>
> ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: Do you know how
> George Bush, when he was President of the US, got up
> and said to Japanese Americans, "We are sorry for how
> you were treated during the war"?
>
> Do you remember that a German President went and
> knelt in a Jewish concentration camp and said "On
> behalf of the German nation, we are sorry"?
>
> And Chancellor Schroeder, walking with PM Barak very
> recently, went together to a concentration camp site and
> they carried out a kind of ritual. Those tiny words are
> some of the most potent words.
>
> They have an incredible capacity for changing the
> dynamics, and we have found it is not the weak who are
> able to say sorry -- it is the strong.
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: Desmond Tutu, thanks for talking
> with us. A very eloquent man who's seen the best and
> the worst in all of us.
>
>  email: 7.30syd@...
>
> © Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1999
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 3:56 PM
> Subject:  FW: The 7:30 Report [transcript]; Mornington Island
> residents up in arms...
>
>
>
> ABC TV The 7:30 Report
> Transcript
> 24/11/99
> Mornington Island residents up
> in arms about $30 levy
>
> KERRY O'BRIEN: Mornington Island, in the Gulf of
> Carpentaria, is typical of many remote Aboriginal and
> Islander communities, where living conditions are
> often on par with third world standards.
>
> But what makes life on the island even tougher for its
> 1,000 inhabitants is a decision by the local council 18
> months ago to impose a special levy of $30 a week on
> every adult resident.
>
> Although the council admits it probably didn't have the
> power to do so, the Queensland Government is set to
> make the levy legal and retrospective -- a move that's
> incensed the island's residents.
>
> Bernard Bowen reports.
>
> MURRANDOO YANNER, CARPENTARIA LAND
> COUNCIL: It's not healthy, it's not fit to be inhabited.
>
> It's condemned by council.
>
> It's certainly not about looking after those who need to
> be looked after, those whose health is greatest at risk,
> whose security is greatest at risk and who are paying
> the most money and deserve the most service and
> repairs and maintenance.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: Murrandoo Yanner is appalled at
> the shameful state of housing on Mornington Island,
> but what angers the Carpentaria Land Council chairman
> even more, is that the local shire is charging residents a
> special levy -- just to live in places like this.
>
> MURRANDOO YANNER: It's really immoral, inhuman
> and illegal.
>
> There's roughly up to 15 people staying here,
> minimum.
>
> Nine adults who all have a living levy deducted from
> either their pensions, their CDP or council pays per
> week.
>
> So that's anywhere between $270 and $300 a week
> going into this home, which, as you can see, is
> extremely beyond living conditions.
>
> It's sub-standard, it's inhospitable.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: The Mornington Island Shire
> Council imposed a $30-a-week levy on all adult
> residents 18 months ago, because it was strapped for
> cash.
>
> In the community's depressed economy, few of the
> 1,000 locals can afford to pay regular rent.
>
> CATRINA FELTON-BUSCH, MORNINGTON ISLAND
> SHIRE COUNCIL: The council was sort of faced with
> huge rental arrears and also mounting costs for
> maintenance of our infrastructure, particularly our
> community homes.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: Catrina Felton-Busch, the shire's
> deputy chief executive, believes the council's in a
> difficult position.
>
> Unlike most local authorities, it's unable to raise
> revenue through rates, because all of the islanders rent,
> usually from the council itself.
>
> But even those who don't live in council housing are
> forced to pay the levy.
>
> LOCAL ABORIGINAL MAN: And this is my house.
>
> This shack on the beach is occupied by five adults who
> each contribute the $30 a week, for services like
> rubbish collection that they don't even use.
>
> MURRANDOO YANNER: They're basically beggars
> and on their own land, paupers on their own land.
>
> Very poor people, 'cause they're on the lowest salary in
> Australia already -- that's actually working for the dole
> -- and then they're to be deducted exhorbitant amounts
> of money for living in a contraption they've built
> themselves from material taken from the rubbish
> dump.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: Most of the Mornington Island
> locals are either employed by the council or the local
> work-for-the-dole scheme, with the levy automatically
> deducted from their pay packets.
>
> But some residents complain that they never gave the
> council written permission and in the case of those on
> pensions, the money's withheld when social security
> cheques are cashed by the council.
>
> MURRANDOO YANNER: Has anybody ever told you
> why they're taking that money away from you?
>
> OLD ABORIGINAL WOMAN: No, darling, nobody
> mentioned anything about that to me.
>
> Did they ever ask your permission?
>
> No, never did.
>
> What do you think of the levy?
>
> Well, I think they're just robbing, that's what I'm
> always saying.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: The issue has united the
> population against the local authority.
>
> Several protests, though, have fallen on deaf ears.
>
> LOCAL MAN: Even poor, bloody pensioners got to pay
> the f-----g $60.
>
> That is not the bloody point!
>
> CATRINA FELTON-BUSCH: There's obviously a core
> group in the community that feel like they shouldn't be
> paying anything.
>
> They feel like they don't need to contribute to the
> community.
>
> TERRY O'SHANE, ATSIC SOCIAL JUSTICE
> COMMISSIONER: You see, you're caught between a
> rock and a hard place here.
>
> The council have a responsibility to keep the place
> clean and keep sanitation happening and things like
> that.
>
> Now if they don't, then they've fallen down in their
> responsibility, but they don't have the money within
> their budget to do it, so they've imposed this levy.
>
> No, it's not legal, but I suppose, in some way, they've
> tried to take a responsible position.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: While he believes the levy is
> wrong, ATSIC Social Justice Commissioner, Terry
> O'Shane, doesn't blame the council, but past State
> governments.
>
> TERRY O'SHANE: What makes me angry is that the
> council hasn't been funded to the extent that is
> required to ensure that the health conditions that are
> enjoyed by everyone else in Australia, aren't being
> enjoyed by the people of Mornington Island.
>
> That is the problem.
>
> It's not that they've imposed the levy, it's the fact that
> the financial resource is not within their budget and
> hasn't been supplied by governments.
>
> CATRINA FELTON-BUSCH We are currently seeking
> ministerial sort of ratification of the process.
>
> It's a really difficult one.
>
> >From what we can gather, it's probably something that
> does need to be formalised by the Minister.
>
> So, it's a very grey area.
>
> BERNARD BOWEN: But now the Queensland
> Government has moved to clarify the issue.
>
> It's introduced legislative amendments which will make
> the levy legal retrospectively, but that's only served to
> widen the rift between the community and the council.
>
> MURANDOO YANNER: It's a very, very unfair
> system.
>
> It means the poorest -- the ones on the lowest income
> living in the most crowded and unlivable conditions
> imaginable -- they pay the most.
>
> It's a matter of robbing the needy for the greedy.
>
> CATRINA FELTON-BUSCH: You know, we're trying to
> get away from the welfare sort of mentality and I think
> that council thought long and hard about this decision
> and has come up with a fairer system.
>
> So that people who do pay the levy are contributing to
> the maintenance and the running of their community.
>
>  email: 7.30syd@...
>
> © Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1999
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Media releases from this week re who's been elected, and their priorities
etc


  <<Northern Zone Commissioner elected>>  <<Geoff Clark re-elected as ATSIC
Commissioner for Victori a >>  <<New South Australian ATSIC Commissioner>>
<<New ATSIC Commissioner for Brisbane and South East  signals her approach>>
  <<New Townsville ATSIC Regional Council Chairman>>  <<Queanbeyan Regional
Council - Chairperson elections>>

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral[SMTP:info@...]
> Sent:  Tuesday, 23 November 1999 3:52 PM
> To:  'atsic@...'
> Subject:  [atsic] Media Release: Northern Zone Commissioner elected
>
>
> Tuesday, 23 November 1999
>
> Northern Zone Commissioner elected
>
> A meeting of ATSIC's newly elected Top End regional councillors today
> elected Gatjil Djerrkura as Commissioner for the Northern Territory North
> Zone.
>
> Mr Djerrkura was elected from a strong field of seven candidates at an NT
> North Zone meeting in Darwin in a ballot conducted by the Australian
> Electoral Commission.
>
> The candidates comprised four men and three women, including current  NT
> North Zone Commissioner Josie Crawshaw.
>
> Mr Djerrkura paid tribute to Commissioner Crawshaw in a short acceptance
> speech at the end of the ballot.
>
> Mr Djerrkura said he would work tirelessly to build on the work of
> Commissioner Crawshaw in representing the Zone.
>
> Mr Djerrkura also told the meeting that he was glad to go through the
> electoral process because "it brings me back to the grass roots".
>
> Mr Djerrkura will be the last government appointed chairperson of ATSIC.
>
> The recent ATSIC Regional Council elections will result in the first fully
> elected board of Commissioners.
>
> The meeting will tomorrow elect chairpersons for the four Regional
> Councils
> in the North Zone.
>
> Further information:      Francine Chinn
>                                        NT Public Affairs Officer   08 8944
> 5558
>
> 0419 819 025
>
>
>
>
>

>
> 23 November 1999
>
>
> Geoff Clark re-elected as Commissioner for Victoria
>
> Geoff Clark has been re-elected for a second three-year term as ATSIC
> Commissioner for Victoria by a combined meeting of the state's ATSIC
> Regional Councils today.
>
> From Framlingham and a member of the Tjapwuurrong tribe of western
> Victoria,
> Mr Clark has sat on the national Board of Commissioners since 1996,
> holding
> native title as a portfolio responsibility.
>
> Mr Clark said his re-election would enable him to build on the
> achievements
> and hard work of the past three years and his experience on the ATSIC
> Board
> would be an advantage in protecting the interests of Indigenous people in
> Victoria.
>
> "Land will continue to be an important priority in my second term, because
> land is crucial to our cultural and economic well-being.
>
> "There are options at both the Federal and State levels that I want to
> explore to achieve the best possible outcomes for Indigenous people in
> relation to land. A key will be creating a productive relationship with
> the
> new State Government," Mr Clark said.
>
> He said another priority would be to instil confidence in Aboriginal
> communities to secure their economic independence .
>
> "I want them to have confidence to get on with the job of improving their
> economic status knowing that they can count on ATSIC to give them real
> support. Part of that will involve promoting community family
> enterprises,"
> Mr Clark said.
>
> Mr Clark was re-elected by the 24 Regional Councillors who won office on
> the
> two ATSIC Regional Councils in Victoria following the national elections
> on
> 9 October 1999.
>
> Also at the meeting, Ms Daphne Yarram was elected Chairperson of the
> Binjirru Regional Council, replacing Ms Lois Peeler, who had been
> chairperson since 1996. The Council covers the eastern part of Victoria,
> including the eastern metropolitan area of Melbourne.
>
> A member of the Noongar nation, Ms Yarram was born in Western Australia
> and
> has lived in Victoria for the past 34 years, currently residing in Sale.
> She
> has six years' experience as a Regional Councillor and been actively
> involved in Indigenous affairs for over 16 years. Ms Yarram is a founding
> member of Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation, where she currently
> holds the CEO position.
>
>
>
> At the meeting, Mr Troy Austin was re-elected as Chairperson of the
> Tumbukka
> Regional Council, which covers western Victoria, including the western
> metropolitan area of Melbourne.
>
> Mr Austin was first elected Tumbukka Chairperson on 13 April 1999,
> following
> the sudden death of Mr Bob Egan.
>
> Mr Austin, a Gunditjmara descendant, has been an active member of the
> Aboriginal community for the past twelve years at local, State and
> national
> levels. A former Chief Executive Officer of the Fitzroy Stars Aboriginal
> Youth Club Gymnasium, Mr Austin's interests have mainly revolved around
> youth, sport and community events.
>
> Healesville's Ms Judy Monk was elected as Deputy Chairperson of Binjirru
> Regional Council and Mr Ron James, of  Kealba, was elected Deputy
> Chairperson of Tumbukka Regional Council.
>
>
>
>
> For more information:    Giuseppe Stramandinoli (ATSIC Public
> Affairs, Victoria) on 03- 9285 7225 or mobile 0419 508 125
>
>  Commissioner Clark on mobile 0417 549 842
>
> 			 Troy Austin on  0408 058 846
>
>  Daphne Yarram on 0417 302 109
>
>

> 					 23 November 1999
>
> New South Australian Commissioner
>
>
> South Australian Regional Councillors today elected the first ever
> metropolitan-based Zone Commissioner.
>
> The new Commissioner is Adelaide-based Mr Brian Butler.
>
> Mr Butler has had a long and distinguished career in children's services.
>
> He is a former head of the Aboriginal Child Care Agency in South Australia
> and former National Chairman of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and
> Islander Child Care.
>
> Mr Butler played a leading role in the Bringing Them Home enquiry.
>
> He will succeed retiring South Australian Commissioner Wayne Miller.
>
>
>
> Media contact : Eric Roberts 0417 818 482
>
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 11:40 AM
> Subject:  [atsic] Media Release:  New ATSIC Commissioner for Brisbane
> and South Eas t  signals her approach
>
> Media Release 					 24 November
> 1999
>
> New ATSIC Commissioner for Brisbane and South East  signals her approach
>
> Patricia Thompson, the new ATSIC Commissioner - elect for South East
> Queensland today sketched out some of her priorities, saying it is time
> for
> "a new approach for the new millennium" in indigenous affairs.
>
> An Ipswich woman, Ms Thompson, will represent indigenous people from the
> region which includes Brisbane, as their Commissioner on the new national
> Board of ATSIC when it meets for the first time next month.
>
> Ms Thompson was voted into the position yesterday at a meeting of  South
> East Queensland ATSIC regional councillors in  a ballot conducted by the
> Australian Electoral Commission.
>
> For the past three years the chairperson of the outgoing South East
> Queensland Regional Council, Ms Thompson was the only woman among five
> candidates in a field which included the previous Brisbane Zone
> Commissioner
> Ian Delaney and  current national commissioner, Colin Dillon.
>
> Ms Thompson paid tribute to the work of both Commissioners saying they
> would
> make a major contribution to the new council because of their experience.
>
> Outlining some of her priorities, the Commissioner- elect said " the state
> of indigenous affairs in Australia is delicately balanced on the eve of a
> new millennium."
>
> She warned there was great uncertainty in the indigenous community about
> the
> future and direction of indigenous affairs in this country.
>
> But she said there was also hope that there would be a positive way
> forward,
> "one that will include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With
> a
> place at the table for indigenous people and our views.
>
> "Indigenous people have indicated clearly through these ATSIC elections
> that
> they want to have ATSIC as their voice, as their advocate to all levels of
> government.
>
> "But they want to see other government departments and their ministers at
> both State and Federal level work together with ATSIC, like never before.
>
> "They want to see all hands put to the wheel. To see all levels of
> government really start to work with indigenous communities and for
> indigenous people - instead of just talking about doing that.
>
> "They want to see all hands on deck to maximise the limited resources, to
> finally begin to deliver real improvements on the ground. To see real,
> sustainable, long term community community development take hold."
>
> Ms Thompson said indigenous people wanted "a new deal, for the new
> millenium."
>
> She said she believed this was now possible with the election of  the new
> ATSIC Board.
>
> "We will have in place for the first time, the first fully elected Board,
> and the first ever elected Chairman of ATSIC and a new Chief Executive at
> the head of ATSIC's administration.
>
> "We can start the new millennium on a new footing, with a new beginning,
> provided there is good will from goverments. From all sides.
>
> "This new Board of ATSIC of which I am a member will take ATSIC into the
> new
> century, and with it the fears, the hopes and aspirations of indigenous
> people.
>
> "We have the opportunity now. We need a new approach, a new way from all
> of
> us, from ATSIC, from the Federal government and the Federal Minister, from
> the Queensland government and all State  governments.
>
> "Let's seize the time to make good."
>
> At the local level Ms Thompson said it was important for the ATSIC
> Regional
> Council to hold community meetings across the region and for indigenous
> people to see and hear more from their commissioners and  elected
> representatives, such as herself.
>
> At the State level,  Ms Thompson  nominated the Queensland Indigenous
> Working Group as an "important new vehicle and direction."  She said QIWG
> "covers many issues and is having a real impact on State legislation in a
> way that offers all Queenslanders including indigenous people the real
> possibility of  win-win solutions."
>
> Media Contact:
>
> Patricia Thomson mobile 0402 003 787
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 11:42 AM
> Subject:  [atsic] Media Release: New Townsville ATSIC Regional Council
> Chairman
>
> Media Release 						 24
> November 1999
>
>
> New Townsville ATSIC Regional Council Chairman
>
> Townsville ATSIC Regional Council has a new Chairperson.
>
> He is Councillor Eddie Smallwood,43, from the Burdekin.
>
> A police liaison officer in the Queensland  Police Service, Mr Smallwood
> was
> elected to the regional council for the first time at the October  ATSIC
> elections as a councillor for the Mackay ward.
>
> A Birri Gubba descendant, Mr Smallwood is also the Chairman of the Gudjuda
> Reference Group, based in Ayr.
>
> He is also director of the Central Queensland Land Council, and vice
> -chairman of the Bur-Del Cooperative Advancement Society Ltd, which
> provides
> housing for indigenous people in the Burdekin region.
>
> Describing himself as a "muticultural person" Mr Smalllwood has Kalkadoon,
> South Sea Islander and Chinese heritage.
>
> He made a point of "thanking all of the people who had turned out to vote
> in
> the council elections on October 9."
>
> He said one of his priorities for the his three year term would be to
> fight
> for better services, programs and funding for indigenous people living in
> outlying areas.
>
> "They need the same opportunities available in the towns and cities."
>
> The newly elected Chairperson also said he would "strongly reflect and
> represent "the views of his council and the indigenous community across
> the
> region.
>
> And reflecting his police background his approach would be "straight up
> and
> down the line."
>
> "I'm not here for myself or here for a particular group. I'm here for all
> the people," he said.
>
> Mr Smallwod said he has  a "strong interest" in land and sea issues.
>
> Traditional fishing is his favourite way of both  relaxing and staying in
> touch with
> "culture".
>
> Mr Smallwood was elected  to the position in a ballot conducted by the
> Australian Electoral Commission at the first  meeting of the  new
> Townsville
> ATSIC Regional Council, which met this week on Magnetic Island .
>
> His election followed an earlier ballot which saw the outgoing Chairperson
> of the Council, Ms Jenny Pryor, elected as Commissioner for the North
> Queensland Zone of ATSIC.
>
> Ms Angie Akee, from the Townsville Ward was elected Deputy Chairperson. Ms
> Genua Hore, also from the Townsville ward is the new Alternate Deputy
> Chairperson.
>
> Mr Smallwood congratulated Ms Pryor on becoming the new Zone Commissioner
> for the region.
>
> He said Ms Pryor, who remains a councillor on the Townsville Regional
> Council, will represent both the Townsville and Cairns regions on the new
> ATSIC Board.
>
> "Townsville will continue to demonstrate its leadership in ATSIC in
> Queensland on women's issues and representation as it had under Ms Pryor
> as
> chairperson.
>
> " Not only is Ms Pryor now our Commissioner, but the deputy chair and
> alternate deputy chair are both women, and seven out of our 12 regional
> councillors are women."
>
> Mr Smallwood paid tribute to the contribution of the outgoing council,
> thanking the seven outgoing council members for their service and
> contribution to their community.
>
> His office will be based in Townsville.
>
>
>
> Media Contact: Mr Eddie Smallwood: mobile 0417 190 801
>
>
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Sindely, Christine
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 3:24 PM
> Subject:  Queanbeyan Regional Council - Chairperson elections
>
> I heard  that Ms Yodie Batzke was elected today as the Chair of the
> Queanbeyan Regional Council.
>
> FYI
>
> Christine Sindely
> Assistant Manager
> Community Liaison & Indigenous Affairs
> Chief Minister's Department
>
> Telephone: (02) 6205 0675
> Facsimile:    (02) 6205 0512
>

Thanks Wieslaw.  Have a good weekend. I was excited this morning to see one
of the roses you gave me, beginning to bud. They have done so well since
planted. My love to family.

