MEDIA RELEASE – MONDAY, 26TH NOVEMBER 2007

Spillover of the Federal Political Landslide to NT Government Provide Ground-Breaking Opportunity to Aboriginal Minister

The spillover of the Federal political landslide to the NT government has provided a ground-breaking opportunity for NT Minister for Family and Community Services and Child Protection, Marion Scrymgour, who has become the first Indigenous woman to become Deputy Leader of a State or Territory government.

This follows earlier political ground-breaking by Scrymgour, when she became the first Aboriginal woman to hold a Ministerial position in a State or Territory.

In an unanticipated turn of events, Clare Martin and her Deputy Sid Stirling, stepped down from their posts of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. The new Chief Minister is Paul Henderson, the former Education Minister.

“Aboriginal people are estactic to see Marion Scrymgour as Deputy Chief Minister. Marion has always listened to her constituents and she has done her best for her people,” said Ms Cummings. “We are very proud that an Indigenous woman has become Deputy Leader of a State or Territory government.”

Ms Scrymgour has been very vocal in her criticisms of the NT intervention. In late October, she used the 2007 Charles Perkins Oration at Sydney University to blast both the motivation and its implementation, calling it a ‘vicious new McCarthyism’.

The then Indigenous Affairs Minister, Mal Brough called for Ms Scrymgour’s resignation, arguing that she was not prepared to help her own people. She later retracted the strength of some of her words.

The support of Aboriginal people for Ms Scrymgour’s view of the intervention is indicated by the outcomes of the Federal election, which gave Labor returns of up to 95% in polling booths in some remote Northern Territory communities,including the community of Wadeye, regularly visited by Mal Brough.

In an ironic turn of events Ms Scrymgour has become Deputy Chief Minister, while the outgoing Indigenous Affairs Mal Brough has lost his seat.

“Marion stood up against the intervention,” said Ms Cummings. “Her father, who passed away recently, was a member of the Stolen Generation. He would be really proud of her, as we are.”

The news that Clare Martin has stepped down was met with some dismay.

“I am sorry to see Clare Martin go,” said Eileen Cummings, former Policy Advisor to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. “Clare was very supportive of Aboriginal people. She made a point of funding family violence and sexual abuse programs, and she did the best she could with the resources available to her.”

“The intervention made things very difficult her. The Federal government refused to take into account what the NT government was doing to address those issues-even programs that had been funded by the Federal government.”

“Clare Martin has stepped aside in an order to allow new people to take advantage of a new situation”, said Olga Havnen, CEO of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the NT. “The social policy area has been the greatest challenge faced by Clare Martin’s government. Given the legacy of neglect of past governments, she was presented with an extraordinary challenge that the NT government could never hope to address on its own.”

“What this country needs is well-informed evidence-based policy making,” said Ms Havnen. “We have to identify what we know works, and be honest about the level of resourcing and investment that is needed to make the necessary changes”.

“While we have always welcomed the increase commitment of Federal resources to the NT, we have been concerned that these resources were not producing the results that communities need.” Said Ms Havnen. “Now we have an opportunity to realign those resources so that they provide effective community outcomes. Effective outcomes do not include the more than 700 pus new public servant positions that have been created so far.”

“Marion Scrymgour has enormous support from her constituency and she is well placed to contribute to Territory leadership in this critical period of transition,” said Ms Havnen.

Ms Scrymgour was one of the first, and most prominent, endorsees of the grassroots campaign ‘Women for Wik-Monitoring the Federal Action in the NT.’

website: womenforwik.org

MEDIA RELEASE – SUNDAY, 25TH NOVEMBER 2007

NT Aboriginal Vote Calls Intervention into Question

The grassroots organisation Women for Wik, which has been monitoring the Federal intervention in the Northern Territory, has called on the incoming Rudd Labor government to honor its pre-election promises to Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.

“When they were at that election place, Aboriginal people said ‘We don’t want that CLP paper, we want that other paper, that good paper,” said Rachel Willika, of Eva Valley community. “We didn’t want that intervention government that is doing that intervention. We voted for that good government.”

Newly re-elected Labor MP for Lingiari Warren Snowden received an unprecedented vote in remote communities. The Maningrida booth in the Top End got a 94 per cent vote for Labor, while four other mobile remote area voting booths returned Labor votes at a rate of between an 84 and 95 per cent.

