[Lasnetmail] Convergence on Canberra on 12 Feb 2008
LASNET
lasnet.latinosolidarity at gmail.com
Thu Feb 7 09:21:29 UTC 2008
CONVERGE ON CANBERRA
Stand up for Aboriginal rights on the first day of the new parliament!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008
RALLY 11.30am at Aboriginal Tent Emabassy,
Old Parliament House, then March to Parliament House for Rally at 1pm.
Turn back Howard and Brough's racist legacy!
- Reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act
- Demand immediate review of the NT intervention
- End welfare quarantines, compulsory land acquisition
and 'mission manager' powers
- Implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal
People
- Aboriginal control of Aboriginal affairs
CONVERGENCE CALENDAR OF ASSOCIATED EVENTS
Source: Based on email received via ANTaR Vic and Alliance for Indigenous Self Determination
The main rally will be on the 12th Feb but there are plenty
of reasons to be in canberra for longer than that if you
can:
EVENTS:
Sunday 10th Feb: assistance with setting up the site for
camping and convergence events. Second National Aboriginal
Alliance meeting in Old Parliament House. Details below.
Monday 11th Feb: community information forums, with
indigneous people from the NT sharing their stories, and
feedback from the second National Aboriginal Alliance
meeting (being held on the 10th feb) - SEE ATTACHED
Tuesday 12th Feb: Main Rally: meet at Tent Embassy at
11:30am. Walk to new Parliament house and Rally 1pm
Wednesday 13th Feb: PM Kevin Rudd has announced he will
give the Apology to the Stolen generation on this day.
There are also opportunities for people to meet with
ministers (limited numbers)
Read the full Call Out and endorsements here:
http://www.tasmedia.org/node/1656
- - - - - - - - - -
TRANSPORT FROM MELBOURNE
Source: Email received via ANTaR Vic
TRANSPORT OPTIONS: Bus, Car Pool or Public Transport
1) BUS: the Alliance for Indigenous Self Determination are
organising TWO buses:
One leaving 10th feb and returning by 5pm on thursday 14th
feb One leaving 11th feb and returning by 5pm on thursday
14th feb
The Cost of the Bus will be $45 PLUS SHARED PETROL COSTS
BETWEEN 8 PEOPLE (up to $40)
IF you require specific consideration re leaving and
returning dates let us know when you book as we may be able
to sort something out.
IF YOU WANT TO BOOK A PLACE ON THE BUS YOU MUST DO SO BY
2PM MONDAY 4TH FEB AT THE LATEST - UNLESS YOU'VE BOOKED AND
PAID BY THIS TIME THEN YOUR SEAT IS NOT GUARANTEED!
Contacts:
Michaela 0429136935
Alyssa 0402680337
Anna 0439891832
PAY UPSTAIRS at Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith St, Fitzroy
If you need financial assistance then let us know.
2) CAR POOL:
Please contact Jacinda or Matt at ANTaR VIC who are
coordinating car pooling - drivers and passangers wanted!
antar at antarvictoria.org.au
67 Brunswick St
Fitzroy VIC 3065
ph (03) 9419 3613
fax (03) 9417 2691
3) PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
The two options are by Vline train to albury and then
greyhound bus to canberra, or bus from melbourne to
canberra.
The cost of these options is around $60 - 80 depending on
concession or full fare.
Check out
www.vline.com.au
www.greyhound.com.au
to work out the exact cost for you and your dates.
If you need to be picked up from the station in canberra
then please let us know as we may be able to organise this!
ACCOMMODATION:
Accommodation is onsite Camping at the Tent Embassy on
parliament lawns. You need to bring all you own camping
gear - tents, sleeping bag and mat etc. Alternatively
arrange your own accomodation in canberra.
You need to be responsible for you own food. Those car
pooling or on bus will have opportunity to shop in canberra.
There will be a communal kitchen open minimally at the Tent
Embassy. Please bring food to donate/share if you plan on
using this space.
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In the final months of government, John Howard introduced a
package of discriminatory, unfair and punative measures
against Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. Aimed
at controlling Aboriginal lives and land, the legislation
was a stark violation of basic human rights and dignities.
Federal Labor is promising a new era in Aboriginal affairs.
They are pledging to say sorry to the stolen generation and
to sign the UN declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
People. They have promised to restore both the CDEP
(Community Development and Employment Program) and the
permit system, which will ameliorate some of the worst
effects of the NT intervention.