Audrey


-----Original Message-----
From: LICHACZ Wieslaw <Wieslaw.Lichacz@...>
To: Native Title & Land Rights Branch
<IMCEAEX-_O=ATSIC_OU=ATSIC_CN=STATE+20GROUPS_CN=ACT+20GROUPS_CN=SOCIAL+20+26
+20CULTURAL+20DIVISION_CN=NATIVE+20TITLE+20+26+20LAND+20RIGHTS+20BRANCH@atsi
c.gov.au>
Cc: 'actindnetwork@eGroups.com' <actindnetwork@eGroups.com>
Date: Friday, 26 November 1999 3:03
Subject: [actindnetwork] FW: [active-list] NT Hansard on Jabiluka


>fyi
>
>> ----------
>> From: Patrick Dupont[SMTP:patrick.dupont@...]
>> Sent: Friday, 26 November 1999 2:34 PM
>> To: URG Active List
>> Subject: [active-list] NT Hansard on Jabiluka
>>
>> This hugely long document is Wednesdays NT paliamentary 'debate' on
>> Jabiluka.
>> It details the blatant blackmail techniques currently being employed by
>> the NT govt and
>> others to try and pressure Mirrar into approving Jabiluka. Hopefully this
>> represents a
>> last ditch effort on behalf of ERA and signifies that the proposal to
mine
>> in its current
>> form is as good as dead. More detailed analysis would be very welcome.
>> The address is a bit long but it works...
>> Regards
>> Patrick
>>
>>
http://notes.nt.gov.au/lant/hansard/hansardd.nsf/8aa4d2611c81b10348255fcf0
>> 0102964/e0d5dfa763be44716925683300599e40?OpenDocument
>>
>>
>>
>> Eighth Assembly First Session 23/11/99 Parliamentary Record
>> No:20
>>
__________________________________________________________________________
>> ______
>> Topic : MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
>>
>> Subject : Jabiluka
>>
>> Date : 24/11/99
>>
>> Member : Mr BURKE (Chief Minister)
>>
>> Status :
>>
>> Information :
>> Mr BURKE (Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, I want today to re-visit the
>> tragic saga of economic development in the Kakadu region. A saga of a
>> pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that is being thwarted by the
>> stubborn, negative attitude of a few - a very few - people. If the Mirrar
>> people are united in their stance - and I do not know that that can be
>> stated with any certainty - then at best it is as few as 30 people. It is
>> the
>> saga of how those few people can deny extensive benefits in jobs,
housing,
>> education, health, and other social measures to the rest of the people of
>> the region and indeed extensive benefits to Territorians and Australians
>> generally.
>>
>> Look at a few simple facts: Right now some $9 million in additional
>> benefits for the people of Kakadu is being held up because Gundjehmi
>> won't play ball and it would seem some within the NLC are reluctant to do
>> anything about it. Already $1.5 million of this has been handed over to
>> the
>> NLC and is now just sitting in trust accounts waiting for someone to get
>> their act together. This is seed money for programs relating to control
of
>> alcohol strategies, social impact monitoring, business development, a
>> women's resource centre and an Aboriginal education Unit. These
>> benefits, referred to as the Deed Poll benefits, include:
>>
>>      Employment and training opportunities for local Aborigines with
>>      approximately 20 per cent of people working on the Jabiluka mine
>>      being Aboriginal;
>>
>>      Provision of new housing for approximately 65 Aboriginal families;
>>
>>      Assistance for Aboriginal businesses;
>>
>>      Funding of a Women's Resource Centre;
>>
>>      Funding for a bridging education unit for local Aboriginal children;
>>
>>      Traineeships and university scholarships for Aboriginal students and
>>      funding for adult education.
>>
>>
>> Mr Speaker, these programs are aimed at realising the vision of the
>> Aboriginal elders as expressed in the 1982 Agreement to mine Jabiluka
>> and the vision of the current Aboriginal community contained in the
>> recommendations of the Kakadu Region Social Impact Study. That vision
>> is for Aboriginal people to control their own future through economic
>> development in the region. Another $150 million looks like being wasted
>> on the Katona Mill rather than the environmentally sound method of
>> trucking the uranium 22 kms down the road to the existing mill at Ranger.
>>
>> I have to admit I am at a loss to understand how anyone - greenie or
>> otherwise - thinks increasing the mining site at Jabiluka to build
another
>> uranium processing plant and tailings dam is a better environmental
result
>> than using the plant that is already in the area and has been operating
>> safely
>> for almost 20 years. One could be forgiven for thinking that once the new
>> plant and tailings dam site is underway yet another reason will be found
>> to
>> block that development.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, I said before 'additional benefits' for the people of the
>> Kakadu region and before proceeding with this tragic tale I would like to
>> nail several of the lies that are constantly used by those who oppose the
>> Jabiluka mine. It is said that the people of Kakadu have to rely on the
>> fortunes of a mining company for their hospital care and schooling. That
>> is
>> just not true. Government funds a Community Health Centre at Jabiru
>> staffed by doctors, nurses and Aboriginal health workers. There are
>> visiting services in such areas as paediatrics, ENT, ophthalmology,
mental
>> health and audiology. There are outreach services to Mudginberri, East
>> Alligator, Cannon Hill, Mamukala, Paradise, Patonga, Spring Peak, Deaf
>> Adder, Nourlangie. The Djabalukgu Association receives funding from
>> THS to help it employ Aboriginal Health Workers and a doctor, and to
>> co-ordinate frail aged and disability services and a meals service.
>> Kunbarllanjnja (or Oenpelli) has a Government funded Community Health
>> Service with a doctor, nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers. It receives
>> visiting health specialists such as dentist, dental therapist, physician,
>> district
>> medical officer, paediatrician, ENT, ophthalmologist, optometrist and
>> physiotherapist. Working together with the Commonwealth DEMED, it
>> services outstations at Kungarwel, Manmoyi, Mamdawerre, Marlwon,
>> Marlgawa, Gamargawon, Narmurgadabu, Table Hill and Gudjekbinj. The
>> Kunbarllanjnja Community Government Council receives THS grant
>> funding for a meals on wheels program and support through the Nutrition
>> Outreach program. Jabiru Town Council receives grant funding for
>> domestic violence counselling and Jabiru Children's Services Association
>> receives assistance for child care.
>>
>> In the past 20 years, government has spent about $80 million in the
region
>> on capital works and maintenance including roads, bridges, water supply,
>> power supplies, sewerage, airstrips, police station, school and health
>> centres. Some of the current activities include:
>>
>>      An NT Government a survey of water supply needs;
>>
>>      NT Government has upgraded water supply at Manaburdama;
>>
>>      NT Government is preparing Serviced Land Availability Plans for
>>      outstation communities;
>>
>>      ATSIC National Aboriginal Health Strategy funds committed to
>>      water supply and sewerage upgrades;
>>
>>      Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory committed
>>      funds to new house construction and housing renovations;
>>
>>      Negotiations under way to enhance Kakadu health care programs;
>>
>>      NT Government (Office of Aboriginal Development) assisted with
>>      the conduct of small business development workshops; and
>>
>>      NT Government (Education Department) have made a number of
>>      program adjustments within the Jabiru Area School to make it more
>>      accessible to, and accommodating of, Aboriginal students.
>>
>>
>> Mr Speaker, if one is to believe some of the propaganda pedalled in this
>> particular debate all of these things have been provided through the
>> royalty
>> equivalent payments. That is simply not true. Mr Speaker, I spoke of
>> additional benefits because that is what the income from mining has and
>> can continue to do for the traditional people of the area. It can provide
>> benefits on top of that provided by government - if only the people are
>> allowed by the very small vocal minority that seems to be holding sway at
>> the moment. The money that has come from Ranger and will come from
>> Jabiluka to Aboriginal organisations such as the four Territory Land
>> Councils and the people of the region is extra money. It is the income
>> from
>> the working assets of the people.
>>
>> And that leads me to the second myth that is perpetrated by some
>> involved in this saga that somehow or other all Australian citizens are
>> entitled as a right to free housing, free education, free health care
etc,
>> etc.
>> Nothing is 'free'. Neither the Territory government nor the Commonwealth
>> government or for that matter any other government in Australia has any
>> money other than what it collects in taxes from the people and companies
>> of Australia. Governments use this money to provide some services, to
>> subsidise others, to provide certain infrastructure, such as roads,
>> bridges,
>> schools, hospitals, clinics, and to pay the salaries of teachers, nurses,
>> doctors, police, firemen, rangers and all the other public servants. They
>> use these funds to help those in need. But governments do not have an
>> inexhaustible supply of money. It is a finite amount and Governments have
>> to set priorities for its use and answer to their electorates that those
>> priorities are appropriate. Any help anyone receives with their
education,
>> their health, their housing has to fit in with those priorities. An
>> attitude that
>> says I have not got a house, the government has to give me one has
>> nothing to do with reality. But if an individual or a community can use
>> their
>> assets whether it be their labour or their property to earn income then
>> they
>> can finance additional benefits.
>>
>> The fact that these mines are on the lands of the people of Kakadu has
>> meant that $153 million in rent and royalty type payments have been paid
>> by the company between 1981 and 1999. Forty per cent of the royalty
>> equivalent type payment has flowed through to the Land Councils, 30 per
>> cent to the local communities directly and the remaining 30 per cent is
>> for
>> use as grants and investments for the benefit of all Aboriginal
>> Territorians.
>> Between 1995-96 when the NLC directed that the royalty-type payments
>> for local communities should be denied to the Gagadju and re-directed
>> through the much smaller Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation and
>> 1998-99, some $5 million has been paid out to Gundjehmi.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, it is estimated that Jabiluka would provide an additional
>> $210 million in royalty type payments and rent. But these basic figures
do
>> not take into account the company tax ERA pays - in the first 16 years of
>> Ranger this totalled $612 million. Nor the benefits to the economy of
>> employment at the mine site and the need to purchase supplies. The
>> Ranger mine contributed some $70 million to the Northern Territory
>> economy last year. Also during 1998-99, about 70 per cent of ERA's
>> purchases were from Northern Territory businesses, representing some
>> $46 million. During the first ten year's of Ranger's operation, ERA
>> accounted for seven per cent of the Northern Territory's GDP.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, development of the new Jabiluka mine is essential to ensure
>> that the royalty levels, and the benefits that flow from them, are
>> maintained
>> for the long term. Already, the cost of the first stage of construction
at
>> Jabiluka has totalled around $25 million - a large portion of which was
>> spent within the Northern Territory. On a broader scale, Jabiluka is
>> estimated to have a net present value of $3.8 billion to the Australian
>> economy. The money ERA will pay to the Commonwealth and Northern
>> Territory government each year due to Jabiluka is estimated to be the
>> equivalent of 1500 jobs. Yet, despite the significant funds that have
>> flowed
>> to the Territory's Aboriginal people from the Ranger operations - and
>> which will continue to flow as Jabiluka comes on stream - the Mirrar
>> traditional owners have resisted the development of Jabiluka every step
of
>> the way.
>>
>> But we must remember that this resistance only dates back a few years.
>> Originally they were supportive of the project and as far back as the
1982
>> agreement wanted the development of Jabiluka because they saw the
>> additional benefits that would flow. Indeed the senior Mirrar traditional
>> owner was a member of the delegation that lobbied the 1991 Federal
>> Labor National Conference in support of the development of the
>> Koongara uranium mine. In the past few years, the Gundjehmi
>> Association, representing the Mirrar people has taken a stance completely
>> opposite to that of the elders who signed the agreement in 1982. We
>> should also never forget that Gundjehmi, while representing the 27
>> members of the Mirrar clan, is only one of several Aboriginal
associations
>> in the Kakadu region, most of which support the development of the
>> Jabiluka mine. Indeed, officials of the main Aboriginal associations have
>> been reported as estimating support for the mine to be as high as 80% of
>> their members. Since their about-turn, Gundjehmi through its
>> spokesperson Jacqui Katona, has responded to every attempt at dialogue
>> over the development of Jabiluka with a blunt 'NO'. 'No' to the mine;
'no'
>> to consultation; 'no' to any sensible discussion of the issues. It is
said
>> Ms
>> Katona has:
>>
>>      Chosen to boycott all proceedings of the Kakadu Region Social
>>      Impact Study - an initiative designed to protect the interests of
the
>>      traditional owners.
>>
>>      Criticised other senior Aboriginal spokespeople and organisations
>>      for not supporting her views;
>>
>>      Arbitrarily declared that no Aboriginal people are to work at
>>      Jabiluka;
>>
>>      Threatened to take Aboriginal children out of school if funds from
>>      Jabiluka mining are used for educational initiatives.
>>
>>      Said that no Aboriginal people will live in ERA housing - despite
the
>>      fact that she lives in an ERA house herself.
>>
>>
>> Most incredible however, is the most recent refusal to allow uranium ore
>> from Jabiluka to be milled at the existing Ranger facility - coupled with
>> a
>> declaration that the traditional owners would have no more discussions
>> with ERA for five years. If this is not an accurate picture of
Gundjehmi's
>> position, we would welcome a clarification.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, there appears to be another myth that those who would
>> oppose this development hold dear. That is that when Ranger reaches the
>> end of its life in a few years, and Jabiluka has been successfully
>> blocked,
>> Jabiru will continue to exist with the same level of government services
>> it
>> enjoys now.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, let me share with you something that was recently brought to
>> my attention. Once upon a time there was a town called East Jabiru. At
its
>> peak it housed 2000 people, occupied an area of 30 hectares, had a
>> school, medical centre, police station, supermarket, two caravan parks
>> and a recreational area with an in-ground swimming pool and basketball
>> court. It was replaced by the present Jabiru seven kilometres away. What
>> now remains of East Jabiru. All roads, houses and facilities have been
>> removed including the town's power lines and piping and sewerage farm.
>> ERA cites it as one of their most successful efforts in rehabilitation of
>> an
>> area back to its natural state.
>>
>> Let's now look at the present town of Jabiru, where at least two-thirds
of
>> its 1500 people rely heavily on the mine's operations. Mining is the
>> single
>> largest employer in the area, accounting for 37% of the employed labour
>> force. The next largest employer at 16% is recreation and personal
>> services including tourism. Sixty per cent of the accommodation units in
>> the
>> town are connected to the mine including the properties the houses
>> occupied by Jacqui Katona and a senior member of Gundjehmi . Without
>> a mine what is the future of Jabiru? It might be too radical to suggest
it
>> will
>> go the same way as East Jabiru, but you can guarantee that without a mine
>> it will be a much, much smaller town with far fewer services. Nothing
more
>> could be justified. Nothing more would be warranted. To think otherwise
>> is to live in fantasy land.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, the Northern Territory government maintains its support for
>> ERA and the Jabiluka project. But it would be interesting to know where
>> those opposite stand on this $3.8 billion project. Previously the
>> Territory
>> branch of the Labor Party had a two mines policy: the Federal Labor
>> Party had a three mines policy and the Territory branch of Labor said it
>> supported uranium mining. Then it all changed when the Federal Labor
>> Party dumped the three mines policy for one that said if a mine like
>> Jabiluka had contracts to sell uranium by the time Labor achieved
>> government in Canberra it could go ahead but not otherwise. Everything
>> switched again when the member for Fannie Bay became Leader of the
>> Opposition. She flagged a review of her branch's policy on uranium
>> mining. 'Over the next couple of months we'll be taking a look at the
>> policy
>> and whether times have changed', the Opposition Leader said in February
>> of this year. Does anyone, including - or perhaps particularly - those
>> opposite, know what the result of that review was? Is anybody able to
tell
>> Territorians just where Labor stands on this issue?
>>
>> This government is gravely concerned that the project developer has been
>> forced into an alternative which is not the best environmentally and not
>> the
>> best for the Aboriginal people. Is the Labor Party concerned? This
>> government is concerned that a very small group are vetoing $210 million
>> of income for Territorian Aborigines. Is the Labor Party concerned? This
>> government is concerned that the loss of the mine will see the loss of
>> jobs,
>> the loss of a huge development, and the loss of a town. Is the Labor
Party
>> concerned?
>> Mr Speaker, it is time that some sanity and realism was brought back into
>> this sad saga. I'll certainly be attempting to broker a meeting between
>> the
>> relevant Federal Ministers, Senator Hill and Senator Minchin, myself and
>> the Territory minister for mines and energy, Mr Manzie, and the leaders
of
>> the NLC including its chairman, Galarrwuy Yunupingu. It is time, I
>> believe,
>> for sensible negotiations to ensure an outcome that is in everyone's best
>> interests. While we can respect the views of a small group, there comes a
>> time when the greater good must hold sway. That time is now.
>>
>> Mr Speaker, I move that the statement be noted and I seek leave to move
>> a motion relating to the Jabiru uranium mine:
>>
>> Leave granted.
>>
>> ...(continues for 40 pages)
>>
>> -------
>>
>> Patrick Dupont
>> Sustainable Water Team
>> Institute for Sustainable Futures
>> University of Technology, Sydney
>> AUSTRALIA
>>
>> Phone: +61 2 9209 4376
>> Fax: +61 2 9209 4351
>> Email: Patrick.Dupont@...
>> Mobile 0417 673 758
>> Web  http://www.isf.uts.edu.au
>>
>>
>> Location: Suite 213, National Innovation Centre,
>> Australian Technology Park,
>> Alexandria, NSW 1430
>>
>> Mail: PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007 AUSTRALIA
>>
>> ---
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>>
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fyi