Aboriginal people from remote communities in the Northern Territory have supported Snowden’s call for the re-instatement of the permit system and for ceasation of the move off CDEP to work for the dole.

“That new government should stop those Centrelink people moving us on to work for the dole,” said Ms Willika, “Those Centerlink people are coming to Eva Valley tomorrow. We don’t like that work for the dole. We want real jobs.”

“We voted for Labor to stop that intervention and to get our permit system back,” said Nell Brown, senior traditional owner of Bagula clan lands, Barunga community, “We’ve been fighting to get our permit system back.”

“We need to meet with Mr Rudd as soon as possible. We supported Labor through the electoral process, and we want address the issues,” said Eileen Cummings, former Policy Advisor to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

“The Federal government took away our rights. We want these rights reinstated and we want a proper consultation process. We want to work with the Rudd Labor government to work out the best way forward for the benefit of Aboriginal people. ”

“There needs to be a meeting as soon as practicable, given that aspects of this intervention are causing enormous hardships and distress’, said Olga Havnen, CEO of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the NT.

“We need to re-align the intervention so that there are better outcomes at a community level, and a more effective focus on the protection of children.”

“The results of this election calls into question the legal basis of the NT intervention-the circumvention of the Racial Discrimination Act on the basis that the intervention was for the good of the affected people,” said Associate Professor, Claire Smith, a social scientist with 20 years research experience in remote communities in the Northern Territory.

“What is for the ‘good’ of people has to be judged by the individuals themselves. Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory have clearly judged that the intervention as currently implemented is not benefiting them.”

MEDIA RELEASE – SUNDAY, 25TH NOVEMBER 2007

Brough’s Loss is Aboriginal People’s Win

The grassroots organisation Women for Wik, which has been monitoring the Federal intervention in the Northern Territory, has described the change of Federal government as a potentially transforming moment in relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, lost his seat, with a swing of around 10%, considerably higher than the national average.

“Mal Brough has lost the trust of Aboriginal people, and John Howard has lost the trust of the Australian people,” said Olga Havnen, CEO of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the NT.

“The magnitude of a swing against Mal Brough shows that the Northern Territory intervention has been a low-key but critical factor in this election,” said Ms Havnen. “Not only is this intervention a travesty against Aboriginal people’s rights, but it has been a shambles.”

“This election result is a moral victory for Australia,” said Eileen Cummings, former Policy Advisor to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, “This election was decided on moral grounds, rather than economic self-interest. We thank the Australian people for their support.”

“That John Howard has no heart,” said Rachel Willika, of Eva Valley community. “This intervention is hurting Aboriginal families. Maxine McKew said Kevin Rudd would be a great Prime Minister for children. I hope he is a great Prime Minister for all children, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.”

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia represents the very heart of Australia, with its deep relationship to the land, it’s art and it’s dance”, said Christine Olsen, writer-producer of the film Rabbit Proof Fence. “The Howard government has never understood this but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have continued to survive despite all the attacks on them.”

“Let us hope that under the incoming Labor government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be given their rightful recognition as not only the original owners of this land but as the living, breathing, heart of this country,” said Ms Olsen.

“Aboriginal people have supported the Labor Party. Now it’s time for the Labor Party to show us that our support is justified,” said Ms Cummings, “We want to meet with Kevin Rudd as soon as possible. We can’t wait for a review after 12 months.”

website: www.womenforwik.org

For now, some information on upcoming events and meetings distributed by Women For Wik.

Dear all,

Below is information on events, rallies and forums that are planned over the next week or two. The Canberra Rock against Racism has just passed, but there will be a protest meeting nationally next Tuesday, and there are individual events on in Brisbane, Melbourne, Darwin, Sydney, and Adelaide.

At the moment, there are no individual events planned for Hobart or Perth, or for smaller towns, so there is plenty of room for people living in those places to plan their own forums. If you would like to make contact with other people from your state, please let me know.

all the best,

Claire

National, Tuesday 13 November

Protest meeting re NT legislation

11:00am outside the parliament of each state or territory

Public protest/gatherings/actions organised by WomenSpeak. Key messages for the events will be taken from the concerns about the NT intervention outlined by Women for Wik – Monitoring the Federal Intervention. For more information contact WomenSpeak Network Coordinator, Kathy Richards, email womenspeak at ywca.org.au

Adelaide, Wednesday 14 November

Human Rights Coalition Election Forum

5.45pm–8.00pm, Otherway Centre, 185 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Opening addresses by two Aboriginal women each with a long history of activism in support of Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, one Arrende and one from the Top End.