> ----------
> From:  Patrick Dupont[SMTP:patrick.dupont@...]
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 2:34 PM
> To:  URG Active List
> Subject:  [active-list] NT Hansard on Jabiluka
>
> This hugely long document is Wednesdays NT paliamentary 'debate' on
> Jabiluka.
> It details the blatant blackmail techniques currently being employed by
> the NT govt and
> others to try and pressure Mirrar into approving Jabiluka. Hopefully this
> represents a
> last ditch effort on behalf of ERA and signifies that the proposal to mine
> in its current
> form is as good as dead. More detailed analysis would be very welcome.
> The address is a bit long but it works...
> Regards
> Patrick
>
> http://notes.nt.gov.au/lant/hansard/hansardd.nsf/8aa4d2611c81b10348255fcf0
> 0102964/e0d5dfa763be44716925683300599e40?OpenDocument
>
>
>
> Eighth Assembly First Session 23/11/99 Parliamentary Record
> No:20
> __________________________________________________________________________
> ______
> Topic : MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
>
> Subject : Jabiluka
>
> Date : 24/11/99
>
> Member : Mr BURKE (Chief Minister)
>
> Status :
>
> Information :
> Mr BURKE (Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, I want today to re-visit the
> tragic saga of economic development in the Kakadu region. A saga of a
> pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that is being thwarted by the
> stubborn, negative attitude of a few - a very few - people. If the Mirrar
> people are united in their stance - and I do not know that that can be
> stated with any certainty - then at best it is as few as 30 people. It is
> the
> saga of how those few people can deny extensive benefits in jobs, housing,
> education, health, and other social measures to the rest of the people of
> the region and indeed extensive benefits to Territorians and Australians
> generally.
>
> Look at a few simple facts: Right now some $9 million in additional
> benefits for the people of Kakadu is being held up because Gundjehmi
> won't play ball and it would seem some within the NLC are reluctant to do
> anything about it. Already $1.5 million of this has been handed over to
> the
> NLC and is now just sitting in trust accounts waiting for someone to get
> their act together. This is seed money for programs relating to control of
> alcohol strategies, social impact monitoring, business development, a
> women's resource centre and an Aboriginal education Unit. These
> benefits, referred to as the Deed Poll benefits, include:
>
>      Employment and training opportunities for local Aborigines with
>      approximately 20 per cent of people working on the Jabiluka mine
>      being Aboriginal;
>
>      Provision of new housing for approximately 65 Aboriginal families;
>
>      Assistance for Aboriginal businesses;
>
>      Funding of a Women's Resource Centre;
>
>      Funding for a bridging education unit for local Aboriginal children;
>
>      Traineeships and university scholarships for Aboriginal students and
>      funding for adult education.
>
>
> Mr Speaker, these programs are aimed at realising the vision of the
> Aboriginal elders as expressed in the 1982 Agreement to mine Jabiluka
> and the vision of the current Aboriginal community contained in the
> recommendations of the Kakadu Region Social Impact Study. That vision
> is for Aboriginal people to control their own future through economic
> development in the region. Another $150 million looks like being wasted
> on the Katona Mill rather than the environmentally sound method of
> trucking the uranium 22 kms down the road to the existing mill at Ranger.
>
> I have to admit I am at a loss to understand how anyone - greenie or
> otherwise - thinks increasing the mining site at Jabiluka to build another
> uranium processing plant and tailings dam is a better environmental result
> than using the plant that is already in the area and has been operating
> safely
> for almost 20 years. One could be forgiven for thinking that once the new
> plant and tailings dam site is underway yet another reason will be found
> to
> block that development.
>
> Mr Speaker, I said before 'additional benefits' for the people of the
> Kakadu region and before proceeding with this tragic tale I would like to
> nail several of the lies that are constantly used by those who oppose the
> Jabiluka mine. It is said that the people of Kakadu have to rely on the
> fortunes of a mining company for their hospital care and schooling. That
> is
> just not true. Government funds a Community Health Centre at Jabiru
> staffed by doctors, nurses and Aboriginal health workers. There are
> visiting services in such areas as paediatrics, ENT, ophthalmology, mental
> health and audiology. There are outreach services to Mudginberri, East
> Alligator, Cannon Hill, Mamukala, Paradise, Patonga, Spring Peak, Deaf
> Adder, Nourlangie. The Djabalukgu Association receives funding from
> THS to help it employ Aboriginal Health Workers and a doctor, and to
> co-ordinate frail aged and disability services and a meals service.
> Kunbarllanjnja (or Oenpelli) has a Government funded Community Health
> Service with a doctor, nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers. It receives
> visiting health specialists such as dentist, dental therapist, physician,
> district
> medical officer, paediatrician, ENT, ophthalmologist, optometrist and
> physiotherapist. Working together with the Commonwealth DEMED, it
> services outstations at Kungarwel, Manmoyi, Mamdawerre, Marlwon,
> Marlgawa, Gamargawon, Narmurgadabu, Table Hill and Gudjekbinj. The
> Kunbarllanjnja Community Government Council receives THS grant
> funding for a meals on wheels program and support through the Nutrition
> Outreach program. Jabiru Town Council receives grant funding for
> domestic violence counselling and Jabiru Children's Services Association
> receives assistance for child care.
>
> In the past 20 years, government has spent about $80 million in the region
> on capital works and maintenance including roads, bridges, water supply,
> power supplies, sewerage, airstrips, police station, school and health
> centres. Some of the current activities include:
>
>      An NT Government a survey of water supply needs;
>
>      NT Government has upgraded water supply at Manaburdama;
>
>      NT Government is preparing Serviced Land Availability Plans for
>      outstation communities;
>
>      ATSIC National Aboriginal Health Strategy funds committed to
>      water supply and sewerage upgrades;
>
>      Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory committed
>      funds to new house construction and housing renovations;
>
>      Negotiations under way to enhance Kakadu health care programs;
>
>      NT Government (Office of Aboriginal Development) assisted with
>      the conduct of small business development workshops; and
>
>      NT Government (Education Department) have made a number of
>      program adjustments within the Jabiru Area School to make it more
>      accessible to, and accommodating of, Aboriginal students.
>
>
> Mr Speaker, if one is to believe some of the propaganda pedalled in this
> particular debate all of these things have been provided through the
> royalty
> equivalent payments. That is simply not true. Mr Speaker, I spoke of
> additional benefits because that is what the income from mining has and
> can continue to do for the traditional people of the area. It can provide
> benefits on top of that provided by government - if only the people are
> allowed by the very small vocal minority that seems to be holding sway at
> the moment. The money that has come from Ranger and will come from
> Jabiluka to Aboriginal organisations such as the four Territory Land
> Councils and the people of the region is extra money. It is the income
> from
> the working assets of the people.
>
> And that leads me to the second myth that is perpetrated by some
> involved in this saga that somehow or other all Australian citizens are
> entitled as a right to free housing, free education, free health care etc,
> etc.
> Nothing is 'free'. Neither the Territory government nor the Commonwealth
> government or for that matter any other government in Australia has any
> money other than what it collects in taxes from the people and companies
> of Australia. Governments use this money to provide some services, to
> subsidise others, to provide certain infrastructure, such as roads,
> bridges,
> schools, hospitals, clinics, and to pay the salaries of teachers, nurses,
> doctors, police, firemen, rangers and all the other public servants. They
> use these funds to help those in need. But governments do not have an
> inexhaustible supply of money. It is a finite amount and Governments have
> to set priorities for its use and answer to their electorates that those
> priorities are appropriate. Any help anyone receives with their education,
> their health, their housing has to fit in with those priorities. An
> attitude that
> says I have not got a house, the government has to give me one has
> nothing to do with reality. But if an individual or a community can use
> their
> assets whether it be their labour or their property to earn income then
> they
> can finance additional benefits.
>
> The fact that these mines are on the lands of the people of Kakadu has
> meant that $153 million in rent and royalty type payments have been paid
> by the company between 1981 and 1999. Forty per cent of the royalty
> equivalent type payment has flowed through to the Land Councils, 30 per
> cent to the local communities directly and the remaining 30 per cent is
> for
> use as grants and investments for the benefit of all Aboriginal
> Territorians.
> Between 1995-96 when the NLC directed that the royalty-type payments
> for local communities should be denied to the Gagadju and re-directed
> through the much smaller Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation and
> 1998-99, some $5 million has been paid out to Gundjehmi.
>
> Mr Speaker, it is estimated that Jabiluka would provide an additional
> $210 million in royalty type payments and rent. But these basic figures do
> not take into account the company tax ERA pays - in the first 16 years of
> Ranger this totalled $612 million. Nor the benefits to the economy of
> employment at the mine site and the need to purchase supplies. The
> Ranger mine contributed some $70 million to the Northern Territory
> economy last year. Also during 1998-99, about 70 per cent of ERA's
> purchases were from Northern Territory businesses, representing some
> $46 million. During the first ten year's of Ranger's operation, ERA
> accounted for seven per cent of the Northern Territory's GDP.
>
> Mr Speaker, development of the new Jabiluka mine is essential to ensure
> that the royalty levels, and the benefits that flow from them, are
> maintained
> for the long term. Already, the cost of the first stage of construction at
> Jabiluka has totalled around $25 million - a large portion of which was
> spent within the Northern Territory. On a broader scale, Jabiluka is
> estimated to have a net present value of $3.8 billion to the Australian
> economy. The money ERA will pay to the Commonwealth and Northern
> Territory government each year due to Jabiluka is estimated to be the
> equivalent of 1500 jobs. Yet, despite the significant funds that have
> flowed
> to the Territory's Aboriginal people from the Ranger operations - and
> which will continue to flow as Jabiluka comes on stream - the Mirrar
> traditional owners have resisted the development of Jabiluka every step of
> the way.
>
> But we must remember that this resistance only dates back a few years.
> Originally they were supportive of the project and as far back as the 1982
> agreement wanted the development of Jabiluka because they saw the
> additional benefits that would flow. Indeed the senior Mirrar traditional
> owner was a member of the delegation that lobbied the 1991 Federal
> Labor National Conference in support of the development of the
> Koongara uranium mine. In the past few years, the Gundjehmi
> Association, representing the Mirrar people has taken a stance completely
> opposite to that of the elders who signed the agreement in 1982. We
> should also never forget that Gundjehmi, while representing the 27
> members of the Mirrar clan, is only one of several Aboriginal associations
> in the Kakadu region, most of which support the development of the
> Jabiluka mine. Indeed, officials of the main Aboriginal associations have
> been reported as estimating support for the mine to be as high as 80% of
> their members. Since their about-turn, Gundjehmi through its
> spokesperson Jacqui Katona, has responded to every attempt at dialogue
> over the development of Jabiluka with a blunt 'NO'. 'No' to the mine; 'no'
> to consultation; 'no' to any sensible discussion of the issues. It is said
> Ms
> Katona has:
>
>      Chosen to boycott all proceedings of the Kakadu Region Social
>      Impact Study - an initiative designed to protect the interests of the
>      traditional owners.
>
>      Criticised other senior Aboriginal spokespeople and organisations
>      for not supporting her views;
>
>      Arbitrarily declared that no Aboriginal people are to work at
>      Jabiluka;
>
>      Threatened to take Aboriginal children out of school if funds from
>      Jabiluka mining are used for educational initiatives.
>
>      Said that no Aboriginal people will live in ERA housing - despite the
>      fact that she lives in an ERA house herself.
>
>
> Most incredible however, is the most recent refusal to allow uranium ore
> from Jabiluka to be milled at the existing Ranger facility - coupled with
> a
> declaration that the traditional owners would have no more discussions
> with ERA for five years. If this is not an accurate picture of Gundjehmi's
> position, we would welcome a clarification.
>
> Mr Speaker, there appears to be another myth that those who would
> oppose this development hold dear. That is that when Ranger reaches the
> end of its life in a few years, and Jabiluka has been successfully
> blocked,
> Jabiru will continue to exist with the same level of government services
> it
> enjoys now.
>
> Mr Speaker, let me share with you something that was recently brought to
> my attention. Once upon a time there was a town called East Jabiru. At its
> peak it housed 2000 people, occupied an area of 30 hectares, had a
> school, medical centre, police station, supermarket, two caravan parks
> and a recreational area with an in-ground swimming pool and basketball
> court. It was replaced by the present Jabiru seven kilometres away. What
> now remains of East Jabiru. All roads, houses and facilities have been
> removed including the town's power lines and piping and sewerage farm.
> ERA cites it as one of their most successful efforts in rehabilitation of
> an
> area back to its natural state.
>
> Let's now look at the present town of Jabiru, where at least two-thirds of
> its 1500 people rely heavily on the mine's operations. Mining is the
> single
> largest employer in the area, accounting for 37% of the employed labour
> force. The next largest employer at 16% is recreation and personal
> services including tourism. Sixty per cent of the accommodation units in
> the
> town are connected to the mine including the properties the houses
> occupied by Jacqui Katona and a senior member of Gundjehmi . Without
> a mine what is the future of Jabiru? It might be too radical to suggest it
> will
> go the same way as East Jabiru, but you can guarantee that without a mine
> it will be a much, much smaller town with far fewer services. Nothing more
> could be justified. Nothing more would be warranted. To think otherwise
> is to live in fantasy land.
>
> Mr Speaker, the Northern Territory government maintains its support for
> ERA and the Jabiluka project. But it would be interesting to know where
> those opposite stand on this $3.8 billion project. Previously the
> Territory
> branch of the Labor Party had a two mines policy: the Federal Labor
> Party had a three mines policy and the Territory branch of Labor said it
> supported uranium mining. Then it all changed when the Federal Labor
> Party dumped the three mines policy for one that said if a mine like
> Jabiluka had contracts to sell uranium by the time Labor achieved
> government in Canberra it could go ahead but not otherwise. Everything
> switched again when the member for Fannie Bay became Leader of the
> Opposition. She flagged a review of her branch's policy on uranium
> mining. 'Over the next couple of months we'll be taking a look at the
> policy
> and whether times have changed', the Opposition Leader said in February
> of this year. Does anyone, including - or perhaps particularly - those
> opposite, know what the result of that review was? Is anybody able to tell
> Territorians just where Labor stands on this issue?
>
> This government is gravely concerned that the project developer has been
> forced into an alternative which is not the best environmentally and not
> the
> best for the Aboriginal people. Is the Labor Party concerned? This
> government is concerned that a very small group are vetoing $210 million
> of income for Territorian Aborigines. Is the Labor Party concerned? This
> government is concerned that the loss of the mine will see the loss of
> jobs,
> the loss of a huge development, and the loss of a town. Is the Labor Party
> concerned?
> Mr Speaker, it is time that some sanity and realism was brought back into
> this sad saga. I'll certainly be attempting to broker a meeting between
> the
> relevant Federal Ministers, Senator Hill and Senator Minchin, myself and
> the Territory minister for mines and energy, Mr Manzie, and the leaders of
> the NLC including its chairman, Galarrwuy Yunupingu. It is time, I
> believe,
> for sensible negotiations to ensure an outcome that is in everyone's best
> interests. While we can respect the views of a small group, there comes a
> time when the greater good must hold sway. That time is now.
>
> Mr Speaker, I move that the statement be noted and I seek leave to move
> a motion relating to the Jabiru uranium mine:
>
> Leave granted.
>
> ...(continues for 40 pages)
>
> -------
>
> Patrick Dupont
> Sustainable Water Team
> Institute for Sustainable Futures
> University of Technology, Sydney
> AUSTRALIA
>
> Phone: +61 2 9209 4376
> Fax: +61 2 9209 4351
> Email: Patrick.Dupont@...
> Mobile 0417 673 758
> Web  http://www.isf.uts.edu.au
>
>
> Location: Suite 213, National Innovation Centre,
> Australian Technology Park,
> Alexandria, NSW 1430
>
> Mail: PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007 AUSTRALIA
>
> ---
> To join, email: subscribe-active-list@...
> You are currently subscribed to active-list as:
> [Wieslaw.Lichacz@...]
> To unsubscribe, forward this message to
> leave-active-list-1036O@...
> URG is proudly hosted by Virtual Artists Pty Ltd
>

Hi Kathryn.......... THANK YOU!! You're the very first other person to post
a message to the e-group.

Please others of you - other addressees....... please feel free to post your
messages to the group as well, the only 'criteria' being that it's relevant
to Indigenous interests, and it has relevance for us in the ACT or our
particular wider networks.

Have a lovely weekend

(Thanks Kath)

> ----------
> From:  Kathryn Matthews[SMTP:kam@...]
> Reply To:  actindnetwork@egroups.com
> Sent:  Friday, 26 November 1999 9:27 AM
> To:  actindnetwork@egroups.com
> Subject:  [actindnetwork] Film screening
>
> An Invitation to a Film Screening
>
> When:           3pm Thursday 2nd December
>
> Where:          Manning Clark 6
>
> What:                   BASICALLY BLACK & TENT EMBASSY
>
> By Popular Request, Both BASICALLY BLACK & TENT EMBASSY, Will Be Presented
> By The ANU History Department
>
> BASICALLY BLACK - a 30min Black Comedy  ABC TV, 1971
> Who Said Aborigines Can't Be Anti-Politically Correct ?  This Black Satire
> Was Produced By THE BLACK THEATRE GROUP in Sydney When Members From The
> Redfern Aboriginal Community (And Friends) Decided To Make A Television
> Comedy Series During The Height Of Australian 'Black Radicalism'.  With
> Colourful Characters Such As "Super Boong" This Variety Half-Hour
> Showcases A Medley Of Aboriginal Talent Including Aboriginal Activist,
> Gary Foley, Bob Maza, Zac Martin, Bindi Williams And A Whole Cast Of
> Others.  Certain To Raise Discussion Amongst Yourselves And 'Others', This
> Is A Not To Be Missed
>
> TENT EMBASSY  an 1hour Documentary  ABC TV, 1992
> Proving To Be A Film Of Historical Importance, TENT EMBASSY First Screened
> On ABC's TRUE STORIES Series In 1992.  The Film Focuses Primarily Upon The
> 'Rise And Fall' Of The National Land Rights Movement Juxtaposing An
> Expanding Aboriginal Bureaucracy.  Issues Raised By The Protestors In
> 1972, TENT EMBASSY Eerily Mirrors Current Political Trends Of Aboriginal
> Australia. Capturing The First RECONCILIATION Meeting As Well As The 20th
> Anniversary Of The TENT EMBASSY, This Film Records Some Of The Most
> Poignant Moments Given By A Showcase Of Aboriginal Radicals Who Stood At
> The Cutting Edge Of National Politics.  The "Where Are They Now ?"
> Discussion Alone Deserves - *****
>
> Kath Matthews
> Project Officer
> Australian Indigenous Cultural Network
> GPO Box 553
> CANBERRA  ACT  2601
>
> Ph:  02 6246 1146
> Mob:  0407 478 560
> Fax:  02 6249 7714
> E-mail:  kam@...
>   _____
>
> To Post a message, send it to:    actindnetwork@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> actindnetwork-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>   _____
>
>
>  click here
> Click here!
> eGroups.com Home: http://www.egroups.com/group/actindnetwork
> www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
>
>

You might want to get this information out to Indigenous organisation
networks, particularly those that receive government funding for services.
But the information is not just exclusive to Indigenous networks............
you might have other contacts you think are relevant. You might want to
learn more about the new tax system yourself!!



THE NEW TAX SYSTEM SEMINARS FOR CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS


Registration has commenced for seminars to be conducted by the Tax Office
throughout Australia for "Charitable Organisations".

The seminars are a key practical element of the Tax Office's education and
information program to assist in the transition to the new tax system.

* Demand for the seminars is likely to be high, and it is recommended
bookings be made early.

* Seminars will run for up to three hours.

ATSIC is recommending these seminars as the most suitable for
representatives from ATSIC's funded service providers (many Indigenous
organisations) to attend, and is encouraging people to ensure that as many
representatives as possible from such bodies attend the seminars.

You might want to take this opportunity to learn about the new tax system
and attend a seminar. People can book a place at a New Tax System Seminar by
phoning 1300 138 990, or visiting the tax reform Internet site at
http://taxseminars.com.au/gstreg/SemSel.asp.

ATSIC's contact on its approach to taxation reform is Rob Lejsek (02)
61214195.



Link to additional information: Book a place at a new tax system seminar

Or
http://taxseminars.com.au/gstreg/Main.htm

ABC Online Open day - special event on Friday 26th November

Special event happening on the ABC Online Open day event:

Friday 26th November from 10 am until 5 pm there will an open forum to
discuss the Draft Document for Reconciliation.

"Finding Common Ground" is a new website on the ABC Online gateway Message
Stick.

A member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation will be available to
answer queries and reply to comments all day on Friday.

The forum will then be left open for a month to allow people to have their
say about what goes into the final document for 2001.

We would love as much participation as we possibly can to allow the Council
to get good feedback.

You can find it at http://www.abc.net.au/message/common

Yeah, I second that, good work!




LAHEY Ralph <Ralph.Lahey@...> on 25/11/99 08:17:12

To:   "'actindnetwork@egroups.com'" <actindnetwork@egroups.com>
cc:    (bcc: Fred Leftwich/OATSIH/Health)
Subject:  [actindnetwork] Re: Federal Government websites




Jo Im inpressed-very useful info
Ralph Lahey
Senior Auditor
Internal Audit
OEA

Ph   02 6121 4849
Fax  02 6121 4888
ralph.lahey@...

> ----------
> From:   SCHMIDER Joann[SMTP:Joann.Schmider@...]
> Reply To:    actindnetwork@egroups.com
> Sent:   Wednesday, 24 November 1999 4:41 PM
> To:     plenoy@...; BarneyC@...;
> kschmide@...; nblair@...;
> john.desatge@...; davinaw@...;
> actindnetwork@egroups.com; chowes@...
> Subject:     [actindnetwork] Federal Government websites
>
> FYI
>
> This listing is from a handout card distributed at the October 99
Regional
> Australia Summit.  One person asked about such, so we thought we'd get it
> out wider.
>
> If you have specific Indigenous or related (including portfolio agency)
> sub-sites to these, and state government or organisational or relevant
> group
> sites, grateful if you would let us know so we can pass these on to
others
> as well.
>
> Thank you
>
>
> *  Commonwealth Government: http://www.fed.gov.au/
>
> *  Parliament of Australia : http://www.aph.gov.au/
>
> *  Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: http://www.affa.gov.au/
>
> *  Attorney-General's Department: http://law.gov.au/wotl.html
>
> *  Department of Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arst:
> http://www.dcita.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs:
> http://www.detya.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business:
> http://www.dewrsb.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Environment and Heritage:
> http://www.environment.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Family and Community Services: http://www.facs.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Finance and Administration: http://www.dofa.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Foreign Affairs and trade: http://www.dfat.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Health and Aged Care: http://www.health.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs:
> http://www.immi.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Industry, Science and Resources:
> http://www.isr.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet:
> http://www.dpmc.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Transport and Regional Services:
> http://www.dotrs.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of the Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov.au/
>
> *  Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.dva.gov.au/
>
> *  Family Court of Australia: http://www.familycourt.gov.au/
>
> *  Federal Court of Australia: http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/
>
> *  High Court of Australia: http://www.hcourt.gov.au/
>
> *  Business Entry Point: www.business.gov.au
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Accurate impartial advice on everything from laptops to tablesaws.
> http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/1701
>
>
>
> To Post a message, send it to:   actindnetwork@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> actindnetwork-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
> -- Check out your group's private Chat room
> -- http://www.egroups.com/ChatPage?listName=actindnetwork&m=1
>
>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Post a message, send it to:   actindnetwork@eGroups.com
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
actindnetwork-unsubscribe@eGroups.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was the salesman clueless?  Productopia has the answers.
http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/1702



-- Easily schedule meetings and events using the group calendar!
-- http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=actindnetwork&m=1

Jo Im inpressed-very useful info
Ralph Lahey
Senior Auditor
Internal Audit
OEA

Ph   02 6121 4849
Fax  02 6121 4888
ralph.lahey@...

> ----------
> From:  SCHMIDER Joann[SMTP:Joann.Schmider@...]
> Reply To:  actindnetwork@egroups.com
> Sent:  Wednesday, 24 November 1999 4:41 PM
> To:  plenoy@...; BarneyC@...;
> kschmide@...; nblair@...;
> john.desatge@...; davinaw@...;
> actindnetwork@egroups.com; chowes@...
> Subject:  [actindnetwork] Federal Government websites
>
> FYI
>
> This listing is from a handout card distributed at the October 99 Regional
> Australia Summit.  One person asked about such, so we thought we'd get it
> out wider.
>
> If you have specific Indigenous or related (including portfolio agency)
> sub-sites to these, and state government or organisational or relevant
> group
> sites, grateful if you would let us know so we can pass these on to others
> as well.
>
> Thank you
>
>
> * Commonwealth Government: http://www.fed.gov.au/
>
> * Parliament of Australia : http://www.aph.gov.au/
>
> * Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: http://www.affa.gov.au/
>
> * Attorney-General's Department: http://law.gov.au/wotl.html
>
> * Department of Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arst:
> http://www.dcita.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs:
> http://www.detya.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business:
> http://www.dewrsb.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Environment and Heritage:
> http://www.environment.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Family and Community Services: http://www.facs.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Finance and Administration: http://www.dofa.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Foreign Affairs and trade: http://www.dfat.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Health and Aged Care: http://www.health.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs:
> http://www.immi.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Industry, Science and Resources:
> http://www.isr.gov.au/
>
> * Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet:
> http://www.dpmc.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Transport and Regional Services:
> http://www.dotrs.gov.au/
>
> * Department of the Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov.au/
>
> * Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.dva.gov.au/
>
> * Family Court of Australia: http://www.familycourt.gov.au/
>
> * Federal Court of Australia: http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/
>
> * High Court of Australia: http://www.hcourt.gov.au/
>
> * Business Entry Point: www.business.gov.au
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Accurate impartial advice on everything from laptops to tablesaws.
> http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/1701
>
>
>
> To Post a message, send it to:   actindnetwork@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> actindnetwork-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
> -- Check out your group's private Chat room
> -- http://www.egroups.com/ChatPage?listName=actindnetwork&m=1
>
>

FYI

This listing is from a handout card distributed at the October 99 Regional
Australia Summit.  One person asked about such, so we thought we'd get it
out wider.

If you have specific Indigenous or related (including portfolio agency)
sub-sites to these, and state government or organisational or relevant group
sites, grateful if you would let us know so we can pass these on to others
as well.

Thank you


* Commonwealth Government: http://www.fed.gov.au/

* Parliament of Australia : http://www.aph.gov.au/

* Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: http://www.affa.gov.au/

* Attorney-General's Department: http://law.gov.au/wotl.html

* Department of Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/

* Department of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arst:
http://www.dcita.gov.au/

* Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs:
http://www.detya.gov.au/

* Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business:
http://www.dewrsb.gov.au/

* Department of Environment and Heritage:
http://www.environment.gov.au/

* Department of Family and Community Services: http://www.facs.gov.au/

* Department of Finance and Administration: http://www.dofa.gov.au/

* Department of Foreign Affairs and trade: http://www.dfat.gov.au/

* Department of Health and Aged Care: http://www.health.gov.au/

* Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs:
http://www.immi.gov.au/

* Department of Industry, Science and Resources:
http://www.isr.gov.au/

* Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet:
http://www.dpmc.gov.au/

* Department of Transport and Regional Services:
http://www.dotrs.gov.au/

* Department of the Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov.au/

* Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.dva.gov.au/

* Family Court of Australia: http://www.familycourt.gov.au/

* Federal Court of Australia: http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/

* High Court of Australia: http://www.hcourt.gov.au/

* Business Entry Point: www.business.gov.au

Australians for Native Title
and Reconciliation (ANTaR), ACT

Presents;

*********************************
"THE DRAFT DOCUMENT OF RECONCILIATION:
IS IT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S WRITTEN ON?"

A Seminar & Discussion with
Ms Jackie Huggins
*********************************

Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 7.00 pm
Fraser Room, Canberra Workers' Club, Childers St, City

Jackie Huggins is a member of the Council for Aboriginal
Reconciliation, and Deputy Director of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait
Islander Studies Unit, Uni. of Queensland.

The Draft Document of Reconciliation is Australia's first real
attempt at a statement of understanding between Indigenous and
non-indigenous peoples.  In its draft form, many have criticized it
for inadequate recognition of Indigenous rights, others have thought
it a useful compromise starting point.  It has in any case it has been
an important tool in generating community-level discussion and
attitude-change on Reconciliation issues.  Jackie Huggins will review
the life and use of the document at both the governmental and
community levels, and lead discussion on the issues involved.

Presented by Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ACT).
Contact us via antaract@..., or GPO Box 1323, Canberra
City ACT 2601.  Ph: 6247 4307 or 6262 7017 a.h.

------------------------------------------------
PLEASE HELP TO PUBLICISE THIS EVENT THROUGH
YOUR NETWORKS AND CONTACTS - THANKS
------------------------------------------------

Joann

Have you got a copy of the HEROC rural and remote education report? Do I get
this from HEROC in Sydney?

Geoff
-----Original Message-----
From: SCHMIDER Joann <Joann.Schmider@...>
To: 'actindnetwork@egroups.com' <actindnetwork@egroups.com>;
'davinaw@...' <davinaw@...>;
'john.desatge@...' <john.desatge@...>;
'nblair@...' <nblair@...>;
'kschmide@...' <kschmide@...>;
'BarneyC@...' <BarneyC@...>
Date: Monday, November 22, 1999 9:30 AM
Subject: [actindnetwork] Indigenous Matters


>FYI
>
>
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>> Never doubt that a small, dedicated group of people can change
>> the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has.
>>     Margaret Mead (Anthropologist)
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>Newsclips
>
> <<Robert Manne: Stolen generations: let's face the facts>>  <<Excellent SA
>Dump News>>  <<The Mercury: Black funding faces shake-up>>  <<ABC News:
>Herron defends MP over comments on burnt-out...>>
>
>
> <<More re church and white blindfolds.....(Lingard & Herron)>>  <<Peter
>Garrett on Reconciliation........>>  <<Rental Arrears... DOGITS - Qld>>
><<ACC press release - CY Plan >>
>
>
> <<The arrest "trifectas">>  <<Nelson Mandela's award>>  <<The Australian:
>Hanson's unlikely alliance cooks up storm>>
>
>
>ATSIC's Media (Education) Releases
>
> <<Indigenous education : ATSIC Media Releases>>  <<ATSIC Opening Statement
>to HREOC's Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education>>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Was the salesman clueless?  Productopia has the answers.
>http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/1702
>
>
>
>To Post a message, send it to:   actindnetwork@eGroups.com
>To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
actindnetwork-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
>-- Check out your group's private Chat room
>-- http://www.egroups.com/ChatPage?listName=actindnetwork&m=1
>
>

Charlie's in.

Here's a direct link to finding out who gets elected in as Commissioners
this week.

The note will be updated as zone elections occur.


>  <<New Page.url>>
>
>  http://www.atsic.gov.au/events/elections/commissioners/Default.asp
>

> ----------
> From: 	 Bruce Reyburn
> Sent:  Thursday, 18 November 1999 11:59 AM
> Subject:  please publicise this
>
>
> Please pass this along the e-songlines
>
> Bruce
>
> ----------
>
> A benefit concert for
> Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's Association
>
> SISTERS KEEPING THE DREAMING ALIVE
>
> Ceres Environmental Farm
> 8 Lee St. Brunswick East (Melbourne)
>
> from 6pm on Saturday 11th December 1999.
> Entry: $6/$8/$10
> Food and drink available on site.
>
> Featuring:
> Lou Bennet
> IIlana Atkinson
> Deb Morrow
> Prophetess & the Heroine
> Lisa Schulsberg
> and others
>
>
>
> The elders invite you to support the Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's
> Association cultural community centre. Isolated on the edge of the Western
> Desert and short of funds they need our help to:
> fulfil their cultural and religious responsibilities, pass their knowledge
> onto younger generations, gather bush food to improve the health of their
> families, document women's spiritual cultural practices, keeping them safe
> for future generations and many more activities necessary to maintain a
> strong, vibrant society.
> Support Yawulyu (Women's Business) by attending this fund-raiser
> or contact us to make a tax deductible donation.
>
>
> Further info: www.pasifika.net/pacific-action/kapululangu.html
> Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's Organisation, PO Box 308, Balgo, via Halls
> Creek WA 6770
> In Melbourne contact Chris Sitka 03- 9482 6420 csitka@...
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: songlines-unsubscribe@...
> For additional commands, e-mail: songlines-help@...
>

FYI, action if you please, and networking............. thank you

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Thursday, 18 November 1999 5:50 PM
> Subject:  Habitat destruction in Queensland
>
>
> very long and a bit (not that much) off the topic, sorry.....Christine
>
>
>
>
> >From : Dr. Barry Traill,  Australian Woodlands Conservancy
>
>
> AUSTRALIA'S BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION- EVER- WILL SHORTLY BE MADE.
>
>               Your assistance is urgently requested
>
> Dear friend,
>
> Australia's biggest environmental decision- ever- is likely to be made
> in the next few weeks.   My apologies for the unsolicited general email-
> but I am asking for the urgent assistance of your organisation and members
> due
> tothe national importance of the issue.
>
> Broad scale habitat destruction for agriculture, so called 'land
> clearing', remains by far the greatest threat to biodiversity in
> Australia.  The
> state of Queensland is the worst culprit.  Queensland currently clears
> more
> land than any other country in the western world and is responsible for
> roughly 80% of the clearing in Australia.  Habitat destruction has
> actually
> increased in the last two years as farmers try to clear as much as
> possible before the government introduces new clearing controls.  Close to
> two
> football fields every minute of every day are currently being lost -
> about 3,400 square kilometres (340,000 hectares) each year.  Extinctions
> of
> species are already occurring in Queensland because of over-clearing.
>
> The Beattie Government in Queensland will decide in the next few weeks,
> possibly next week, as to whether they introduce controls to radically
> slow and eventually stop clearing.  However, they are under strong
> pressure
> from agribusiness interests to allow clearing to continue at massive
> levels.
>
>
> I AM WRITING TO ASK  your group to write to the Queensland premier,
> Peter Beattie requesting that he immediately introduce strong and
> enforceable
> clearing controls.  If possible it would also be extremely useful to put
> anarticle in your group's newsletter or magazine informing them of the
> issue and requesting them to also write individually.
> BELOW I HAVE PUT IN A PROFORMA LETTER TO PREMIER BEATTIE
> AND A SUGGESTED NEWSLETTER ARTICLE.
>
> I realise that your group is likely to be short of time - however, extra
> pressure on the Queensland Premier is extremely important on this issue.
> At the moment the issue could go either way.
>
> At stake are several million hectares which are at risk from future
> clearing.
>
> This issue is not only of importance to Queensland.  Many migratory
> species which summer in southern Australia and Tasmania depend on habitat
> in
> Queensland during the winter.  In addition much of the clearing is
> occurring in the Murray Darling catchment- increasing the major water
> quality problems of this system to the south.   The clearing and burning
> of the bush is also a major contributor to greenhouse gases.
>
> Very simply the current levels of clearing are without exaggeration a
> national and international disgrace.  Cessation of, or strong controls
> on clearing would be an enormous environmental win and would increase the
> momentum for stronger controls in other states.
>
> If you are already working on the issue then please ignore this message.
> If you would like further information please don't hesitate to contact
> me. Please pass this message on to other appropriate email lists or
> individuals.
>
> Many thanks for your help.
>
> Cheers,
>
>
> Dr. Barry Traill
> Australian Woodlands Conservancy
> RMB 1207 Chiltern 3683
> ph/fax 0357261885
>
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> xx
>
> PROPOFORMA LETTER
>
> Date
>
> The Hon Peter Beattie
> Premier
> PO Box 185
> Brisbane  Albert St. Qld 4002
>
> Dear Mr Beattie
>
> Land clearing controls
>
> I am extremely concerned that land clearing in Queensland is out of
> control.  Vast areas of woodland and forest on freehold and leasehold
> landare being cleared, in some cases 24 hours a day.  The equivalent of
> between 1-2 football fields are being cleared every minute of every day.
>
> Your government was elected with a promise to introduce controls on
> freehold land and to strengthen the controls on leasehold land.  This
> commitment required swift implementation as it ran a high risk of
> causing panic clearing.  Unfortunately, 14 months after the election, the
> controlsare still not in place.  Many farmers are clearing as much as
> possible
> before your government acts.
>
> It is likely that the rate of clearing in Queensland is now higher than
> atany time during this decade.  It is critical that you act immediately to
> prevent further large scale destruction.
>
> The rate of habitat loss in Queensland is higher than anywhere else in
> the western world and amongst the highest of all the world's developing
> countries.  It is a national and global disgrace.
>
> The long term survival of species and whole ecosystems is being put at
> grave risk every day that your government delays action.  Similarly
> salinity and other land degradation problems will continue to increase
> dramatically. The large scale loss of forest and woodland is also
> contributing to Queensland's greenhouse gas emissions.
>
> Please act immediately and introduce interim controls on freehold land
> now.
>
> At the same time please strengthen the leasehold system so that broad
> scale clearing ceases on all land tenures.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
>
> Name
>
> Address
>
>
>
> and if you've got access to a photocopier also send a copy to
>
> The Hon Terry Mackenroth
> Minister for Communications, Information, Local Government and Planning
> PO Box 31
> Brisbane Albert St Qld 4002
>
> & Senator Robert Hill
> Minister for Environment
> Parliament House
> Canberra 2601
>
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> xx
> xxxx
> NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
>
> AUSTRALIA'S BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION- EVER
>
> Australia's biggest environmental decision- ever- is likely to be
> determined in the next few weeks.   Broad scale habitat destruction for
> agriculture so called 'land clearing', remains by far the greatest
> threat to biodiversity in Australia.  The state of Queensland is the worst
> culprit.  Queensland currently clears more land than any other country
> in the western world and is responsible for roughly 80% of the clearing in
> Australia.  Habitat destruction has actually increased in the last two
> years as farmers try to clear as much as possible before the government
> introduces new clearing controls.  Close to two football fields for each
> minute of every day are currently being lost- about 3,400 square
> kilometres (340,000 hectares) each year.  Extinctions of species are
> already
> occurring in Queensland because of over-clearing.
>
> The Beattie Government in Queensland will decide shortly whether to
> introduce controls to radically slow and eventually stop clearing.
> However, they are under strong pressure from agribusiness interests to
> allow clearing to continue at massive levels.
>
> At stake are several million hectares which are at risk from future
> clearing.
>
> This issue is not only of importance to Queensland.  Many migratory
> birds which summer in southern Australia and Tasmania depend on woodland
> habitat in Queensland during the winter.  In addition a large proportion
> of the
> clearing is occurring in the Murray Darling catchment- increasing the
> water quality problems in other states for this already degraded river
> system.
> The clearing and burning of the woodlands and forests is also a major
> contributor to greenhouse gases.
>
> Very simply the current levels of clearing are a national and
> international disgrace.  Cessation of, or strong controls on clearing
> would be
> an enormous environmental win and would increase the momentum for stronger
> controls in other states.
>
> Urgent pressure is required to support the Queensland Government in
> making the right decision for the environment and for the long term future
> for
> agriculture. You can help by  writing to the Queensland premier, Peter
> Beattie (PO Box 185 Brisbane Albert St. 4002, fax 07 3221 3631).  Using
> the points above politely point out to Premier Beattie the need for strong
> and enforced controls on both freehold and leasehold land to stop
> broad-scale clearing in Queensland.
>
> For further information contact Barry Traill, Australian Woodlands
> Conservancy, RMB 1207 Chiltern 3683, woodland@...
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>

FYI


> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Never doubt that a small, dedicated group of people can change
> the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has.
>     Margaret Mead (Anthropologist)
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
Newsclips

  <<Robert Manne: Stolen generations: let's face the facts>>  <<Excellent SA
Dump News>>  <<The Mercury: Black funding faces shake-up>>  <<ABC News:
Herron defends MP over comments on burnt-out...>>


  <<More re church and white blindfolds.....(Lingard & Herron)>>  <<Peter
Garrett on Reconciliation........>>  <<Rental Arrears... DOGITS - Qld>>
<<ACC press release - CY Plan >>


  <<The arrest "trifectas">>  <<Nelson Mandela's award>>  <<The Australian:
Hanson's unlikely alliance cooks up storm>>


ATSIC's Media (Education) Releases

  <<Indigenous education : ATSIC Media Releases>>  <<ATSIC Opening Statement
to HREOC's Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education>>

> The Sydney Morning Herald
> Stolen generations: let's face the facts
>
> Date: 15/11/99
>
> There is no denying Aborigines suffered under blatantly racist government
> policies, writes Robert Manne.
>
> Several weeks ago I appeared, with Lowitja O'Donoghue and Paddy
> McGuinness, on ABC television. Our discussion centred on the
> question of the separation of "half-caste" Aboriginal babies and children
> from their mothers, families and communities.
>
> McGuinness described the claims about the so-called stolen generations as
> "fiction". He denied, point blank, that there had ever been in
> Australia a policy of systematic Aboriginal child removal. When asked to
> explain how it came about that hundreds of Aborigines were
> testifying about their removal and its consequences, McGuinness claimed
> that all had fallen victim to "false memory syndrome". For this
> startling proposition not even a hint of evidence was produced.
>
> It was made clear at the beginning of the program that O'Donoghue was a
> member of the stolen generations. She had been taken from
> her mother at the age of two, and had not seen her again for 40 years.
> McGuinness treated the story that had shaped her life with
> apparent indifference. It was, in the circumstances, breathtakingly cruel.
>
> In this month's Quadrant, in a long editorial entitled, charmingly, "Poor
> Fella, My 'Stolen Generation'", McGuinness returns to the fray.
> The Aboriginal stories about child removal are likened explicitly to fake
> stories of childhood sexual abuse.
>
> There might have been, McGuinness concedes, some cases of child stealing
> but certainly no systematic policy at any time. If children
> were removed it was essentially, he implies, because of parental neglect.
> Anyhow, before removal, parental consent was obtained. There
> is, he claims, no evidence of any Australian government ever separating
> "half-caste" children as part of a policy of biological assimilation,
> or "breeding out the colour" as it was called.
>
> While there may have been individual racists among the Aboriginal
> administrators, he questions whether racism dominated Aboriginal
> policy "everywhere" or, indeed, "anywhere".
>
> Let us examine some of McGuinness's claims.
>
> The idea that Aboriginal policy, especially before World War II, was not
> in the deepest sense racist seems to me simply absurd. In
> several States, Aborigines who had committed no crime were forced to live,
> virtually as permanent prisoners, on government reserves.
> Throughout Australia, the administrators spoke of Aborigines as an
> inferior people, destined to die out. Throughout Australia, they spoke
> of "half-castes" as a growing social menace and a threat to white
> Australia.
>
> In 1934 the Under-Secretary of the Home Department in Queensland, Lothar
> Gall, seriously advocated the sterilisation of all
> "half-castes". In 1937, the Chief Protector in Western Australia, A.O.
> Neville, in the presence of every key Aboriginal administrator in
> the country, looked forward to the time, 50 years hence, when we could
> "forget that there were any Aborigines in Australia".
>
> Before the war, in Aboriginal policy, racism was indeed "everywhere" to be
> found. Nor can the existence of systematic policies
> concerning the removal of "half-caste" Aboriginal children be a matter of
> doubt.
>
> In several States, the Aboriginal protectors were made the legal guardians
> of all Aboriginal children under their care, with freedom to deal
> with them as they thought fit. In several States, in the first half of the
> century, a near blanket policy of removing the "half-caste" children
> from the Aboriginal camps prevailed.
>
> The policy of institutionalising "half-caste" infants seems to have been
> pioneered by Dr Walter Roth, the Chief Protector in Queensland,
> at the turn of the century. The practice spread quickly to Western
> Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and NSW. Although
> precise conditions varied from State to State and from decade to decade,
> between 1900 and the late 1960s thousands of children were
> removed.
>
> According to McGuinness, in separating the "half-caste" children "forms of
> parental consent" were invariably involved. As a
> generalisation, this is simply untrue. Systematic child removal, for
> example, began in the Northern Territory in 1911. The requirement for
> a form of maternal consent was not introduced until the mid-1950s.
>
> According to McGuinness, no government in Australia ever adopted or
> implemented, as a dimension of child removal, the policy of
> biological assimilation of "half-castes", that is to say of "breeding out
> the colour". Once again this is simply untrue.
>
> Neville implemented a policy of biological assimilation in Western
> Australia in 1936, with an ambitious legislative program which, for
> example, forbade "half-castes" from marrying "full bloods". For his part,
> the Chief Protector in the Northern Territory, Dr Cecil Cook, in
> order to "breed out the colour", became notorious as a broker of marriages
> between the "half-caste" girls from the institutions in Darwin
> and Alice Springs and single white males.
>
> McGuinness claims "no-one" has ever discovered a "policy statement" or
> "internal policy document" showing that the Australian
> Government supported the practice of biological assimilation. Once more he
> is wrong. I have discovered several such documents.
>
> In an official memorandum of May 25, 1933, for example, the Secretary of
> the Department of the Interior, J.A. Carrodus, wrote thus:
> "The policy of the Government is to encourage the marriage of half-castes
> with whites or half-castes, the object being to 'breed out' the
> colour as far as possible." The evidence of explicit Commonwealth
> Government support for Dr Cook's policy is plain.
>
> McGuinness's misunderstandings concerning all these matters is partly to
> be explained by his ignorance of the field of Aboriginal history.
> At one point in his editorial, McGuinness explains that no single piece of
> documentary evidence has ever been discovered concerning the
> 19th century story about settlers poisoning Aboriginal flour rations. It
> took me all of 10 minutes, browsing in my modest private library,
> to discover a dozen or more primary sources on this question, cited in a
> book on race relations in colonial Queensland, entitled
> Exclusion, Exploitation and Extermination.
>
> Words are, I suppose, cheap. To deny the existence of evidence of a 19th
> century crime might seem merely mischievous. However, to
> speak of Aboriginal testimony about their 20th century suffering as "false
> memory syndrome" and "confabulation" is something else
> again.
>
> For those who have suffered injustice there is nothing more important than
> to feel able to speak freely, to be listened to attentively and to
> be understood. Over the past few years, for the first time, the indigenous
> peoples of Australia have felt able to speak to us openly about
> what the terrible practice of the routine removal of their children has
> meant for them.
>
> Thus far, non-indigenous Australians have listened with real sympathy to
> their stories. As I read McGuinness last week on the collective
> hysteria of Aboriginal witnesses, I began to wonder how long our
> open-heartedness would last.
>
> Robert Manne is associate professor of politics at La Trobe University.
>
> This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or
> mirroring is prohibited.
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> Defence chiefs oppose N-dump
> By MATTHEW SPENCER
> 13nov99
>
> THE Defence Department has written to the federal Government objecting
> to plans to build a radioactive waste dump on Defence land in the South
> Australian desert.
>
> Two of six potential sites for the dump for home-grown waste are on the
> Woomera Prohibited Area, a 127,000sq km nuclear testing and missile
> development range established by the British in the 1940s.
>
> Area administrator Joe van Homelen said the chiefs of the three defence
> forces and the Defence secretary had written to the Government opposing
> the dump plans.
>
> The letter was sent to Nick Minchin's Department of Industry, Science
> and Resources, warning that a nuclear waste dump on the sparsely
> populated area would affect Defence operations, Mr van Homelen said.
>
> The staging of the Automatic Landing Flight Experiment by the Japanese
> Government in 1996 was delayed due to concerns about temporary nuclear
> waste storage on the range, he said.
>
> On October 22, Senator Minchin narrowed to six the number of potential
> sites he said could be used to contain home-grown low-level waste.
>
> Government literature on the dump discusses plans to store higher-level
> waste at the site chosen.
>
> "To secure the benefits of shared infrastructure, the Government has
> also indicated that it will consider co-locating with the repository a
> store for Australia's long-lived intermediate-level radioactive waste,"
> a June site selection report says.
>
> All six sites are within 80km of the mining townships of Andamooka and
> Roxby Downs, and Mr van Homelen said community concerns about the
> potential for long-life category S waste to be stored at the site had
> not been addressed.
>
> "Now the towns haven't got the full picture, their concerns have been
> heightened," he said.
>
> Andamooka Progress and Opal Miners Association chairman Chris Lyons
> said the sites had been culled from a 67,000sq km area, with one just
> 16km from town. The reasons were probably economic but the Government's
> consultation process had failed to explain them, he said.
>
> "They appear to say one thing and mean another," Mr Lyons said. "The
> question is: should you compromise a community because it's
> economically expedient?
>
> "They're all talking about world's best practice but I don't really
> give a shit.
>
> "You ask anybody in Australia if they want a nuclear dump 16km from
> where they live." At the Woomera range this week, Bureau of Rural
> Sciences geologist Ian McNaught would not comment on the potential for
> storing category S waste at the site.
>
> Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman David Noonan said that if
> the Defence Department did not accept the proposal, there was no reason
> the public should.
>
> A spokesman for Senator Minchin said he believed the local community
> had been kept up to date on the waste repository and that it had been
> an open process.
>
> The spokesman confirmed the Defence Department had sent the letter of
> concern to Senator Minchin.
>
> "Defence has written to the department expressing their views about the
> impact on their operations of one of the sites," he said.
>
>
> © News Limited 1999
>
> --->
>
>
>

> The Mercury
> Black funding faces shake-up
>  By GEORGIA WARNER
>  15nov99
>
>  THE Federal Government has pointed to serious flaws in the
>  funding system for Aboriginal organisations - and revealed that
>  radical reforms are planned.
>
>  In the wake of the police fraud investigation of two Tasmanian
>  Aboriginal organisations, a spokesman for Federal Aboriginal
>  Affairs Minister John Herron said indigenous housing and legal aid
>  providers would not be able to count on continued
>  Commonwealth funding from next year.
>
>  The spokesman said the nation's peak Aboriginal body, ATSIC,
>  was planning to put the provision of both key services out to
>  tender.
>
>  Tenders would be judged on the quality of services they promise
>  to provide.
>
>  It marks a radical shift from the grants-based regime, which
>  former ATSIC regional councillor Garry Maynard says allowed the
>  Tasmanian housing provider ITAC to continue receiving ATSIC
>  funding years after the Government first became aware of
>  concerns about its financial dealings.
>
>  But the state's biggest provider of Aboriginal legal aid is
>  outraged, yesterday accusing Senator Herron of unfairly targeting
>  it in a knee-jerk response to the ITAC and Sports Aboriginal
>  Corporation Tasmania controversies.
>
>  Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre administrator Heather Sculthorpe
>  said her organisation, which received $924,000 in funding last
>  year, might not even bid for the legal aid contract.
>
>  "There have been problems with housing, and now (Senator
>  Herron's) response is to lump us both in together. It is absurd,"
>  she said.
>
>  Senator Herron's spokesman said the reforms would ensure the
>  $2.2 billion spent annually on indigenous services in Australia
>  better met the needs of the Aboriginal community.
>
>  "Where problems have arisen in the past is not so much with the
>  control over the spending of grants, but with the historical
>  grants-the ones that are awarded year after year," he said.
>
>  "ATSIC has tidied itself up in recent years, a lot of organisations
>  have been defunded. This will tighten things up further.
>
>  "Organisations will be required to meet the outcomes that are
>  written into the contracts. If they don't, they won't get funded."
>
>  Aboriginal legal services in New South Wales have already been
>  tendered out and the Minister's spokesman said Tasmania was
>  likely to head down that path some time next year.
>
>  The timeframe, however, was up to ATSIC.
>
>  Mr Maynard said the move was long overdue.
>
>  "At the moment ATSIC sets aside a certain amount of money that
>  has to be spent on housing in Tasmania," Mr Maynard said.
>
>  "You basically have to take it or send it back to Canberra. But you
>  can't send it back - the money is needed here.
>
>  "The problem has been that apart from (organisations on) Cape
>  Barren and Flinders Islands, ITAC was really the only other place it
>  could go."
>
>  He also applauded the move to put legal services out to tender.
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> ===============>
> Mon, 15 Nov 1999 12:56 AEDT
> Herron defends MP over
> comments on burnt-out
> Aboriginal settlement
>
> Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron
> has supported Queensland National MP Kev
> Lingard after he defended the forced removal of
> Aborigines from a Cape York settlement in 1963.
>
> In the Queensland Parliament yesterday, Mr
> Lingard, a former Aboriginal affairs minister,
> condoned the burning down of the Mapoon
> settlement, saying it was only "a few straw huts"
> that were burnt.
>
> Aboriginal leaders have condemned the comments
> today but Senator Herron says Mr Lingard was a
> good minister and should speak the truth.
>
> "I think it's a time for truth, if that report is what he's
> reported to have said, then you'll have to ask him
> for an explanation for it," he said.
>
> "I certainly, since I've been in this role for three
> and a half years, I've never been politically correct.
>
> "I don't think we should be dominated by political
> correctness, I think we should be dominated by the
> truth."
>
> © 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
	 And some commentary from elsewhere:


> Some well chosen words and comments from someone who can't stand it
> anymore......and I agree - whether they were straw huts or not they were
> HOMES which by most definitions (or at least popular myth - especially
> white
> middle class) are 'hands off' zones and castles.......if it happened
> anywhere else in Australia there would be uproar.  Viva la revolution
> (kidding Dad).   Cheers...Christine
>
>
> If Herron seeks the truth then here it is.  The truth is that the
> Queensland
> government of the day knew that the people of Mapoon didn't want to leave.
> The truth is that the Presbyterian church who ran Mapoon knew that the
> people of Mapoon didn't want to leave.  The truth is that the mining
> company
> Comalco knew that the people of Mapoon didn't want to leave. Nevertheless
> the state, church and mining company worked together to bring about the
> destruction of Mapoon.  The store was closed in 1963 along with the
> school.
> Almost all services were cut to Mapoon and when a number of brave people
> still resisted the move to Bamaga they were issued with a removal order
> "for
> disciplinary reasons" by the Minister for Native Affairs.  This order was
> carried out in a violent and brutal way.
>
> Whether the houses were straw or not is not the issue.  What is the issue
> is
> that men like Lingard and Herron 36 years later still believe that it is
> their right to decide where people can live.  They still believe that they
> are the best people to decide how others should live. The truth is that
> these people were forcibly removed from their country in exactly the same
> way that people have been forcibly removed from their country in
> Yugoslavia
> and East Timor this year.  And the truth is that Lingard and Herron see
> nothing wrong with this.  These claims are not based on hearsay but on
> documentary evidence from the Queensland State Archives.   Indigenous
> Australians have endured much and have achieved many great things but how
> can they be asked to reconcile with people who refuse to accept the many
> wrongs that have been done within living memory?
>
> When P.P. McGuinness denies the flour poisoning at Kilcoy, when others
> deny
> the removal of children, when Herron denies the forced removal of people
> from Mapoon I despair for this place I really do!!  It is total bullshit
> for
> Herron to say that he seeks the truth.  He goes out of his way to deny it.
> For Howard to state that he will achieve Reconciliation by 2001 is beyond
> belief.  Kev Lingard and John Herron could live three lifetimes and we
> still
> wouldn't be any closer!!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 8:26 PM
> Subject:  re church and white blindfolds.....(Lingard & Herron)
>
> have had two replies re Lingard....and today I spoke to Gina Blanco, Chair
> of the Old Mapoon Council, who is both happy (re council status) and not
> (re
> media and nasty politicians) (my words, not hers)...when I have the
> transcript, will forward....  cheers...Christine
>
>
> Seems like a fair assessment to me - especially the betrayal by the church
> which was an organisation much trusted by the people - to their cost!
> Cheers, P
>
> and
>
> "Spot the difference!!  Last week in the Queensland Parliament Jeff Knuth
> (one time One Nation man (or is he still??)  gave an impassioned plea that
> the beach shacks of Queenslanders found along the coastline of this state
> not be destroyed.  He even claimed they were part of our heritage.  In the
> same week Kev Lingard put forward the view that it was entirely
> appropriate
> that the homes of the people of Mapoon be destroyed as they were only
> 'straw
> houses'!!  The scary thing is that both of these men would find both of
> these views entirely consistent with the way that they see the world.
> Forget black armbands these are views from white blindfolds." - M
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 8:02 PM
> Subject:  Peter Garrett on Reconciliation........
>
> Cut from a somewhat longer description of the Wingecarribee Reconciliation
> Forum on the reconnet list:
>
> Peter Garrett, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation is a
> local sponsor of the Forum and he sends the following message: " I am
> always
> staggered at the patient generosity shown by Aboriginal people still
> trying
> to get a fair go after their land and their families have been taken from
> them, and that not so long ago either. How they have remained patient for
> so long I cannot guess. I believe that despite our many achievements as a
> nation we won't be able to move forward until the matter of reconciliation
> is settled. We all have an interest in this issue, as we all have an
> interest in looking after this country, so let us move forward. At the
> beginning of a new century, what better time can there be?     Let us move
> forward now."
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Thursday, 18 November 1999 1:21 AM
> Subject:  Rental Arrears...
>
>
> Aboriginal communities call for rental arrears moratorium
>
> Aboriginal Coordinating Council Chair Wayne Connolly has called on the
> government to arrange a moratorium on community rental arrears for the
> start of the new millennium.
>
> The Aboriginal Coordinating Council will examine the issue at it¹s Full
> Council Meeting in Cairns this week.
>
> The ACC is the peak representative body of the Deeds of Grant in Trust
> (DOGIT) communities throughout the state of Queensland whose
> representatives are in the front lines of coping with the many issues
> confronting communities.
>
> Mr Connolly called for the rental arrears moratorium following American
> President Bill Clinton¹s consideration of a similar plan for outstanding
> debt in third world countries.
>
> He said it was only fair.
>
> ³We should call on the Australian government to wipe all these housing
> debts for the indigenous people in this country who are still living in
> third world conditions,² he said.
>
> ³People are still going to pay their rents but we could wipe the slate
> clean as we enter the new millennium.²
>
> He said the arrears would be just one of the many issues to be considered
> by the ACC Full Council Meeting.
>
> He said he had also called on the Queensland government to  consult widely
> and listen to the community before implementing a proposed Cape York plan
> aimed at breaking the welfare cycle.
>
> ³I can honestly say that our communities will not give it full support
> until they¹re consulted and it¹s not going to work in our communities
> until all the details are fully explained,² he said.
>
> But he said many councils were looking for answers about the details of
> the proposed plan.
>
> In the wake of the GET READY GST workshop held yesterday, Mr Connolly has
> also called on the Federal Government to consider extra funding for
> Aboriginal communities to help them cope with implementing the GST, which
> he said was more complicated than originally thought.
>
> ENDS
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Thursday, 18 November 1999 7:31 PM
> Subject:  ACC press release - CY Plan
>
>
> Councillors call for consultation on Cape York plan
>
> Members of the Aboriginal Coordinating Council have voted on a resolution
> calling for Premier Peter Beattie not to legislate on the so-called Cape
> York Partnership Plan until every community has been consulted.
>
> The ACC is the peak representative body of the Deeds of Grant in Trust
> (DOGIT) communities throughout Queensland.
>
> It¹s members consist of elected Councillors from DOGIT communities
> including Hopevale and Wujal Wujal, both of whom have been suggested as
> pilot communities for the plan.
>
> The ACC has had it¹s Full Council Meeting in Cairns over the past three
> days.
>
> ACC Chair Wayne Connolly said the meeting heard Cape York Land Council
> Chair Richie AhMat speak about the plan before the resolution was passed.
>
> Mr AhMat told the meeting the so-called plan was ³just a handshake
> agreement between the Queensland government and Noel Pearson².
>
> He also told the meeting there would be a Cape York Summit about the plan
> on December 14, 15 & 16 organised by the Cape York Land Council and held
> in Cairns.
>
> Mr Connolly said he accepted Mr AhMat¹s agreement that any plan should not
> go ahead without widespread consultation.
>
> However ACC members voted unanimously to call on the Premier not to put
> any legislation in place concerning the plan until every community had
> been properly consulted.
>
> ³Richie has agreed that consultation should happen in our communities,² he
> said.
>
> ³But I still believe we should say to the Premier, that as a body of
> elected representatives, we can¹t accept a plan unless consultation
> happens on all our communities.²
>
> He said there was a strong feeling from the community representatives that
> if the contents of the plan were not known to it¹s members it should not
> be allowed to go ahead because ³such a plan may have long term
> implications for all our people².
>
> ³So we had a resolution calling on the Premier not to legislate on
> anything until this proposal has been taken out to the community and a
> proper consultation has taken place, allowing our people to have input and
> ownership,² he said.
>
> For further information contact Christine Howes on 0419 656 277
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Saturday, 20 November 1999 10:12 PM
> Subject:  "trifectas"
>
> The Sydney Morning Herald Odds on police 'trifecta' lengthen
>
> Date: 19/11/99
>
> By DEBRA JOPSON
>
> The magistrate who found in August that ''f---'' was not offensive
> language
> set another legal precedent yesterday over the notorious string of minor
> charges known as the ''trifecta''.
>
> In a judgment in Wellington Local Court, Mr David Heilpern found that the
> February arrest of an Aborigine, Lance William Carr, for offensive
> language,
> resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer was improper.
>
> ''It strikes a blow at over-policing of Aboriginal people,'' said the
> principal solicitor with the Western Aboriginal Legal Service, Mr Mark
> Dennis.
>
> Aborigines are charged with offensive language and conduct charges at 15
> times the rate of other people in NSW. Their legal representatives
> statewide
> are now likely to use the precedent set by this test case, Mr Dennis said.
>
> ''The trifecta is at the heart of over-policing of Aboriginal people and
> this judgment requires police to look at non-confrontational options. If
> they don't, courts may well find their failure to do so improper and
> reject
> the evidence.''
>
> In his judgment, Mr Heilpern said that the arresting officer, Constable
> Peter Robins, did not follow the guidelines of the NSW Police Service
> handbook, which states that arrest should be used as a last resort.
>
> Neither Constable Robins nor Carr was in court.
>
> Mr Heilpern said that according to the evidence, Constable Robins arrested
> Carr, 28, in Wellington after asking him who threw a rock at the vehicle
> in
> which he was patrolling.
>
> The officer said in written evidence that Carr refused to answer, walking
> away yelling and swearing. He was arrested after he turned and said,
> ''F---
> you, I didn't f---en do it, you can get f---ed.''
>
> Mr Heilpern said: ''The officer then took the defendant by the arm as he
> tried to walk away, the defendant pushed the officer in the chest, broke
> free and ran.''
>
> The officer chased him, tackled him and a ''general melee'' involving
> other
> people followed. As well as the trifecta, Carr was later charged at the
> police station with intimidating police.
>
> Mr Heilpern cited several higher court decisions criticising the use of
> arrest over summons. One was a Federal Court decision (Donaldson v
> Broomby,
> 1982) in which the now Governor-General, Sir William Deane - then a judge
> -
> said: ''Arrest is the deprivation of freedom. A police power of arbitrary
> arrest is a negation of any true right to personal liberty. A police
> practice of arbitrary arrest is a hallmark of tyranny.''
>
> However, Mr Heilpern rejected the defence argument that the arrest was
> unlawful as well as improper.
>
> He found it improper partly because the constable considered it ''far
> quicker to arrest and then issue a field court attendance notice''.
>
> ''The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $550. This indicates
> that the offence is at the lowest end of the criminal ladder - lower in
> fine
> than traffic matters involving significant risk to the public,'' Mr
> Heilpern
> said.
>
> ''... Arrest is the deprivation of liberty. Even if for an hour or a day,
> the deprivation of liberty is a punishment in itself, the worst punishment
> our criminal justice system has to offer and ... which the courts
> themselves
> cannot impose for this offence.
>
> ''Arrest for offensive language automatically means that a suspect suffers
> a
> greater penalty than they could possibly get by going to court even if
> found
> guilty.''
>
> Despite the finding that the arrest was improper, Mr Heilpern did not
> dismiss the charges. He will hear submissions on the matter next month.
>
> This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or
> mirroring is prohibited.
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Saturday, 20 November 1999 10:17 PM
> Subject:  Howard's ignorance.....
>
> from M - ch
>
> A colleague sent me the following, which was John Howards'  off-the-cuff
> speech when recently he awarded Nelson Mandela the Companion of the Order
> of Australia in Pretoria:
>
> >"For somebody such as myself and the Australians present who have never
> >known anything other than the proposition that all people are born equal,
> >and that equal opportunity is available to all, because that has been the
> >experience of our homeland, it is beyond understanding for us how a
> person
> >who suffered as much as did Mr Mandela, has nonetheless displayed such
> >incredible grace and dignity and moral leadership in his
> responsibilities."
>
> My colleague then added:
>
> >The woman who forwarded this extract from John Howard's speech to ausfem
> >polnet commented: "Exactly which Australia did our Prime Minister grow up
> >in?  Who does he think he's kidding?"
> >
> >As we have known for a long time, we have a Prime Minister who is simply
> >unable to comprehend the situation he is actually in.  In his view,
> >oppression does not exist in Australia!
>

> ----------
> From:  Christine Howes
> Sent:  Saturday, 20 November 1999 10:41 PM
> Subject:  The Australian: Hanson's unlikely alliance cooks up storm
>
> Hi all, There was also a piece about this on the 7.30 Report on Friday
> night.  The story has personal relevance to me because these guys
> apparently lifted a story of mine directly out of another newspaper some
> months back without asking or contacting me - word for word.  I've never
> had anything to do with them, nor have I seen the publication.
> Cheers...Christine
>
> ----------
>
>
> Hanson's unlikely alliance cooks
>  up storm
>  By COLLEEN EGAN
>  18nov99
>
>  AN "indigenous" newspaper that promotes Pauline Hanson's
>  recipes on the front page, and is distributed through One Nation
>  party branches, is feeling the wrath of the West Australian
>  Aboriginal community.
>
>  "The Aboriginal Newspaper", published fortnightly by the
>  Aboriginal International Friendship Fund (AIFF), issued a long
>  defence of One Nation in its latest edition, publishing a colour
>  photo of Pauline Hanson's Christmas recipe book. It also
>  instructed critics to stop complaining about the paper's alliance
>  with the party.
>
>  A meeting of Nyoongar elders today is expected to denounce a
>  Nyoongar elder involved in the Perth-based paper and call for an
>  advertisers' boycott.
>
>  Meeting organiser Ted Wilkes, director of the Derbarl Yerrigan
>  health service, said some sponsors had already deserted the
>  paper, which had launched personal attacks against Nyoongar
>  elders critical of the One Nation alliance.
>
>  "They are trying to divide our community (and) if we can't right
>  this wrong through the Western process, we'll call on the
>  Nyoongar spirits to do it for us," he said.
>
>  "The elder involved with them is misinformed and he is being
>  used.
>
>  "There are some very angry people over this unholy alliance. It is
>  an attack on Aboriginal people."
>
>  But the elder, Andy Nebro, who acts as chairman of the AIFF,
>  shrugged off the criticism, saying the aim was to "build a link
>  between white people and us" through Ms Hanson, who was "nice
>  and helpful".
>
>  The AIFF is financed by Japanese-born businessman Duke Gosha
>  and driven by an Anglo-Indian Australian, Peter David, who claims
>  to be a spokesman for Aboriginal elders across the country.
>
>  Mr David claimed "at least 150 elders across Australia" had
>  authorised him to speak on their behalf.
>
>  Asked by The Australian if he spoke for the elders on the One
>  Nation alliance, he said: "I am the spokesman for the elders, full
>  stop.
>
>  "This came up where (Ms Hanson) is going to assist us politically
>  and sell our newspapers. The whole idea is to put the Aboriginal
>  point of view across. We need to talk about the real Aboriginal
>  people."
>
>  But Mr Wilkes and Nyoongar elder Ben Taylor said Mr David had
>  the informed support of just "three or four elders".
>
>  "I used to be great friends with Andy (Nebro) but I cannot
>  support this," Mr Taylor said. "This is dividing our people."
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