Candidates from the Liberal Party, ALP, Greens, Democrats, Family First, and Nick Xenophon have been invited to express their views on the Intervention Chaired by Chris Egan (Ngarrindjeri, Ramandjeri and Gurindji), former Public Servant specialising in Equity issues

There has been evidence of, and media attention to, gross dysfunction among many Aboriginal communities for most if not all of the 11 years the Howard government has been in office.

A few short months ago, John Howard initiated the Federal Government Northern Territory intervention to address child abuse and community dysfunction. The response to the initiative among Aboriginal leaders has been very mixed, with concern being voiced about negative impacts of the intervention, including invasion of the human rights of Aboriginal people.

Two Aboriginal community activists and candidates from the Liberal Party, ALP, Greens, Democrats, Family First, and Nick Xenophon have been invited to a Human Coalition Election Forum to express their views on the Intervention. Outcomes of the event will be forwarded to all the parties.

Whatever your view, it is important to let the political parties contesting the election know. If you don’t attend any other pre-election forum, make sure you come along to this one!

Brisbane, Throughout November

Sacred Business: Elections 200715 November
Reconciliation, Promises and Lies
Southbank

22 November
Voting for Aboriginal Self Determination
Brisbane City Hall

Brisbane, Saturday 17 November

Rally and March

11am, Queens Park, George and Elizabeth Streets

This rally and march is being held in protest against the Howard government’s policies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This involves a march, so you are reminded to bring a hat and a bottle of water. A number of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory will be holding a rally or meeting in solidarity at noon that day. For more information contact Sam Watson, email watson at oznetcom.com.au

Darwin, 17th November

National Day of Action for indigenous rights

10 am, meet at Saville Hotel and walk to Raintree Park

There will be a gathering at Raintree Park following this protest march. Music, speakers, information.
Intervention, UN convention, reconciliation, Aotearoa solidarity.

Melbourne, 18th November

Rally, Federation Square

Rally at Federation Square for Victoria’s ANTaR’s 10th Anniversay of the Sea of Hands. Contact Liz Conor, email liz.conor at unimelb.edu.au.

Sydney, 18th November

NSW ANTaR’s 10th Anniversay of the Sea of Hands

11am–3pm, Victoria Park, Camperdown (corner of Parramatta and City Roads)

Sydney, Sunday 18 November

Family gathering and rally
MAKE OUR VOTE COUNT!

Meet: 10am, Redfern Community Centre
Rally: along Cleveland Street to Victoria Park
Speakers: Shane Phillips and NT community representatives

WEAR RED AND BRING YOUR BANNERS, YOUR FLAGS, PLACARDS AND MOST OF ALL, YOUR MOB!!

On Saturday 24th a new Federal Government will be decided. This meeting and rally, one week out from the election, is our chance to ensure Aboriginal voices are heard loud and clear and the injustices of the Government’s invasion of Aboriginal communities in the NT are known about.

Of all the criticisms of the 11 year Howard Government, their legacy in Indigenous Affairs will surely be remembered as a low point in the history of this country.

They were elected in 1996 on a wave of racism sparked by the former Liberal candidate Pauline Hanson and have since been unrelenting in their attacks on Indigenous rights and politics. We can see this in their approval of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge, amendments to native title after Wik, the Reconciliation convention, the mounting of legal action defending past Government’s removal of children, the white-washing of Australia’s history, abolition of ATSIC, axing of the CDEP and now with the measures in the NT to name only a few.

In the NT the Government’s so-called emergency intervention followed the Anderson & Wild report on the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse in the NT. The Federal Government initiated an ‘emergency response’ and have since passed several laws giving them wide ranging powers over Aboriginal people’s lives, land, resources, stores and enterprises. These include new powers to manage welfare benefits of all Aboriginal people in the NT, changes to land rights (eg axing of permit system to communities), assumption of 5 year lease over Aboriginal land and greater controls by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (eg Minister can determine who can live in the community) and changes to bail and criminal law.

The Anderson & Wild report noted serious issues and the need for an urgent community led response. No-where did it recommend taking Aboriginal land, abolishing the CDEP or control of the lives of Aboriginal people as if they’re children. This intervention has been criticised as compromising human rights, democracy, freedom, self-determination and Indigenous rights. Others have said if these powers can be exercised over Aboriginal communities in the NT it can happen in NSW as well.