2 ATSIC releases for your information re HREOC's Inquiry into Rural and
Remote Education

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 1:02 PM
> Subject:  Opening Statement to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
> Commi ssion's Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education by Commissioner David
> Curti s
>
> Opening Statement to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's
> Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education
>
>
>
> By
>
>
> Commissioner David Curtis
>
>
> 12 November 1999, Melbourne
>
>
> Thank you, Mr Chairman, for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission on this important topic.
>
> In keeping with my custom I'd like to begin by acknowledging the
> traditional
> owners of this region, the Kulin nation.
>
> I thank them for permission to speak on their land.
>
> I am the ATSIC Commissioner for the Central Zone of the Northern
> Territory.
> The Central Zone covers three ATSIC regions: Tennant Creek, Alice Springs
> and Apatula.
>
> My portfolio in ATSIC is Education and Training and Local Government
> issues
> and I am a member of the Economic Portfolio Commissioners committee which
> is
> responsible for economic and business development issues for Indigenous
> Australians.
>
> As ATSIC Commissioner for education, I have considerable experience with
> issues faced by fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who become, or are
> teachers, students, administrators, and officials in government and
> non-governmental organisations working in education.
>
> One of ATSIC's key aims is the economic empowerment of our people. ATSIC
> has
> worked hard and invested heavily to increase the level of appropriate
> skills
> in Indigenous communities as a crucial part of economic empowerment.
>
> Education underpins economic development. Research shows the strong link
> between educational attainment and employment prospects.
>
>
> Research has revealed that:
> * Completing year 10 or 11 increases an Indigenous person's chance of
> employment by 40 per cent;
> * Completing Year 12 increases employment prospects by a further 13
> per cent; and
> * Having a post secondary qualification increases employment prospects
> again by between 13 and 23 per cent.
>
> It confirms that relatively low levels of education is one of the major
> labour market disadvantages faced by Indigenous people.
>
> As the ATSIC submission points out, there is a continuing disparity in
> education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
>
> This is not to say that the news is all bleak.
>
> The last twenty years have seen improvements in education and education
> outcomes for Indigenous people. This has been the result of a strong
> commitment by Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples to advance their
> educational outcomes. Indigenous communities recognise that education can
> improve their economic and social well-being.
>
> And improvements have also been achieved because governments have shown
> greater commitment towards Indigenous education.
>
> However, there is still a lot to be done to bring the level of education
> of
> Indigenous Australians to a satisfactory standard.
>
> As I said, the disparity continues between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians: there are significant differences in participation and
> retention rates; in the levels of literacy and numeracy; and the
> involvement
> by parents and communities in the education of their children.
>
>
> ATSIC has presented some statistics about the disparity in the submission
> which you have received, and I will not repeat all of them here.
>
> Some important facts with particular relevance to this inquiry are:
> * half of the Indigenous population is now under 25 years of age;
> * according to 1996 Census figures, 35 per cent of Indigenous people
> lived in rural and remote areas compared with only 14 per cent of
> non-Indigenous Australians;  and
> * a third of the Indigenous people who live in rural and remote areas
> speak an Indigenous language as their first language.
>
> So ours is a young population with a large percentage living in rural and
> remote Australia.
>
> Recent research has shown that the number of our young people of working
> age
> is growing at a much faster rate than the job market.
>
> The need for effective Indigenous education programs is greater than ever.
>
> ATSIC believes that there is a deep and systemic problem in Indigenous
> education which requires a concerted approach by governments, communities
> and education providers.
>
> ATSIC argues that unless the problems are addressed collectively, and
> underpinned by Indigenous self-determination, efforts to achieve
> sustainable
> improvements in education will be ineffective.
>
> And it believes that a holistic approach is needed, because the barriers
> that Indigenous people face in education span across other fundamental
> areas
> of their lives.
>
> Let's quickly look at some of those barriers, which are dealt with in more
> detail in the submission.
>
> A major factor is significant shortcomings within the education system,
> which has failed Indigenous people in a number of ways.
>
> These include, for example:
> * The lack of relevance to Indigenous needs, culture, knowledge and
> experience;
> * Failure to engage Indigenous children in the learning process,
> particularly beyond the compulsory years;
> * Failure to effectively address the issues of racism and
> discrimination experienced by Indigenous students both in the school
> environment and in the job market;
> * Failure to effectively involve parents and communities in their
> children's education; and
> * The inadequate number of teachers with appropriate skills and
> cultural knowledge, and the lack of facilities available to students in
> rural and remote areas.
>
>
> Apart from the problems created by a flawed education system, Aboriginal
> and
> Torres Strait Islander people also are greatly disadvantaged in other
> fundamental areas of their lives.
>
> Factors such as poverty, substandard housing and overcrowding, poor
> health,
> domestic violence, contact with the law, and unemployment all adversely
> affect educational outcomes.
>
> The barriers and socio-economic disadvantages are faced by Indigenous
> people
> in both rural and urban areas. However, in rural areas they are compounded
> as a result of geographic isolation.
>
> For example, the lack of secondary schools in rural and remote areas means
> that significant numbers of children generally either:
> * Have to leave their communities to pursue secondary schooling;
> * Pursue secondary schooling through distance education; or
> * Not pursue such education at all.
>
> These options are far from satisfactory.
>
> Leaving home to attend school in a capital city or regional centre can be
> a
> traumatic experience for Indigenous children from both rural and remote
> locations.
>
> And their absence can have a detrimental effect on the communities they
> leave behind.
>
> For a number of reasons, Aboriginal people have not participated to any
> meaningful extent in distance education and school of the air programs.
>
> One reason, and this impacts on the delivery of Indigenous education in
> general, is that many parents perceive their lack of resources and
> literacy
> and numeracy skills as barriers to their children's participation in such
> programs.
>
> And nor have advances in technology proved the solution they promised to
> be.
> While education departments have strategies to support the development and
> implementation of IT throughout rural and remote areas, basic problems in
> terms of cost, capability and accessability have hindered their
> effectiveness.
>
> The greater disadvantages faced by Indigenous people in rural and remote
> areas are reflected in education outcomes.
>
> For example, our submission shows that the percentage of Indigenous youth
> who did not complete Year 10 in 1994 was 36.3 per cent for all of
> Australia.
>
>
> But the non-completion rate can be far greater for rural and remote
> locations - for example 63.4% for Bourke, and 84.2% for Apatula.
>
> I've just outlined some of the barriers that obstruct the progress of our
> young people in education and which have consequences for their employment
> prospects when they leave school.
>
> But the continuing disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians goes deeper than even the severe economic consequences.
>
> It becomes an issue about Indigenous students' basic human rights not
> being
> met - their right to receive a culturally appropriate education, one in
> which cultural identity, language and values are not disregarded, and an
> education free from discrimination.
>
> As I stated earlier, to achieve long term improvements in education
> outcomes
> for Indigenous Australians, the problems need to be addressed in a
> holistic
> manner and collectively which involves the governments, Indigenous
> communities and education providers.
>
> Otherwise, the efforts will continue to fall short of the mark.
>
> ATSIC proposes in its submission three basic principles which should form
> the basis for progress for Indigenous people in education. These
> principles
> are:
>
> * Community self-determination within the education system is integral
> to realising education outcomes for Indigenous children. This is necessary
> to ensure acceptance and involvement of Indigenous people in the education
> system;
>
> * Respect for Indigenous knowledge and the recognition of the need for
> cultural maintenance should be apparent in education provided to
> Indigenous
> children. This would provide a foundation and make the education system
> relevant and appropriate; and
>
> * Education needs should be seen in relation to, and integrated with,
> other requirements of the community such as health, housing and general
> community infrastructure. This will ensure the effectiveness of education
> strategies by taking into consideration the range of other factors
> impinging
> on educational participation and achievement.
>
> The acceptance of these principles is important to ensure that Aboriginal
> and Torres Strait Islander people "own"  the education system and its
> processes and for the achievement of better education outcomes for
> Indigenous people.
>
> The development of any policies and strategies aimed at achieving better
> educational outcomes for Indigenous children must be seen within this
> context.
>
> I would like to finish by outlining briefly the key recommendations that
> ATSIC has made in its submission. These are placed within the context of
> accepting the need for a holistic and integrated approach to providing
> better education outcomes for Indigenous people.
>
> Recommendations
> 1. Adoption of the three key guiding principles for Indigenous
> education planning and services.
>
> 2. A national forum, funded by DETYA, to consider options for a
> national Indigenous education organisation.
>
> 3. Establishment of human rights benchmarks as a basis for monitoring
> and assessing the achievements of Indigenous education.
>
> 4. Increased research effort, in particular on:
>
> * The relationship between education outcomes and the various sectors
> including housing, health, infrastructure.
> * Good practice in Indigenous rural and remote education.
>
> 5. An inventory or audit of all primary and secondary school resources
> and facilities available to Indigenous people in rural and remote
> Australia
> be undertaken by Federal and State Education departments.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 12:59 PM
> Subject:  Media Release: ATSIC calls for a more cohesive approach to
> fix de ep flaws in Indigenous education
>
> 					 12 November 1999
>
> ATSIC calls for a more cohesive approach to fix deep flaws in Indigenous
> education
>
> ATSIC Commissioner David Curtis has told a Human Rights and Equal
> Opportunity Commission inquiry into rural and remote education that there
> is
> "a deep and systemic problem" in the delivery of Indigenous education in
> those areas of Australia.
>
> Addressing the inquiry in Melbourne, Commissioner Curtis said governments
> had failed to deliver a culturally-appropriate education system and had
> not
> consulted Indigenous people, while inadequate resources had also adversely
> affected Indigenous education outcomes and employment prospects.
>
> "In many places, our people see the education system as irrelevant to
> Indigenous needs, culture, knowledge and experience. The system does not
> involve Indigenous parents and communities, and it's seen as failing
> Indigenous students because it does not deal adequately with
> discrimination
> at educational institutions," Mr Curtis said.
>
> ATSIC's submission to the inquiry highlights the poor attendance and
> retention rates among Indigenous students, resulting in low literacy and
> numeracy skills.
>
> Mr Curtis said the lack of adequate resources available to Indigenous
> people
> in rural and remote Australia had also contributed to the continuing
> disparity in the educational outcomes between Indigenous and
> non-Indigenous
> Australians.
>
> "There is an inadequate number of secondary schools and the available
> facilities are generally in poor condition. There is a lack of teachers
> with
> appropriate skills and cultural experience, while distance education and
> 'school of the air' programs have failed to meet the needs of Indigenous
> students," he said.
>
> "Young people either have to go to boarding school far from their
> community,
> which is traumatic for them, or not go to school at all.
>
> "As ATSIC points out in its submission, poor or inadequate education
> contributes directly to poor employment prospects for Indigenous people.
> It's a very serious issue when you consider that half of our population is
> under 25 and over a third lives in rural and remote Australia.
>
> "But it's not just about the economic consequences, severe as these are.
> ATSIC believes failure to effectively address poor outcomes for Indigenous
> people must be seen as a non-compliance with their basic human rights," he
> said.
>
>
> The ATSIC submission identifies socio-economic factors such as poverty,
> poor
> housing and levels of health, domestic violence, contact with the law, and
> unemployment as other significant barriers to progress in Indigenous
> education.
>
> It argues that while progress in Indigenous education had been made in the
> past 20 years, a new approach is needed to deal with the various barriers
> obstructing participation and achievement.
>
> "ATSIC believes that an integrated and cohesive approach to delivery of
> services across all these areas is crucial. You can't treat education as
> an
> issue on its own.
>
> "Unless the problems are addressed collectively, efforts to achieve
> sustainable improvements in Indigenous education outcomes will be
> ineffective," Mr Curtis said.
>
> Mr Curtis believes the Commonwealth's commitment to literacy and numeracy
> benchmarking in Year 3 and Year 5 provides a strong basis for improving
> Indigenous education outcomes. "ATSIC fully supports the Federal Education
> Minister's focus on literacy, numeracy and attendance," he said.
>
> In its submission to the inquiry, ATSIC has proposed three guiding
> principles which it believes are crucial for progress in Indigenous
> education.
>
> They are:
> * Community self-determination within the education system, to ensure
> acceptance and involvement of Indigenous people.
>
> * Respect for Indigenous knowledge and the recognition of the need for
> cultural maintenance should be apparent in education provided to
> Indigenous
> children.
>
> * Education needs should be seen in relation to, and integrated with,
> other requirements of the community such as health, housing and general
> community infrastructure.
>
> Adoption of the guiding principles is one of a number of recommendations
> ATSIC has made to the inquiry.
>
> Other recommendations include the creation of a national forum to give
> Indigenous people direct access to ministers for education and other
> decision-makers; the establishment of human rights benchmarks to monitor
> and
> assess achievements in Indigenous education; and an audit of primary and
> secondary school resources available to Indigenous people in rural and
> remote Australia.
>
>
>
>
> For more information:    Giuseppe Stramandinoli (ATSIC Public
> Affairs, Victoria) on 03- 9285 7225 or mobile 0419 508 125
>
>  Lewis Hawke (ATSIC Canberra) on 0418 224 408
>
>  Commissioner David Curtis (after 3pm) on mobile
> 			 0419 825 765
>
> Craig Sproule
> A/g Administration Manager
> Office of Public Affairs - ATSIC
> Ph: 02 6121 4952
> Fax: 02 6282 2854
> E-mail: Craig.Sproule@...
>
>
>

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 1:02 PM
> Subject:  Opening Statement to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
> Commi ssion's Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education by Commissioner David
> Curti s
>
> Opening Statement to the Human Rights and
> Equal Opportunity Commission's Inquiry
> on Rural and Remote Education
>
>
>
> By
>
>
> Commissioner David Curtis
>
>
> 12 November 1999, Melbourne
>
>
> Thank you, Mr Chairman, for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission on this important topic.
>
> In keeping with my custom I'd like to begin by acknowledging the
> traditional
> owners of this region, the Kulin nation.
>
> I thank them for permission to speak on their land.
>
> I am the ATSIC Commissioner for the Central Zone of the Northern
> Territory.
> The Central Zone covers three ATSIC regions: Tennant Creek, Alice Springs
> and Apatula.
>
> My portfolio in ATSIC is Education and Training and Local Government
> issues
> and I am a member of the Economic Portfolio Commissioners committee which
> is
> responsible for economic and business development issues for Indigenous
> Australians.
>
> As ATSIC Commissioner for education, I have considerable experience with
> issues faced by fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who become, or are
> teachers, students, administrators, and officials in government and
> non-governmental organisations working in education.
>
> One of ATSIC's key aims is the economic empowerment of our people. ATSIC
> has
> worked hard and invested heavily to increase the level of appropriate
> skills
> in Indigenous communities as a crucial part of economic empowerment.
>
> Education underpins economic development. Research shows the strong link
> between educational attainment and employment prospects.
>
>
> Research has revealed that:
> * Completing year 10 or 11 increases an Indigenous person's chance of
> employment by 40 per cent;
> * Completing Year 12 increases employment prospects by a further 13
> per cent; and
> * Having a post secondary qualification increases employment prospects
> again by between 13 and 23 per cent.
>
> It confirms that relatively low levels of education is one of the major
> labour market disadvantages faced by Indigenous people.
>
> As the ATSIC submission points out, there is a continuing disparity in
> education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
>
> This is not to say that the news is all bleak.
>
> The last twenty years have seen improvements in education and education
> outcomes for Indigenous people. This has been the result of a strong
> commitment by Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples to advance their
> educational outcomes. Indigenous communities recognise that education can
> improve their economic and social well-being.
>
> And improvements have also been achieved because governments have shown
> greater commitment towards Indigenous education.
>
> However, there is still a lot to be done to bring the level of education
> of
> Indigenous Australians to a satisfactory standard.
>
> As I said, the disparity continues between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians: there are significant differences in participation and
> retention rates; in the levels of literacy and numeracy; and the
> involvement
> by parents and communities in the education of their children.
>
>
> ATSIC has presented some statistics about the disparity in the submission
> which you have received, and I will not repeat all of them here.
>
> Some important facts with particular relevance to this inquiry are:
> * half of the Indigenous population is now under 25 years of age;
> * according to 1996 Census figures, 35 per cent of Indigenous people
> lived in rural and remote areas compared with only 14 per cent of
> non-Indigenous Australians;  and
> * a third of the Indigenous people who live in rural and remote areas
> speak an Indigenous language as their first language.
>
> So ours is a young population with a large percentage living in rural and
> remote Australia.
>
> Recent research has shown that the number of our young people of working
> age
> is growing at a much faster rate than the job market.
>
> The need for effective Indigenous education programs is greater than ever.
>
> ATSIC believes that there is a deep and systemic problem in Indigenous
> education which requires a concerted approach by governments, communities
> and education providers.
>
> ATSIC argues that unless the problems are addressed collectively, and
> underpinned by Indigenous self-determination, efforts to achieve
> sustainable
> improvements in education will be ineffective.
>
> And it believes that a holistic approach is needed, because the barriers
> that Indigenous people face in education span across other fundamental
> areas
> of their lives.
>
> Let's quickly look at some of those barriers, which are dealt with in more
> detail in the submission.
>
> A major factor is significant shortcomings within the education system,
> which has failed Indigenous people in a number of ways.
>
> These include, for example:
> * The lack of relevance to Indigenous needs, culture, knowledge and
> experience;
> * Failure to engage Indigenous children in the learning process,
> particularly beyond the compulsory years;
> * Failure to effectively address the issues of racism and
> discrimination experienced by Indigenous students both in the school
> environment and in the job market;
> * Failure to effectively involve parents and communities in their
> children's education; and
> * The inadequate number of teachers with appropriate skills and
> cultural knowledge, and the lack of facilities available to students in
> rural and remote areas.
>
>
> Apart from the problems created by a flawed education system, Aboriginal
> and
> Torres Strait Islander people also are greatly disadvantaged in other
> fundamental areas of their lives.
>
> Factors such as poverty, substandard housing and overcrowding, poor
> health,
> domestic violence, contact with the law, and unemployment all adversely
> affect educational outcomes.
>
> The barriers and socio-economic disadvantages are faced by Indigenous
> people
> in both rural and urban areas. However, in rural areas they are compounded
> as a result of geographic isolation.
>
> For example, the lack of secondary schools in rural and remote areas means
> that significant numbers of children generally either:
> * Have to leave their communities to pursue secondary schooling;
> * Pursue secondary schooling through distance education; or
> * Not pursue such education at all.
>
> These options are far from satisfactory.
>
> Leaving home to attend school in a capital city or regional centre can be
> a
> traumatic experience for Indigenous children from both rural and remote
> locations.
>
> And their absence can have a detrimental effect on the communities they
> leave behind.
>
> For a number of reasons, Aboriginal people have not participated to any
> meaningful extent in distance education and school of the air programs.
>
> One reason, and this impacts on the delivery of Indigenous education in
> general, is that many parents perceive their lack of resources and
> literacy
> and numeracy skills as barriers to their children's participation in such
> programs.
>
> And nor have advances in technology proved the solution they promised to
> be.
> While education departments have strategies to support the development and
> implementation of IT throughout rural and remote areas, basic problems in
> terms of cost, capability and accessability have hindered their
> effectiveness.
>
> The greater disadvantages faced by Indigenous people in rural and remote
> areas are reflected in education outcomes.
>
> For example, our submission shows that the percentage of Indigenous youth
> who did not complete Year 10 in 1994 was 36.3 per cent for all of
> Australia.
>
>
> But the non-completion rate can be far greater for rural and remote
> locations - for example 63.4% for Bourke, and 84.2% for Apatula.
>
> I've just outlined some of the barriers that obstruct the progress of our
> young people in education and which have consequences for their employment
> prospects when they leave school.
>
> But the continuing disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians goes deeper than even the severe economic consequences.
>
> It becomes an issue about Indigenous students' basic human rights not
> being
> met - their right to receive a culturally appropriate education, one in
> which cultural identity, language and values are not disregarded, and an
> education free from discrimination.
>
> As I stated earlier, to achieve long term improvements in education
> outcomes
> for Indigenous Australians, the problems need to be addressed in a
> holistic
> manner and collectively which involves the governments, Indigenous
> communities and education providers.
>
> Otherwise, the efforts will continue to fall short of the mark.
>
> ATSIC proposes in its submission three basic principles which should form
> the basis for progress for Indigenous people in education. These
> principles
> are:
>
> * Community self-determination within the education system is integral
> to realising education outcomes for Indigenous children. This is necessary
> to ensure acceptance and involvement of Indigenous people in the education
> system;
>
> * Respect for Indigenous knowledge and the recognition of the need for
> cultural maintenance should be apparent in education provided to
> Indigenous
> children. This would provide a foundation and make the education system
> relevant and appropriate; and
>
> * Education needs should be seen in relation to, and integrated with,
> other requirements of the community such as health, housing and general
> community infrastructure. This will ensure the effectiveness of education
> strategies by taking into consideration the range of other factors
> impinging
> on educational participation and achievement.
>
> The acceptance of these principles is important to ensure that Aboriginal
> and Torres Strait Islander people "own"  the education system and its
> processes and for the achievement of better education outcomes for
> Indigenous people.
>
> The development of any policies and strategies aimed at achieving better
> educational outcomes for Indigenous children must be seen within this
> context.
>
> I would like to finish by outlining briefly the key recommendations that
> ATSIC has made in its submission. These are placed within the context of
> accepting the need for a holistic and integrated approach to providing
> better education outcomes for Indigenous people.
>
> Recommendations
> 1. Adoption of the three key guiding principles for Indigenous
> education planning and services.
>
> 2. A national forum, funded by DETYA, to consider options for a
> national Indigenous education organisation.
>
> 3. Establishment of human rights benchmarks as a basis for monitoring
> and assessing the achievements of Indigenous education.
>
> 4. Increased research effort, in particular on:
>
> * The relationship between education outcomes and the various sectors
> including housing, health, infrastructure.
> * Good practice in Indigenous rural and remote education.
>
> 5. An inventory or audit of all primary and secondary school resources
> and facilities available to Indigenous people in rural and remote
> Australia
> be undertaken by Federal and State Education departments.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Craig Sproule
> A/g Administration Manager
> Office of Public Affairs - ATSIC
> Ph: 02 6121 4952
> Fax: 02 6282 2854
> E-mail: Craig.Sproule@...
>
>
>

<<Doc1_.doc>>

Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR), ACT

Presents:

*********************************
"THE DRAFT DOCUMENT OF RECONCILIATION: IS IT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S WRITTEN
ON?"

A Seminar & Discussion with Ms Jackie Huggins
*********************************

Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 7.00 pm
Fraser Room, Canberra Workers' Club, Childers St, City

Jackie Huggins is a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and
Deputy Director of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit,
Uni. of Queensland.

The Draft Document of Reconciliation is Australia's first real attempt at a
statement of understanding between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.
In its draft form, many have criticized it for inadequate recognition of
Indigenous rights, others have thought it a useful compromise starting
point.  It has in any case it has been an important tool in generating
community-level discussion and attitude-change on Reconciliation issues.

Jackie Huggins will review the life and use of the document at both the
governmental and community levels, and lead discussion on the issues
involved.

Presented by Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ACT).

Contact us via antaract@..., or GPO Box 1323, Canberra City ACT
2601.  Ph: 6247 4307 or 6262 7017 a.h.

-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE HELP TO PUBLICISE THIS EVENT THROUGH
YOUR NETWORKS AND CONTACTS - THANKS
-----------------------------------------------------------

2 ATSIC releases for your information re HREOC's Inquiry into Rural and
Remote Education

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 1:02 PM
> Subject:  Opening Statement to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
> Commi ssion's Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education by Commissioner David
> Curti s
>
> Opening Statement to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's
> Inquiry on Rural and Remote Education
>
>
>
> By
>
>
> Commissioner David Curtis
>
>
> 12 November 1999, Melbourne
>
>
> Thank you, Mr Chairman, for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission on this important topic.
>
> In keeping with my custom I'd like to begin by acknowledging the
> traditional
> owners of this region, the Kulin nation.
>
> I thank them for permission to speak on their land.
>
> I am the ATSIC Commissioner for the Central Zone of the Northern
> Territory.
> The Central Zone covers three ATSIC regions: Tennant Creek, Alice Springs
> and Apatula.
>
> My portfolio in ATSIC is Education and Training and Local Government
> issues
> and I am a member of the Economic Portfolio Commissioners committee which
> is
> responsible for economic and business development issues for Indigenous
> Australians.
>
> As ATSIC Commissioner for education, I have considerable experience with
> issues faced by fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who become, or are
> teachers, students, administrators, and officials in government and
> non-governmental organisations working in education.
>
> One of ATSIC's key aims is the economic empowerment of our people. ATSIC
> has
> worked hard and invested heavily to increase the level of appropriate
> skills
> in Indigenous communities as a crucial part of economic empowerment.
>
> Education underpins economic development. Research shows the strong link
> between educational attainment and employment prospects.
>
>
> Research has revealed that:
> * Completing year 10 or 11 increases an Indigenous person's chance of
> employment by 40 per cent;
> * Completing Year 12 increases employment prospects by a further 13
> per cent; and
> * Having a post secondary qualification increases employment prospects
> again by between 13 and 23 per cent.
>
> It confirms that relatively low levels of education is one of the major
> labour market disadvantages faced by Indigenous people.
>
> As the ATSIC submission points out, there is a continuing disparity in
> education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
>
> This is not to say that the news is all bleak.
>
> The last twenty years have seen improvements in education and education
> outcomes for Indigenous people. This has been the result of a strong
> commitment by Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples to advance their
> educational outcomes. Indigenous communities recognise that education can
> improve their economic and social well-being.
>
> And improvements have also been achieved because governments have shown
> greater commitment towards Indigenous education.
>
> However, there is still a lot to be done to bring the level of education
> of
> Indigenous Australians to a satisfactory standard.
>
> As I said, the disparity continues between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians: there are significant differences in participation and
> retention rates; in the levels of literacy and numeracy; and the
> involvement
> by parents and communities in the education of their children.
>
>
> ATSIC has presented some statistics about the disparity in the submission
> which you have received, and I will not repeat all of them here.
>
> Some important facts with particular relevance to this inquiry are:
> * half of the Indigenous population is now under 25 years of age;
> * according to 1996 Census figures, 35 per cent of Indigenous people
> lived in rural and remote areas compared with only 14 per cent of
> non-Indigenous Australians;  and
> * a third of the Indigenous people who live in rural and remote areas
> speak an Indigenous language as their first language.
>
> So ours is a young population with a large percentage living in rural and
> remote Australia.
>
> Recent research has shown that the number of our young people of working
> age
> is growing at a much faster rate than the job market.
>
> The need for effective Indigenous education programs is greater than ever.
>
> ATSIC believes that there is a deep and systemic problem in Indigenous
> education which requires a concerted approach by governments, communities
> and education providers.
>
> ATSIC argues that unless the problems are addressed collectively, and
> underpinned by Indigenous self-determination, efforts to achieve
> sustainable
> improvements in education will be ineffective.
>
> And it believes that a holistic approach is needed, because the barriers
> that Indigenous people face in education span across other fundamental
> areas
> of their lives.
>
> Let's quickly look at some of those barriers, which are dealt with in more
> detail in the submission.
>
> A major factor is significant shortcomings within the education system,
> which has failed Indigenous people in a number of ways.
>
> These include, for example:
> * The lack of relevance to Indigenous needs, culture, knowledge and
> experience;
> * Failure to engage Indigenous children in the learning process,
> particularly beyond the compulsory years;
> * Failure to effectively address the issues of racism and
> discrimination experienced by Indigenous students both in the school
> environment and in the job market;
> * Failure to effectively involve parents and communities in their
> children's education; and
> * The inadequate number of teachers with appropriate skills and
> cultural knowledge, and the lack of facilities available to students in
> rural and remote areas.
>
>
> Apart from the problems created by a flawed education system, Aboriginal
> and
> Torres Strait Islander people also are greatly disadvantaged in other
> fundamental areas of their lives.
>
> Factors such as poverty, substandard housing and overcrowding, poor
> health,
> domestic violence, contact with the law, and unemployment all adversely
> affect educational outcomes.
>
> The barriers and socio-economic disadvantages are faced by Indigenous
> people
> in both rural and urban areas. However, in rural areas they are compounded
> as a result of geographic isolation.
>
> For example, the lack of secondary schools in rural and remote areas means
> that significant numbers of children generally either:
> * Have to leave their communities to pursue secondary schooling;
> * Pursue secondary schooling through distance education; or
> * Not pursue such education at all.
>
> These options are far from satisfactory.
>
> Leaving home to attend school in a capital city or regional centre can be
> a
> traumatic experience for Indigenous children from both rural and remote
> locations.
>
> And their absence can have a detrimental effect on the communities they
> leave behind.
>
> For a number of reasons, Aboriginal people have not participated to any
> meaningful extent in distance education and school of the air programs.
>
> One reason, and this impacts on the delivery of Indigenous education in
> general, is that many parents perceive their lack of resources and
> literacy
> and numeracy skills as barriers to their children's participation in such
> programs.
>
> And nor have advances in technology proved the solution they promised to
> be.
> While education departments have strategies to support the development and
> implementation of IT throughout rural and remote areas, basic problems in
> terms of cost, capability and accessability have hindered their
> effectiveness.
>
> The greater disadvantages faced by Indigenous people in rural and remote
> areas are reflected in education outcomes.
>
> For example, our submission shows that the percentage of Indigenous youth
> who did not complete Year 10 in 1994 was 36.3 per cent for all of
> Australia.
>
>
> But the non-completion rate can be far greater for rural and remote
> locations - for example 63.4% for Bourke, and 84.2% for Apatula.
>
> I've just outlined some of the barriers that obstruct the progress of our
> young people in education and which have consequences for their employment
> prospects when they leave school.
>
> But the continuing disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
> Australians goes deeper than even the severe economic consequences.
>
> It becomes an issue about Indigenous students' basic human rights not
> being
> met - their right to receive a culturally appropriate education, one in
> which cultural identity, language and values are not disregarded, and an
> education free from discrimination.
>
> As I stated earlier, to achieve long term improvements in education
> outcomes
> for Indigenous Australians, the problems need to be addressed in a
> holistic
> manner and collectively which involves the governments, Indigenous
> communities and education providers.
>
> Otherwise, the efforts will continue to fall short of the mark.
>
> ATSIC proposes in its submission three basic principles which should form
> the basis for progress for Indigenous people in education. These
> principles
> are:
>
> * Community self-determination within the education system is integral
> to realising education outcomes for Indigenous children. This is necessary
> to ensure acceptance and involvement of Indigenous people in the education
> system;
>
> * Respect for Indigenous knowledge and the recognition of the need for
> cultural maintenance should be apparent in education provided to
> Indigenous
> children. This would provide a foundation and make the education system
> relevant and appropriate; and
>
> * Education needs should be seen in relation to, and integrated with,
> other requirements of the community such as health, housing and general
> community infrastructure. This will ensure the effectiveness of education
> strategies by taking into consideration the range of other factors
> impinging
> on educational participation and achievement.
>
> The acceptance of these principles is important to ensure that Aboriginal
> and Torres Strait Islander people "own"  the education system and its
> processes and for the achievement of better education outcomes for
> Indigenous people.
>
> The development of any policies and strategies aimed at achieving better
> educational outcomes for Indigenous children must be seen within this
> context.
>
> I would like to finish by outlining briefly the key recommendations that
> ATSIC has made in its submission. These are placed within the context of
> accepting the need for a holistic and integrated approach to providing
> better education outcomes for Indigenous people.
>
> Recommendations
> 1. Adoption of the three key guiding principles for Indigenous
> education planning and services.
>
> 2. A national forum, funded by DETYA, to consider options for a
> national Indigenous education organisation.
>
> 3. Establishment of human rights benchmarks as a basis for monitoring
> and assessing the achievements of Indigenous education.
>
> 4. Increased research effort, in particular on:
>
> * The relationship between education outcomes and the various sectors
> including housing, health, infrastructure.
> * Good practice in Indigenous rural and remote education.
>
> 5. An inventory or audit of all primary and secondary school resources
> and facilities available to Indigenous people in rural and remote
> Australia
> be undertaken by Federal and State Education departments.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Tuesday, 16 November 1999 12:59 PM
> Subject:  Media Release: ATSIC calls for a more cohesive approach to
> fix de ep flaws in Indigenous education
>
> 					 12 November 1999
>
> ATSIC calls for a more cohesive approach to fix deep flaws in Indigenous
> education
>
> ATSIC Commissioner David Curtis has told a Human Rights and Equal
> Opportunity Commission inquiry into rural and remote education that there
> is
> "a deep and systemic problem" in the delivery of Indigenous education in
> those areas of Australia.
>
> Addressing the inquiry in Melbourne, Commissioner Curtis said governments
> had failed to deliver a culturally-appropriate education system and had
> not
> consulted Indigenous people, while inadequate resources had also adversely
> affected Indigenous education outcomes and employment prospects.
>
> "In many places, our people see the education system as irrelevant to
> Indigenous needs, culture, knowledge and experience. The system does not
> involve Indigenous parents and communities, and it's seen as failing
> Indigenous students because it does not deal adequately with
> discrimination
> at educational institutions," Mr Curtis said.
>
> ATSIC's submission to the inquiry highlights the poor attendance and
> retention rates among Indigenous students, resulting in low literacy and
> numeracy skills.
>
> Mr Curtis said the lack of adequate resources available to Indigenous
> people
> in rural and remote Australia had also contributed to the continuing
> disparity in the educational outcomes between Indigenous and
> non-Indigenous
> Australians.
>
> "There is an inadequate number of secondary schools and the available
> facilities are generally in poor condition. There is a lack of teachers
> with
> appropriate skills and cultural experience, while distance education and
> 'school of the air' programs have failed to meet the needs of Indigenous
> students," he said.
>
> "Young people either have to go to boarding school far from their
> community,
> which is traumatic for them, or not go to school at all.
>
> "As ATSIC points out in its submission, poor or inadequate education
> contributes directly to poor employment prospects for Indigenous people.
> It's a very serious issue when you consider that half of our population is
> under 25 and over a third lives in rural and remote Australia.
>
> "But it's not just about the economic consequences, severe as these are.
> ATSIC believes failure to effectively address poor outcomes for Indigenous
> people must be seen as a non-compliance with their basic human rights," he
> said.
>
>
> The ATSIC submission identifies socio-economic factors such as poverty,
> poor
> housing and levels of health, domestic violence, contact with the law, and
> unemployment as other significant barriers to progress in Indigenous
> education.
>
> It argues that while progress in Indigenous education had been made in the
> past 20 years, a new approach is needed to deal with the various barriers
> obstructing participation and achievement.
>
> "ATSIC believes that an integrated and cohesive approach to delivery of
> services across all these areas is crucial. You can't treat education as
> an
> issue on its own.
>
> "Unless the problems are addressed collectively, efforts to achieve
> sustainable improvements in Indigenous education outcomes will be
> ineffective," Mr Curtis said.
>
> Mr Curtis believes the Commonwealth's commitment to literacy and numeracy
> benchmarking in Year 3 and Year 5 provides a strong basis for improving
> Indigenous education outcomes. "ATSIC fully supports the Federal Education
> Minister's focus on literacy, numeracy and attendance," he said.
>
> In its submission to the inquiry, ATSIC has proposed three guiding
> principles which it believes are crucial for progress in Indigenous
> education.
>
> They are:
> * Community self-determination within the education system, to ensure
> acceptance and involvement of Indigenous people.
>
> * Respect for Indigenous knowledge and the recognition of the need for
> cultural maintenance should be apparent in education provided to
> Indigenous
> children.
>
> * Education needs should be seen in relation to, and integrated with,
> other requirements of the community such as health, housing and general
> community infrastructure.
>
> Adoption of the guiding principles is one of a number of recommendations
> ATSIC has made to the inquiry.
>
> Other recommendations include the creation of a national forum to give
> Indigenous people direct access to ministers for education and other
> decision-makers; the establishment of human rights benchmarks to monitor
> and
> assess achievements in Indigenous education; and an audit of primary and
> secondary school resources available to Indigenous people in rural and
> remote Australia.
>
>
>
>
> For more information:    Giuseppe Stramandinoli (ATSIC Public
> Affairs, Victoria) on 03- 9285 7225 or mobile 0419 508 125
>
>  Lewis Hawke (ATSIC Canberra) on 0418 224 408
>
>  Commissioner David Curtis (after 3pm) on mobile
> 			 0419 825 765
>
> Craig Sproule
> A/g Administration Manager
> Office of Public Affairs - ATSIC
> Ph: 02 6121 4952
> Fax: 02 6282 2854
> E-mail: Craig.Sproule@...
>
>
>

> Spread the news...what looks to be a hilarious doco on 'Bush Mechanic's'
> this 8:30pm Thursday 18 November ABC...desert men and cars in desert
> country!
>
>  <<ABC TV Program Highlights - Thursday, 18th November 1999.url>>
>
>  http://www.abc.net.au/tvpub/highlite/h9946bush.htm
>
>
> Warlpiri Media received an Australian Film Institute Award at the the AFI
> Awards on Saturday evening for "Bush Mechanics".
>
> The documentary received the Award for the Best Original Concept in the
> Open Craft Award for a non-feature.  Francis Kelly accepted the Award on
> behalf of Warlpiri Media.
>
>
	 Bush Mechanics

	 Thursday November 18, 8:30pm


	 Bush Mechanics tells larger than life tales and legends of outback
indigenous ingenuity - desert men and the unusual ways their cars are kept
on track. It screens on ABC TV on Thursday, November 18 at 8:30pm.

	 Bush Mechanics is about the heroic "anyway" mechanics, who without a
trade certificate between them, use one of their major skills - adaptability
highlighted in the technical details of the surprising, greasy, gritty and
sometimes irreverent stories in this documentary.

	 The lessons illustrated are both practical and philosophical
bringing us close to some touching details and renditions of male to
machinery relationships.

	 Almost as amazing as the "she'll be right" exploits that keep these
cars going, are the extremities where these cars operate. Just managing to
get them in and out of town on some of Australia's worst roads puts these
drivers in a class of their own.



	 Produced by Walpiri Media Association Inc. Series producer: Tom
Kantor.

For information

The World Conference looks like its being held sometime April - November
2001. There will be lead up meetings, including within the region.
Indigenous Australians are likely to be able to input through one of the
organisations in ECOSOC status with the UN, including ATSIC and NAILSS.
FAIRA is likely to also be strongly involved.

> 	 <<World Conference against Racism.url>>
>
> 	 http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/racism.htm
>
>  Themes to be considered at the World Conference include
>  * prevention of racism through education and the media
>  * exclusion and marginalization in multi-racial societies
> where race was largely defined by skin colour
>  * ethnic divisions
>  * the treatment of migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers and
> displaced persons
>  * the implications of economic globalization on the
> achievement of racial equality worldwide
>  * preventive measures, including early warning and urgent
> action procedures
>  * combatting hate speech and hate crimes, and
>  * special measures, effective remedies and redress mechanisms.
>
>
Background papers from the UN Commission on Human Rights which you might
find interesting.........

>  <<CHR 55 Res 99-78 Racism>>   <<CHR 55 report on racism>>  <<World
> Conference against Racism1>>
>
>
>
>

> Thought you might be interested to know that Link-Up Aboriginal Corp and
> ICSA are holding a Confernece on Stolen Generations commencing on the 22nd
> November and concluiding on the 24th NOvember.
>
> Regards
> Rose Aston
> Conference Coordinator
> Indigenous Conference Services
> Ph: 07 4945 7122
> Fax: 07 4945 7224
>
>
>
> Monday 22nd November, 1999
>
> Chairperson - Ms Leonie West.
>
> 9:00am Welcome Address Traditional Elders Blessings by Bernie Williams
> (Gombemberr Elder) on behalf of Graham Dillon
>
> 9:05am Official Opening Address Mayor Gary Baildon Gold Coast City Council
>
>
> 9:10am Welcome Address from ATSIC
>
> 9:15am Traditional Dance Performance
>
> 9:45am Welcome Address from Mr Michael Lavarch former Federal Attorney
> General, who commissioned the National Inquiry into the Separation of
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chilfren form their families.
>
> 10:00am Introductory Address presented by Ms Kathleen EvansChairperson
> Link-Up (Qld) Aboriginal Corporation Brisbane
>
> 10:15 am Morning Tea
>
> 10:30am Keynote - Traditional Adoption presented by Ms Rose Elu Special
> Projects Officer Departmentof Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy
> Development
>
> 11:15am Keynote - An International Perspective on the Removal of Children
>
> 12:30 pm Lunch
>
> 1:30pm Keynote - The Stolen Generation, The History presented by Dr Peter
> Read Historian Australian National University, Urban Research Development.
> Dr Read is Co-Founder of Link-Up Aboriginal Corporation and has written
> extensively on Aboriginal History
>
> 2:15pm Keynote - Race Relations between Black and White Australians
> presented by Dr Aileen Moreton-Robinson
>
> 3:00 pm Afternoon Tea
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 1 - On Sacred Grounds - The Church presented by Kay
> McPadden from the Murri Ministry in Brisbane
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 2 - The Dormitory Stories presented by Ms Florence
> Costello
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 3 - This Is My Story presented by Mr Sam Conway Muncipal
> Service Officer Mimili Community in the Northern Territory
>
> Workshop 4 - Oral History Our Past Our Future - presented by Francine
> George National Library Oral History Program
>
> 4:30pm Speaker Panel and discussions
>
> 5:30pm Close
>
> Tuesday 23rd November, 1999
>
> Chairperson - Margaret Clarke
>
> 9:00am Keynote - Bringing Them Home Sir Ronald Wilson Author "Bringing
> Them Home" Report
>
> 9:45am Keynote - Implementation of the Report presented by Dr Willam Jonas
> AM Social Justice Commissioner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
> Islander Social Justice Commission
>
> 10:30am Morning Tea
>
> 11:00am Keynote - Spreading the Word presented by Ms Helen Curzon-Ziggers
> Bringing Them Home Oral History Program Australian National Library
>
> 11:45am Keynote - A Personal Story - Removal , Adoption and fostering
> presented by Ms Audrey Kinnear Chairperson National Sorry Day Committee:
> Are We Bringing Them Home?
>
> 12:30am Lunch
>
> 1:30pm Workshop 1 - Gaining Access to Personal Records presented by Ms
> Rosie Beard Coordinator of Karu Aborigianl Child Care Agency Northern
> Territory
>
> 1:30pm Workshop 2 - Accessing Departmental Records presented by Mr Nick
> Prins, Manager Informations Servides Branch. This presentation will
> provide information on accessing records held by the Department of
> Families, Youth and Community Care including the State Children Department
> (1912 - 1966) and the Children Services (1966-1987)
>
> 1:30pm Workshop 3  Healing and What part do White Australians Play
> presented by Ms Joylene Koomatrie Pshychologist representing Yorgum
> Aboriginal Corporation in WA and Sonya Badorik representing Derbarl
> Yerrigan Health Service in WA
>
> Workshop 4 - Communities and Personal Histories presented by Ms Angela
> Ruska & Moira Bligh from the Department of Aboriginal & Torres Strait
> Islander Policy Development
>
> 3:00am Afternoon Tea
>
> 3:15pm Workshop1- Education - A Community Perspective Presented by Ms
> Patricia Hill-Wall from the Metroplitan Regional Centre (descendent of the
> Bibbulmun people of the South West of Western Austrlia. This paper will
> focus on education from a historical perspective
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 2- Are We Bringing Them Home presented by Mrs Ricki
> Dargavel Convenor, Implementation Task force Canberra Journey of Healing
> Network. This workshop will outline a Commuity Prograss Report proposed by
> the Canberra Journey of Healing Network, which is a coalition of churches,
> community and reconciliation groups, govenment agencies, Indigneous people
> and other individuals
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 3- Bringing Them Home Taskforce Presented Ms Mary Guthrie
> in Canberra
>
> 3:15pm Workshop 4 - The Circle Dreaming presented by Ms Liz Connor Teacher
>
>
> 4:00pm Speaker Panel
>
> 5:00pm Close
>
> 7:30pm Conference Dinner
>
> Wednesday 24th November, 999
>
> Chairperson - Mary Graham
> 9:00am Keynote  Written Speech prepared by Senator Aiden Ridgeway
> presented by Mrs Evelyn Scott.
>
> 9:15am Keynote - Where To From Here presented by Mrs Evelyn Scott
> Chairperson of The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Mrs Scotts
> involvement in Indigenous Indigenous , affairs spans over 30 years,
> beginning in the 1960s as a member of the Federal council for the
> Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI).
>
> 10:00am Keynote - Our Perspective - Our Story presented by Mr Steve Mam,
> RegionalCouncillor for the Aboriginal and Torres Strati Islander
> Commission
>
> 10:45am Morning Tea
> 11:00am Keynote - The Way We Civilise presented by Dr Ros Kidd, has made
> submissions to the "Stolen Generations" inquiry and her work was
> extensivley quoted in the findings, "Bringing Them Home" report. Dr Kidd
> has studied Aboriginal affairs resulting in the publication, in June 1997
> of her re-worked thesis into "The Way We CIvilise"
>
> 11:45am Keynote - Looking For An Apology presented by Mrs Kerrie Tim
> Executive Officer for the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
> Islander Policy Development
>
> 12:30pm Lunch
>
> 2:30pm Speaker Panel X 6 and Chariperson for the Debate.
>
>
>
> 4:00pm Conclusion and Closing
>
>
>
>

> >Dear all,
> >
> >For the Weekend of Solidarity on November 20 and 21, it would be helpful
> to
> have statements of support and solidarity from organisations and groups
> who
> care about and support Ngarrindjeri people in their struggle over the
> bridge.   These statements would be read at a public gathering on the
> Saturday afternoon,  and used in printed material if suitable.
> >
> >Do you belong to an organisation or group who would be willing to make
> such
> a statement?  Could you raise the question in your group or organisation?
> If possible could you send your statement of solidarity and support
> through
> one of the following channels by Friday, please.   If notice is to short
> for
> this weekend, the campaign will continue and support statements would be
> appreciated at anytime.
> >
> >Please fax statements marked 'Attention Matt Rigney/Tom Trevorrow' to 08
> 85751448 or email to   NLPA@...
>

>  <<Welcome to the Desert Knowledge Consortium.url>>
>
>  http://www.desertknowledge.com.au/
>
> I reckon this is brilliant. Launched Mon 15th  at the Alice Springs Desert
> Park. You might want to send this information out to relevant contacts.

> ----------
> From:  Webcentral
> Sent:  Monday, 15 November 1999 3:06 PM
> Subject:  [atsic] Media Release: Indigenous Heritage Art Award-be in
> it
>
>
> Media Release 	 11 November 1999
>
> ATSIC is urging Indigenous artists around Australia to enter their work in
> the prestigious National Indigenous Heritage Art Award to be held in the
> Year 2000.
>
> ATSIC's Commissioner for Broadcasting, Culture and the Arts, Ian Delaney,
> said that every work submitted to the Indigenous Heritage Award will help
> document, protect and promote knowledge, understanding and respect for our
> cultural heritage and important places.
>
> "By putting in an entry, Indigenous artists may help get important places
> listed on the national heritage register."
>
> Commissioner Delaney said ATSIC strongly supports the award and resultant
> exhibition because it was set up by the Australian Heritage Commission to
> encourage appreciation of Indigenous heritage places.
>
> "This award is unique, because unlike other Indigenous art prizes, it
> requires works to depict Indigenous heritage places.
>
> "With more than $44 000 in prizes on offer, the award, now in its fifth
> year, is prestigious and a major event on the Australian arts calendar."
>
> Former winners include prominent and highly acclaimed contemporary
> artists,
> Ginger Riley Munduwalawala (Arnhem Land, Northern Territory); the late Lin
> Onus (Upwey, Victoria); Treahna Hamm (Wagga Wagga, New South Wales) and
> Tjaparti Bates (Warmun, Western Australia).
>
> Commissioner Delaney said a special Reconciliation Prize is being included
> in the Award this year. Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists will be able
> to jointly submit works created together. It is the first time any
> categories in the Award have been open to non-Indigenous artists.
>
> Commissioner Delaney welcomed the new Reconciliation category and prize:
> "our heritage places have always been important to our people, but they
> are
> now widely seen as being important to many non-indigenous Australians,
> too".
>
> The closing date for submissions is 5pm 31 March 2000.
>
> Winners will be announced in August 2000. Selected works will be shown in
> The Art of Place Exhibition at Old Parliament House, opening on 17 August
> 2000 in Canberra. The exhibition runs until 22 October.
>
> A selection of works may also tour to Sydney and other parts of Australia.
>
>
> Entry forms and information are available from the Art Award Co-Ordinator,
> Australian Heritage Commission on toll free number 1800 687 093.
>
>

reconnet: reconciliation email network  http://reconnet.listbot.com

Purpose: To provide an active, mutual information and assistance
communication network for those who are currently involved in Reconciliation
and related activities, or would like to be.  The focus is on current
practical Reconciliation issues primarily, but not exclusively, at local
community level, mainly stemming from, but not limited to, the AFR and
ANTaR/ReconciliAction and similar programs.

How to subscribe: post to reconnet-subscribe@...; leave subject line
blank; message: subscribe reconnet youremailaddress or register on the
List's home page http://reconnet.listbot.com or send a message to
lpollack@...