Come along to this family friendly gathering at the Redfern Community centre where we will walk along Cleveland St to Victoria Park and join up with other events are being held in the Park. Meet 10am, Sunday 18th November, 2007.

What does that mean?

That Rudd and the Labor opposition support the blanket imposition of paternalistic, protectorate-style measures on all Indigenous people who live within a ‘declared zone’ in the Northern Territory [see PDF]? Does the Labor Party support that these measures apply only to Indigenous people in a declared zone?

Does the Labor Party support the imposition of ‘5 year leases’ on Indigenous lands [see PDF]? Do they support the compulsory acquisition of ‘town camps’ [see PDF]? Or ‘community stores’ [see PDF]?

Does the Labor Party really support this absolute intrusion into the homes, businesses, schools, lands and lifestyles of each and every Aboriginal person who might happen to live in a place that the Federal Government decides is a declared zone [see more PDFs]?

Does the Labor Party think that this invasion will end the sexual abuse of children?

If it does, why not impose these measures on the whole of the country? On people of all cultures and races? On the lands, homes, businesses and lifestyles of balanda people who live in areas where the same crimes are committed?

Do they really think that this is a just solution to the problem of child abuse? That all people of one race should have restrictions imposed on them?

Do they really think that?

If they do, then I’m going to be changing my vote.

No matter how much I despise this government, I won’t be voting for an opposition who thinks the same way. I’ll be finding myself some other worthy candidate.

I’ve got me some questions to be asking.

I gotta go find me a real Opposition.

Stay tuned.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation uses Pink Ribbon Day to raise awareness about breast cancer and the funds needed to support breast cancer research. Remember to buy a pink ribbon for Pink Ribbon Day. And see the Pink Ribbon Day site for other ways to help fund research for prevention and cure of breast cancer.

Some of us have been waiting for it for years.

Years of John Howard’s neglect of the causes and conditions for poverty, tragedy and despair in the lives and environments of many Indigenous Australians.

Years of John Howard dismantling the channels of advice and information that served both Indigenous Australian communication and communication to Government and the wider Australian people.

Years when John Howard wouldn’t acknowledge the part that history played in the present conditions of Indigenous Australians; when John Howard denied history, promoted history wars, sought to extinguish Native Title, ridiculed reconciliation, and absolutely refused to apologise to Indigenous Australians on behalf of this Nation.

Yet now, at two minutes to calling an election, John Howard has suddenly developed a new perspective on Indigenous issues. (See PDF of his speech at Sydney Institute for more.)

In eleven years as Prime Minister, and through thirty-odd years in parliament, John Howard has railed against acknowledgement of the ongoing destructive impacts on the original people of this land. He has railed against it (’black armband view of history’), denied it (’history wars’), legislated against it (’bucketloads of extinguishment’), dismantled and silenced it (ATSIC), applauded opposition to it (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation), and battled it (’NT intervention’ carried out by Australian Defence Forces).

Now, he changes his mind.

I don’t believe him. And, I am not alone …

Howard’s ‘Reconciliation’ Slammed by NT Aboriginal Women
A Media Release from Women for Wik

Friday, 12 October 2007

Aboriginal women who have come to Sydney and Canberra to speak at Public Forums on the Federal Intervention in the Northern Territory are sceptical of the Prime Minister’s statement that he seeks reconciliation with Indigenous Australians.

‘The statement by the Prime Minister is intellectually incoherent and inconsistent with his past practices’, said Olga Havnen, CEO of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory. ‘This Prime Minister does not have the credibility — or the trust of the Australian people — to lead a genuine process of reconciliation.’

‘This is too little, too late. This statement is completely at odds with the Prime Minister’s interactions with Aboriginal people over the past 11 years. It is appalling for him to now acknowledge the past mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples when his government has passed NT Emergency legislation that over-rides the rights and entitlements of Aboriginal people as citizens of this nation’, said Ms Havnen.

‘This statement is the death rattle of a dying government. He is clutching at straws to stay in power. The Prime Minister has been making statements like this since 1998, but what has he done in this time?’ said Ms Eileen Cummings, Former Policy Advisor to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

‘In 1999 he said that he wanted to honour Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders for their “deep kinship with their lands, and for their ancient and continuing cultures”.’ Ms Eileen Cummings said, ‘However, his actions have attacked Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal relationships to land, and the integrity of Aboriginal families. And unlike hundreds of thousands of Australians he refused say ’sorry’ or to march for reconciliation.’

These Aboriginal women from the Northern Territory will be speaking in Public Forums on the weekend in Canberra and Sydney.

‘The Federal intervention in the Northern Territory is causing enormous confusion, bewilderment and worry for Aboriginal people. They are searching for answers — and these answers are not going to come from John Howard.’ said Raelene Rosas, one of the organisers of the grassroots campaign, Women for Wik — Monitoring the Federal Action in the Northern Terrritory. ‘Aboriginal people don’t trust the Prime Minister, or the Indigenous Affairs Minister, Mal Brough. How can this government lead the country into reconciliation?’

‘If the Prime Minister is genuine in his commitment to reconciliation he must amend immediately the NT Emergency Response legislation and the Native Title Act to remove the racially discrimination elements of these acts and to restore the integrity of the Racial Discrimination Act’, said Ms Havnen.

‘While Howard has professed his commitment to “practical” reconciliation to improve the socio-economic well being of Indigenous Australians, he has failed miserably by any socio-economic measure.’ Ms Havnen said. ‘The gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians has continued to widen under the period of his leadership. What we need is genuine engagement to address not only the symbolic and the practical, but also to find accommodation about our legal and political status as first peoples.’

Public forums
Canberra: 2–3pm, Saturday, 13th October, as part of ANTaR meeting, National Museum of Australia
Sydney: 2–4pm, Sunday, 14th October, Australia Hall, 150 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

Contact
Associate Professor Claire Smith (President, World Archaeological Congress)
Email: claire.smith at flinders.edu.au

Websites
www.womenforwik.org
www.antar.org.au (for full ANTaR program on Saturday)

Related [accessed online 12 October 2007]

ATSIC

ATSIC site archive

The World Today, 2007, ATSIC not to blame for Indigenous disadvantage, ABC Radio National. Transcript of radio program, broadcast: 1 June 2007, reporter: Paula Kruger.

‘Black armband history’ and ‘history wars’

ANTaR Queensland, 2003, Black armband history, ANTaR News.

Lateline, 2003, Authors in history debate, ABC TV. Transcript of television program, broadcast: 3 September 2003.

Mann, R. 2006, The cruelty of denial, The Age, 9 September.

McKenna, M. 1997, Different Perspectives on Black Armband History, Research Paper 5 1997–98, Australian Parliamentary Library.

‘Bucketloads of extinguishment’

HREOC, 1999, Acting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Native Title Report 1999, Australian Indigenous Law Reporter, 2000 5(1).

Life Matters, 1997, The 10-Point Wik Plan Explained, ABC Radio National. Transcript of radio program, broadcast: 20 November 1997.

Longstaff, S. 1997, Native Title, St James Ethics Centre.

MacIntyre, G. 1999, Native Title and the Certainty Created by Racial Discrimination, University of New South Wales Law Journal 1999 22(2).

Yunkaporta, T. 2006, Australia On UN’s Black List: Australian Racism And Human Rights Abuses Of Aborigines Condemned, 13 May, Suite 101.

Yunkaporta, T. 2006, Land Rights Australia: Extinguishment of Native Title and ongoing Attacks on Aboriginal Land Rights, 15 June, Suite 101.

‘NT intervention’

ABC News, 2007, NT Intervention ‘too political’ for military, 1 October.

Jopson, D. 2007, Wik women sign up for a new battle in Territory, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 September.

Women For Wik

Pauline Hanson

Hanson, P. 1998, Pauline Hanson’s Address to Parliament on the MAI. Delivered in Federal Parliament, 2 June 1998. Published on Australian Politics.com.

Steketee, M, 2006, Pauline Hanson’s Legacy, The Australian, 8 September.

And more

News.com.au, 2007, Culture in Crisis.

GetUp! Blogs, 2007, Indigenous leaders respond to PM’s referendum plan, 12 October.

GetUp! Campaign Actions, 2007, The First Act Is Saying Sorry (petition).

Til then, all that’s here is this wordpress theme, Hemingway meets CognitiveCombine I 1.02, and my blogroll ‘down there on the right’ under ‘Appear’, ‘Afar’, ‘Around’ and ‘Apropos’.