Enquiries: Lynn Pollack (02) 9328 2060

> Date:  Oct 31 1999 19:21:15 EST
>
> From:  " Bruce Reyburn" <reyburn@...>
>
> Subject:  Songlines Website - Invite
>
> Invitation.  The songlines website is now up.  Our theme, within the
> context of constitutional rethinking in Australia,  is that of Pat
> Dodson's recent talk "Forging new relationships".  address
> http://www.songlines.org.au
>
>
>
>
>

The report Our Culture, Our Future

The report Our Culture, Our Future was commissioned by ATSIC, and written by
Terri Janke in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Studies.

It was launched in Sydney in September and is being widely distributed.  It
is available on the Internet at http://icip.lawnet.com.au.

The report makes over a hundred recommendations for reform that impact on a
wide range of government laws, policies and programs, and also involve
industry and non-government sectors.

FYI.

  <<NetWarriors 1999.url>>

  http://www.hookele.com/netwarriors/

NetWarriors is dedicated to reporting from the frontline while indigenous
peoples' most fundamental rights remain at risk under the world community of
nations. We seek to build solidarity and support for Indigenous Peoples
through global education and dissemination of information directly from the
UN Commission on Human Rights Intersessional Working Group on the Draft
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, Switzerland where
we were founded in 1996 and from other distinct forums and crisis situations
affecting the lives of indigenous peoples.

SUBSCRIBE? Email: "majordomo@..." (no subject) "subscribe
warriornet "your email address"then SEND




> ----------
> Sent:  Wednesday, 27 October 1999 2:30 PM
>
Australian references are bolded

> Here's some information that concerns us all....it is a summary of the
> discussion that our Indigenous representatives discussed at the United
> Nations....sorry for any crossposting
>
> NETWARRIORS REPORT:
> Commission on Human Rights Intersessional Working Group on the Draft
> Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples DAY 3 - 20/10/99 (Please
> note that this is not a professional or comprehensive transcript, but
> rather a summary of main points and events of the day in official
> sessions.  Any questions, comments, or corrections should be directed to
> John Stevens of Academic Council of the United Nations
> System / Netwarriors)
>
>
> MORNING SESSION :
>
> Wednesday was the first full day of work for the session, and most of
> the day was spent on interventions discussing the concept of
> self-determination.
>
>   The morning began with the last 5 general presentations.  The first
> speaker, a representative of the Metis National Council, spoke on the
> governments' frequent assertions that the Declaration would only be
> acceptable if it was consistent with domestic legislation.  He proposed
> an alternate perspective : that states should instead measure their laws
> against the Declaration.  No government can argue that existing laws may
> fetter or limit the aspirations and rights of indigenous peoples, he
> argued, as this would destroy the validity of these laws.  The speaker
> also highlighted the controversy over collective versus individual
> rights.  Only a people has the moral and political authority to create
> conditions for such rights, and it is only through a healthy collective
> identity that individual rights can function.
>
> Terry L. Janis of the Indian Law Resource Center spoke on the
> fundamental nature of the Declaration, stating that it was needed as a
> statement of indigenous peoples' continuing existence.  The complexity
> and comprehensiveness of the Declaration reflected the minimal
> aspirations of their existence.  He stated that documents such as the
> Declaration and other human rights instruments challenged governments to
> advance their domestic laws and policies, and pointed out that the
> Universal Declaration of Human Rights was acceded to by the United
> States at a time when racial and gender discrimination were rampant, and
> the era of termination of Indian tribes had begun.  "Strong and
> confident nations who respect the rule of law do not fear such
> challenges" he asserted, and he called on the delegates present to
> respect the ideas of equality, non-discrimination, and opposition to
> racism as they discuss and approve the Declaration.
>
> A representative of the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs
> and the Asian Indigenous Peoples' Pact noted the U.S. claims to
> rethinking their position and hoped that this would be reflected in  the
> debates of this session.  He then pointed out that delegates should be
> mindful of the dynamic and evolving nature and content of law and
> realize how this relates to the challenge of the Declaration.  The
> Declaration could do for indigenous peoples what the Convention on the
> Rights of the Child is doing to help children's' rights.  For vulnerable
> sectors of society, he argued, measures such as this were needed to
> uphold and respect their rights.
>
> Kapupu Diaw Mutimanwa of the Federation
> Africaine des Autochtones Pygmees informed the Working Group that the
> Declaration was necessary to protect his people from the depredations of
> war surrounding them and the continuing destruction of the Central
> African rainforests.  He urged African governments to respect all
> international human rights instruments when dealing with his people.
>
> A representative of the Ogoni people also discussed the link between
> indigenous rights and environmental degradation by detailing how his
> people were affected by pertoleum extraction and incursions on their
> land that were supported by the Nigerian government.
>
> This ended the discussion on general issues, and the Chair turned the
> debate to the issue of self-determination.  Before doing that, he gave
> some of his impressions of the debate thus far.  He was encouraged to
> see how gradually positions were coming closer together and was glad to
> see points of agreement emerging.  He stated that he detected a
> political commitment not only by indigenous representatives but by
> representatives of governments to the Declaration.  He highlighted the
> fact that there was agreement that the Declaration must be a substantive
> document, both effective and universal. He also felt that there was
> agreement that the document should reflect a consensus between all
> participants.  He was also happy to hear that delegates wanted the
> Declaration passed quickly in an atmosphere of trust, understanding, and
> full participation.
>
> There were, however, some difficulties.  Some contentious points remain,
> such as the definition and usage of the word "peoples."  He also pointed
> out that some speakers (particularly from Africa) had emphasized the
> lack of participation of many member states in the process, and  that
> this needed to be addressed if the document was to be universal in
> application.  He did feel, however, that progress could be made without
> flagging the differences, and that going from the simplest to the most
> complex issues might be the best approach, as had been done previously.
> In this manner it would be easier to build consensus and proceed to the
> Declaration's adoption.
>
> With that, the Chair turned to the next item of the agenda, a general
> debate on self-determination.  For the purposes of this report, two
> statements from the day before will be summarized here, as they directly
> appertain to self-determination.
>
> Petuuche Gilbert, a representative of
> the Indigenous World Association, stated that self-determination was at
> the heat of what it mean to be "truly indigenous peoples." He informed
> the Working Group that the NCAI at its summer meeting had condemned the
> U.S. State Department's policy on the Declaration, in particular for its
> ideas on self-determination.  "[H]ow," he asked, "do we coexist
> peacefully with nation states that control and prevent our
> self-determination?"  It was very necessary for this concept to be in
> the Declaration and understood correctly.
>
> Armand McKenzie, representing the Innu of Nitassinan,  made an
> impassioned statement on self-determination that focussed on the long
> history of disregarding indigenous rights to self-determination.  He saw
> it as the fundamental problem in state-indigenous relations, and said
> that the states' attitude was that "you presume that we cannot decide
> about our own future." Indigenous peoples are distinct peoples, and
> self-determination belongs to peoples, not states.   Self-determination
> was the right to make decisions about all spheres of life without
> imposition by an outside authority.  He cited the problem of Quebec's
> attempts to secede and the HRC's comment on Canada as examples of the
> lack of respect for self-determination for indigenous peoples.
>
> The first speaker on the issue on Wednesday, Paul Chartrand of the Metis
> National Council,  emphasized using the concept of equality to
> understand what self-determination means to indigenous peoples.  It is
> not absolute but is exercised with respect to the equal rights of all
> peoples.  He was the first of many indigenous speakers who called for
> states to not see self-determination as an automatic threat.
>
> The government of Canada restated its position, saying that
> self-determination was central to the Declaration but that it must
> respect "the political, constitutional, and territorial integrity of
> democratic states."  Self-determination's purpose was to "promote
> harmonious arrangements for self-government within sovereign and
> independent states."  The representative stated that Canada was taking
> steps to implement expanded rights to self-determination within Canada
> and that it should be "implemented flexibly."
>
> An indigenous representative from Bolivia stated that her people had
> been self-organizing for a long time, but that they needed a full right
> of self-determination to truly deal with issues of poverty and
> malnutrition. The right to self-determination, she states, is nothing
> other than respect for differences within the relations of different
> societies to manage their own affairs.
>
> The delegate of Brazil asserted that the idea of self-determination
> contained in the Declaration showed an evolving meaning that exceeded
> its colonial context and demonstrated its ability to adapt to a world in
> constant renewal.  He asserted that the exercise of rights and corollary
> obligations must be carried out within the regulatory framework of the
> society of which indigenous peoples are a part.  Self-determination must
> include respect for the political constitution and territorial integrity
> of states.  He stated that his delegation was eager to work on the
> Declaration, and would consider the possibility of improvements to make
> it more universal in nature, including the consolidation of the rights
> granted to indigenous peoples
>
> An indigenous delegate from Peru talked at length about the need for a
> document that contained obligations and moral force so that a utopic
> sort of self-determination, which focused on autonomy within the state,
> could emerge.  He discussed the legal history of the idea in the United
> Nations and spoke eloquently about the ability of the current
> declaration to create relations of peace and understanding between
> indigenous peoples and states.
>
> The observer government of Colombia
> detailed how its policies towards indigenous peoples expressed a useful
> method of self-determination, one that gave powers of political and
> economic management to the indigenous peoples but remained within the
> framework of the state constitution and political system.
>
> Andrea Carmen of the International Indian Treaty Council pointed out, as
> did other indigenous delegates, that this is not the first international
> instrument to contain the idea of self-determination of peoples (see her
> statement, already released).  She stated that it was paradoxical that
> the US would ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political
> Rights, which contains the right of self-determination, while refusing
> to recognize the idea for indigenous peoples.
>
> A number of indigenous
> delegates, while assuring states that self-determination's fulfillment
> would not mean wholesale secession from states, nonetheless tried to
> strengthen the idea of self-determination contained in the declaration.
> Some critiqued the formulation of self-determination in Canada's
> intervention, and also that of the United States.
>
> The speaker for the
> US called self-determination "the most difficult question in the entire
> text" and stated that while the US supports the UN Charter and the first
> Articles of the Covenants, its definition of the concept is focused on
> what it called "the entire peoples of a state or those that could
> constitute themselves as a sovereign independent state, and not
> particular groups within a state."  The US also defined this very
> precisely as "self-government: and "broad authority in local government"
> for the indigenous peoples of the US.  The US wanted a more precise
> definition of the term and what exact rights this notion was needed to
> substantiate.
>
> The government delegation of Australia made an extremely brief
> statement, wherein they said that it was "inappropriate" to consider
> self-determination as implying "the establishment of separate nations
> and separate laws" and Australia could not support this idea in the
> Declaration.
>
> Mr. Tom Ross, a Bdewakanton Dakota from the
> Pejutaziz/Yellow Medicine Upper Sioux Community read from an NCAI
> resolution that supported Article 3 of the Declaration, and then
> commented on self-determination in the United States, pointing out that
> while the Us has restored some things, it is "what has not been restored
> that is important."  Self-determination was more than a list of
> components; it meant establishing better with the government and other
> sectors of society.  It is "a tool for survival."
>
> Argentina reiterated
> many of the points of other governments, and also expressed reservations
> about the concept in the Declaration.
>
> Ms. Tracey Whare of Maori Legal Service was one of the first to point
> out the paradox of making the Declaration consistent with the domestic
> laws of nation-states, in this case New Zealand.  "To limit an
> international Declaration to the domestic legal system of any one State
> is in direct conflict with the purpose of international human rights
> standard setting and is a contradiction of the principle of good faith."
>  Limiting the Declaration in this way made indigenous participation
> worthless "because it would add nothing to the rights that we supposedly
> enjoy in our domestic settings."
>
> A representative of the Indigenous
> Peoples and Nations Coalition called to attention another paradox, "that
> we must advocate self-determination at the United nations, which is
> comprised solely of governments" who did not allow indigenous peoples to
> participate in political life.
>
> Mr. Tony Black Feather delivered a strong statement on the need for
> remembering that self-determination meant responsibility, not just to
> the people but to the earth and future generations.  He pointed out that
> indigenous peoples had been coming to the UN in good faith for 20 years,
> but that member states like the US had broken treaties with American
> Indians. He suggested that "the time has come for member nations to
> remember their responsibility with the human rights process and to act
> in good faith outside domestic politics."
>
> The morning ended with a statement from Switzerland.  The speaker
> advocated a Swiss formula for self-determination which amounted to
> granting self-administration to peoples.  He advocated the idea of
> subsidiarity to allow indigenous peoples to organize within the
> nation-state.
>
> AFTERNOON SESSION:
>
> Mr. Billy Two Rivers, speaking for the Assembly of First Nations, opened
> the afternoon meeting by reiterating the idea that self-determination
> was the "responsibility" of indigenous peoples. He characterized it as a
> determination to preserve land, culture, and laws.  "We will determine
> our future in the same way you determine yours."  He pointed out that
> many states had undergone self-determination struggles of their own.
> The Declaration would provide a frame for indigenous self-determination,
> but he emphasized that "there is nothing new here."
>
> The government of Pakistan made a brief statement supporting the idea of
> self-determination as expressed in the UN Charter.  They also supported
> it as it exists in article 3 of the Declaration, and in that spirit
> would not accept dilution of the language.
>
> Jimid Mansayagan of the
> Lumad Mindanaw People's Federation stressed the urgency and clarity of
> the right of self-determination when one compared nation-states to
> indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples needed to maintain land rights
> and powers of self-determination to pursue development in their own way.
>  His people do not want to usurp the nation-state, but they need
> self-governance of their territories to survive as peoples.
>
> The government of Finland stated that the right to self-determination is
> a basic principle of the Declaration  They stated that they would
> support it provided that Article 31 stress that self-determination
> applies only to local and internal affairs.  The scope and content of
> self-determination would have to be determined on a case-by-case basis,
> given that there was no single solution to the problems indigenous
> peoples faced.  They also felt that Article 45 should be reformulated to
> mirror Article 8(4) of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Minorities.
>
> John Henriksen, speaking on behalf of the Saami Council, stressed
> self-determination's place in existing international law.  Government
> fears of secession or dismemberment were groundless given that
> international law had provisions governing the exercise of
> self-determination.  What governments needed to understand was that the
> Western nation-state model was not compatible with the lives of many
> indigenous peoples.  He refuted the argument of some governments that
> self-determination should not include resource management by citing the
> HRC's report on Canada where it stated that indigenous peoples should
> have control of their "natural wealth."
>
> The government of Guatemala also stated that self-determination is a key
> component of the Declaration, and they believed that a door had been
> opened to create consensus wording on the relevant article.
> Self-determination must be considered in  the framework of national
> unity and maintaining the territorial integrity of the state.
> Indigenous peoples have a right to development within a single united
> nation.  The speaker stressed that the Working Group needed to get into
> a draft exercise to make the article acceptable to all parties concerns.
>  Previous discussion showed that at no time can it authorize or
> encourage actions that would partially or totally threaten the
> sovereignty or integrity of states.
>
>
> Jocelyn Terese of FOAG, an alliance of Indians of French Guyana, said
> that cultural rights have often been counterposed against the exclusion
> of indigenous peoples from politics.  The struggle for
> self-determination is ongoing, he stated, and indigenous peoples needed
> the Declaration passed without change.  The delegation of Mexico
> reiterated the by now tired point that self-determination could only be
> achieved without damage to the sovereignty or territorial integrity of
> nation-states.  Indigenous peoples in Mexico, he said, have many forms
> of local autonomy as long as it is consistent with Mexican law.  Such an
> approach respects the integrity of the state and the congruity of the
> national legal system.
>
> A Maasai representative from Tanzania said that self-determination was
> an integral need for indigenous peoples, but states were diluting this
> by constantly stating the indigenous peoples could not secede.  She
> urged governments to see the notion of self-determination positively,
> not as usurpation of sovereignty but a recognition of the collective
> rights of peoples.  The Maasai have suffered depredations because land
> use decisions have been taken away from them.  She cited UN documents
> and conferences that demonstrated the self-determination was both a need
> and a right for indigenous peoples.
>
> The government of France stated that it realized how important
> self-determination was and asserted that it was enacting the idea
> selectively in its territories and departments.   The representative
> asserted that his government was grateful for all the clarifications
> that indigenous peoples were providing and hoped that existing
> differences would not bar the creation of the best possible text.
> Self-determination must reflect the right to operate on the basis of
> consensus and not be enacted to the detriment of other populations.
>
> Warren Allmand of the International Center for Human Rights and
> Democratic Development supported what many indigenous peoples
> said about
> self-determination not being a direct threat to nation-states.
> Qualifications should not be put on the right, but rather the idea
> should be negotiated between specific indigenous nations and state
> governments to define its parameters.  New wording was not needed
> at this time, he asserted.  He pleaded with governments to be
> magnanimous on this issue: "Be generous; your fears are exaggerated."
>
> The government of New Zealand agreed with many other states that
> the notion of self-determination was important, but that its exercise
> had to be congruent with domestic law.
>
> A representative of the
> Navajo Nation pointed out that the US position taken here was "a step
> backward from its official position" in the domestic context.
>
> Ecuador
> stated that the Declaration needed to be passed, and that the draft
> before them was an important first cast.  They believes that only
> minor changes were needed to make the text more congruent with
> international law.  After asserting that self-determination for
> indigenous peoples was not equivalent to that of states and that it did
> not imply dismemberment, the speaker detailed how indigenous
> peoples in Ecuador had been granted self-determination in many
> spheres of life.  The Declaration would further strengthen such
> processes and give special peoples special care internationally.
>
> A representative from Asian Indigenous Peoples' Pact reaffirmed the
> fact that the Declaration was indeed in congruence with international
> law and that Article 3 could not be changed to be "in line" with
> domestic laws since that would make it less than existing international
> law.
>
> A representative of adivasi groups of India said that the right to
> self-determination was a right of all peoples, and that this needed to
> be doubly reaffirmed for indigenous peoples.  He countered the
> assertions of several state representatives that the concept needed
> to be diluted in the Declaration.
>
> Mr. Stuart Patterson of the
> Haudenosaunee that self-determination's definition was up to the
> indigenous peoples, since it was their self-determination being
> discussed.  The concept could not be defined by governments and
> could not be isolated from the web of rights and principles that the
> Declaration embodied.
>
> An indigenous representative from Peru stated that the challenge of
> Article 3 as a right for indigenous peoples was an appeal to the
> international community to formalize the situation of indigenous peoples
> on threshold of the 21st century.  Enshrining this right for indigenous
> peoples would allow them to recover much of what they had lost in the
> past due to the denial of this very right.
>
> An Amazigh representative,
> presented a petition signed by 400 Amazigh organizations and
> individuals reaffirming their rights, and he stated that oppressed
> peoples needed the right to self-determination to enact their other
> rights.  This idea was enshrined in the UN Charter and all states
> needed to support the right to self-determination.
>
> Mr. Ormond Parker, representing a coalition of Australian indigenous
> groups, expressed his disappointment with Australia's "inflexible"
> attitude because the forms that self-determination take will vary
> according to the law, customs, and needs of individual indigenous
> peoples.  The fundamental issues of equality and non-discrimination
> must be paramount; to limit its applications to indigenous peoples
> offends the principle of prohibition of racism.
>
> Mr. Frank Guivarra of
> the National Aboriginal and Islanders Legal Services Secretariat
> (NAILS) declared that self-determination "should simply be given its
> ordinary and natural meaning," and that states fears about the
> concept "were ill-conceived and without foundation."
>
> Ambassador Ron Barnes, speaking for Alaskan peoples, highlighted the
> paradox of asking the same governments who had oppressed
> indigenous peoples to acknowledge their right to self-determination.
> When law and order inhibits the ability of peoples to survive, he
> proclaimed, indigenous peoples'  law must replace it. This is the heart
> of self-determination.  Any change to the Declaration was contrary to
> his mandate and would only benefit the colonizers.
>
> Bineet Mundu of
> the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tro
> pical Forests stated that self-determination was a way to change how
> indigenous peoples were conceived of as social, political, and economic
> entities.  Doing this would allow indigenous peoples to live their lives
> fully.
>
> Terry Janis of the Indian Law Resource Center focused on the link
> between the Declaration and the survival of indigenous peoples.
> Self-definition was an important part of this, as was external
> recognition of their existence as peoples.  Indigenous peoples must not
> be considered lesser peoples.  He noted that there is currently no
> standard that validates the survival of indigenous peoples, but that
> indigenous representatives were aggressively addressing the
> concerns of member states and moving the process towards
> consensus, especially on Article 3.  He called for the United States to
> not compromise American Indian sovereignty in international
> instruments.
>
> The representative of Venezuela stated that her country was
> undergoing many changes and renovating all aspects of life.  This
> included revising the constitution to acknowledge the role played by
> indigenous peoples in constituting the nation.  Self-determination
> should reflect this; it should work by integrating peoples into the
> nation-states of which they are a part, rather than giving rise of
> separatism.
>
> An indigenous delegate from Chile said that dialogue was
> important to really understand self-determination, but that dialogue
> must exceed international instruments.  Indigenous peoples have not
> had much opportunity to affect international standards, and that this
> reflected the oppression that indigenous peoples have been subject to
> historically.  The discussion here was on new norms; laws are not static
> and governments constantly modify laws.  TO think otherwise is to
> deny the historical processes to which international law is subject.  No
> laws are cast in stone and states should not fear this process or the
> right to self-determination.
>
> The final speaker of the day, a Bolivian indigenous delegate, expressed
> regret that the government of Bolivia was not in attendance to hear
> these proceedings, as 60% of Bolivia was indigenous.  Self-
> determination must reflect the diversity of peoples and is in contrast
> to the standardization and homogenization that is the legacy of
> colonialism.  It is the right of peoples to determine their own future in
> conjunction with international treaties.  The speaker called for more
> imaginative ways for states and indigenous peoples to consult on these
> matters.
>
> The meeting rose shortly before 6PM, when the last speaker, the
> government of Norway, requested a delay to consult with their
> superiors about the statement.
>
> "[The government] would like to see us assimilated, little   black bodies
> and white minds, for that is what this current
> native title debate is about...They can't rip babies out of
> their mothers' arms any  more but they can change the law
> and appropriate our distinctiveness as a people and they
> can try to assimilate us...There is no doubt that the
> current native title debate is about racism."
>
> Kimberley Land Council Chairman Peter Yu 11 November, 1997
>
>
Further reports

>  <<1998 UN Working Group - Draft Declaration on Rights of Indigenous
> Peoples.url>>
>
>  http://www.hookele.com/netwarriors/1998.html
>