In the next coupla days I’m moving in some old blog posts. I’m hoping to turn out my own standards-based fluid CSS design over time. For a while though, the look of this place will be shifting around a bit.

The one thing that’s gonna be staying the same is the name of this place:

the defenestration zone

There’ll be more on that later.

Até já.

The latest information about the important Women For Wik initiative.

We are growing fast, and it is a job dealing just with emails and general organisation, so we apologise for not keeping you up-to-date more actively. The main things that have happened this week are:

• A schedule of events has been put in place. These are scheduled in Darwin (today), Brisbane Tuesday, 18th Sept), Adelaide (Friday and Sat, 28th & 29th Sept), Canberra (13th Oct) and Sydney (14th Oct) - www.womenforwik.org/national.html. If you want to schedule something in your town, let us know and we will help.
• There was a protest at the Australian Consulate in Edinburgh (see press release below, for photos go to: www.womenforwik.org/press_release.html
• We were aiming for 1,000 people by 12th September – and we got to almost 1,500!
• We refined our statement (with your feedback, thanks). The slightly revised statement is copied below.

Aside from our own activities, the most important even in this last week is the formation of the National Aboriginal Alliance, which grew out of Aboriginal people’s concerns about the Federal Action in the NT. There is information on this at: www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22417169-29277,00.html

Finally, Women for Wik-Monitoring the Intervention launched on 1st September, so we are only 2 weeks old. This is a lot of action in 2 weeks - so thank you so much to all the people who have come together on this, to make so much happen in such a short time.

Please forward this email o your friends, and encourage them to endorse our statement. We need to demonstrate that there is a groundswell of concern here, if we are going to affect government policy on this issue.

As Fairlie Arthur says in her 3rd September quote of the day: ‘Together, we can make a difference.’

all the best,

Claire, Christine, Eileen, Olga, Rosie and Raelene

Statement. Women for Wik – Monitoring the Federal Action in the NT

The Federal Action in the Northern Territory could provide a unique opportunity to improve conditions in Aboriginal communities, but there is also a real possibility that it may make things worse. As currently planned, it will undermine key aspects of Aboriginal societies - country, kin and culture. Moreover, by using a top-down approach, it has the potential to work against self-government and, in some instances, contravene human rights. This will not improve the lives of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.

Accordingly, we call on both Federal and Territory governments to recognise the importance of Indigenous identity and develop an environment of mutual respect through cross-cultural awareness, communication and engagement. Like the many Australians who walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation, we believe our generation can ensure a fair go for Indigenous citizens.

Worldwide Women’s Protest Against Federal Action In The Northern Territory

An international women’s day of action is planned for Friday, October 19 to protest against the Australian Government’s action in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

Women for Wik, a grassroots organisation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, has attracted more than 1500 signatures on its website and at least one international sister group since going public on this issue two weeks ago.

A group of women from Australia, Scotland and France, organised a protest at the Australian Consulate in Edinburgh on September 13.

Organiser Kate Worland, said, ‘It is vital to raise awareness all over the world about what is going on right now in Australia. We need to stop the implementation of this draconian legislation any way we can.’

Women for Wik, originally formed in 1997 to combat the Howard Government’s attempts to extinguish native title, is calling on Australian women around the world will organise similar events on October 19. Action kits are available through the Women for Wik website, www.womenforwik.org.

Australian organiser, Associate Professor Claire Smith, says “We live in an interconnected world. Once we started providing access to information about the impact of this Federal action on Aboriginal community people, it was inevitable that this movement would garner international support.”

‘It is ironic that this occurred on the same day that the UN Declaration of Rights for Indigenous peoples passed. This shows how far Australia is out of step with the rest of the world’, says Associate Professor Smith.

Professor Lynn Meskell of Stanford University says: “It is not enough that the Prime Minister has Australians involved in a war abroad that is not our own, we have begun persecuting and dominating our own people at home.”

Professor Meskell continues: “Like one million other Australian citizens, I live overseas. This does not mean that I do not notice, or care about, what happens in Australia.’

Legislation allowing the Australian government’s action in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities passed the Senate in August. The government seized control of around 70 Aboriginal towncamps and community centres. This has been done without consultation with Aboriginal organisations.

The Government acted in response to the Little Child Are Sacred report that reported widespread child abuse in NT Aboriginal communities. But even the authors of the report say the feel they betrayed by the Government’s response to this report.

Federal actions include alcohol and pornography controls and controversial changes to the permit system for access to Indigenous land. Many opponents, including Women for Wik, object to the way the child-abuse issue has been linked to land rights.

“This wouldn’t be accepted by any other section of the Australian society,” says Olga Havnen, Indigenous leader and CEO of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory. “If they tried to implement this against women, or Jews, or gays, the country would be in an uproar. Why do we accept it for Aboriginal people?”

Background Information

WOMEN FOR WIK-MONITORING THE FEDERAL ACTION IN THE NT STATEMENT

The Federal Action in the Northern Territory could provide a unique opportunity to improve conditions in Aboriginal communities, but there is also a real possibility that it may make things worse. As currently planned, it will undermine key aspects of Aboriginal societies - country, kin and culture. Moreover, by using a top-down approach, it has the potential to work against self-government and, in some instances, contravene human rights. This will not improve the lives of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.

Accordingly, we call on both Federal and Territory governments to recognise the importance of Indigenous identity and develop an environment of mutual respect through cross-cultural awareness, communication and engagement. Like the many Australians who walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation, we believe our generation can ensure a fair go for Indigenous citizens.

Supporters

Prominent women supporting us monitoring the Federal Action in the Northern Territory include Lady Deane, Tamie Fraser, Lowitja O’Donoghue, Justice Elizabeth Evatt, Helen Caldicott, Anne Deveson, Kate Grenville, Gabi Hollows, Faith Bandler, Anita Heiss, Margaret Fulton and Rosemary Stanton.

An issue close to my heart …

Women for Wik have returned to monitor the Federal Government’s intervention in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

Ten years ago Women for Wik did great work holding awareness sessions all over the country about the Federal Government’s intentions to enact ‘bucketloads of extinguishment’ in relation to native title rights, rights that the Wik people of northern Queensland had recently won at that time (see old womenforwik site). I was part of Women for Wik then.

And, I’m so glad they’ve returned now. This Federal Government needs to be held to account by the public over their intervention in the lives and rights of indigenous people in the Northern Territory. Yes, critical issues have been identified in Aboriginal communities in NT, but taking away people’s rights in law to their land, property and assets is not a way to address those issues.

If the government’s intervention has caused you concern, take a look at the information and fact sheets on the new Women for Wik site, womenforwik.org, and give them your endorsement for this campaign. It’s not just for women.

Women for Wik press release

Women for Wik, a group of prominent Australian women, has been reignited to independently monitor the implementation of the Federal Government’s intervention in Aboriginal communities.

‘Women for Wik’ was formed in 1997 and was endorsed by 130 women’s organisations, representing hundreds of thousands of Australian women. Its original members included Ruth Cracknell, Jane Campion and Justice Elizabeth Evatt. It received overwhelming mainstream support.

The group was inspired by a speech by Lady Deane, the wife of the then Governor-General, Sir William Deane, who said women had to take the lead on the issue of reconciliation. This week Lady Deane reaffirmed this view stating ‘It is up to the women of Australia to get our country back on the path of reconciliation.’

‘Women for Wik’ intends to independently monitor the implementation of the Federal Government plan, both now and in the future.

A co-founder of the original group, writer Rosie Scott, said ‘10 years ago we raised issues that had been effectively hidden, and helped to disprove the fear campaign that Indigenous people would take over our backyards. We now intend to go through the same process with the Federal Government intervention in the Northern Territory. We intend to provide a voice for the women of the Northern Territory whose lives are being directly affected.’

Lowitja O’Donoghue, a member of the original group and former Chairperson of ATSIC stated ‘The Northern Territory intervention is patronising and unworkable. We need policies that will take us forward, not backwards.’

Christine Olsen, writer-producer of the film Rabbit-Proof Fence, said ‘The answer to the problem is the support of Aboriginal culture. Not the destruction of it.’

(from <www.womenforwik.org/press_release.html>)

Related [accessed 9 September 2007]

HREOC, 1999, Acting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Native Title Report 1999, Australian Indigenous Law Reporter, 2000 5(1).

Life Matters, 1997, The 10-Point Wik Plan Explained (transcript), ABC Radio National, original broadcast: 20 November 1997.

Longstaff, S. 1997, Native Title, St James Ethics Centre.

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