Unfortunately there are aspects of ALP policy that is still
disturbingly similar to the Liberals. Plainly
discriminatory measures such as mandatory welfare
quarantines, compulsory land acquisition and the presence
of non-Aboriginal "business managers" with extraordinary
powers are being suffered under right now. There has been
no move to allow the operation of the Racial Discrimination
Act. The cry for immediate review of the legislation coming
from across the NT has been ignored.
The Labor Government must comply with accepted
international human rights laws and standards of non
discrimination, equality, natural justice and procedural
fairness. Legislation being implemented in the NT breaches
commitments Australia has made as a signatory to major
human rights treaties and conventions; such as the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights. The Human Rights Commission
must immediately review the legislation to ensure
compliance with these obligations.
The federal election revealed overwhelming opposition to
the intervention among Aboriginal communities. When Labor
MP's in affected areas emphasised political differences to
the Coalition they consistently received over 80% of the
vote; with 95% in the town of Wadeye.
Despite government claims that the intervention is a
response to the Anderson & Wild "Little Children are
Sacred" report, no new community-based services to ensure
the safety and protection of children have been
established, and there has been a notable duplication of
services - particularly in the area of child health checks.
There is an urgent need for delivery of essential services,
infrastructure and programs genuinely targeted at improving
the safety and well being of children and developed in
consultation with communities. Huge amounts of public money
have been wasted, with $88 million alone going towards
bureaucrats to control Aboriginal welfare.
Moving Forward
A vibrant, mass convergence in Canberra on the first day of
parliament will be an important step in challenging the
lingering legacy of Howard's racism. We can strongly push
for an immediate end to what Aboriginal communities have
themselves described as an invasion. We can send a strong
signal to Kevin Rudd and his new government to put
Aboriginal rights at the centre of their agenda; to
massively increase the resources available to communities
across Australia and to respect Aboriginal control of
Aboriginal affairs.
Initiated by the Aboriginal Rights Coalition, Sydney
Contact:
Shane Phillips 0414077631
Greg Eatock 0432050240
Endorsements from Aboriginal activists include:
Olga Havnen (Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the NT)
Barbara Shaw (Tangentyere council, Alice Springs)
Lez Malezer (Chairman, Global Indigenous People's Caucus UN,
Foundation Aboriginal Islander Rights Association)
Jaquie Katona (CEO of Lumbu Indigenous Community Foundation,
Djok clan)
Michael Mansell (Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre)
Lowjita O'Donaghue
Sam Watson (Brisbane)
Dootch Kennedy (Sandon Point Aboriginal Embassy &
Chair of Illawarra Aboriginal Land Council)
Mitch (Eastern Arrernte/Luritja activist from Alice Springs)
Robbie Thorpe (Melbourne)
Phil Falk (Senior Lecturer School of Law, Griffith Uni,
Wiradjuri nation)
Linda Murphy (Lecturer, School of Arts, Griffith Uni)
Sandra Phillips (QUT)
Nicole Watson (Jumbunna, Sydney)
Heidi Norman (UTS)
Victor Hardt (Oodgeroo, QUT)
Shane Phillips (Redfern)
Michael Anderson (co-founder, Aboriginal Tent Embassy)
Pastor Ray Minniecon (Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries,
Redfern)
Marbuk, Charlie Wilson (Barkendjh)
Peta Ridgeway (Newcastle)
Arthur Ridgeway (Newcastle)
Greg Eatock (Coordinator Deaths in Custody Campaign, Sydney)
Pat Eatock (Secretary, First Aboriginal Tent Embassy)
Tiga Bayles (Brisbane Indigenous Media Association)
Victor Hart (Oodgeroo Noonuccal Centre, Queensland Uni of
Technology)
Larissa Behrendt (Jumbunna)
Linda Murphy (Lecturer School of Arts Griffith University)
Naomi Myers (CEO Aboriginal Medical Service)
Sol Bellear
Christopher Poulsen (Yuendumu)
Harry Nelson (Yuendumu community council)
Supportive Organisations include:
Women for Wik
Amnesty International
GetUp!
NSW Aboriginal Land Council
The NSW Reconciliation Council
Aboriginal Tent Embassy
Indigenous Social Justice Association
ReconciliACTION
Australians for Native Title and Reconcilliation (ANTaR SA)
The Australian Greens
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU NSW)
NSW Teachers Federation
The Maritime Union of Australia (NSW)
Top End Aboriginal Conservation Alliance (TEACA)
Aboriginal Rights Coalition (Sydney)
Intervention Reform Coalition (Darwin)
Intervention Rollback Working Group (Alice Springs)
Alliance for Indigenous Self Determination (Melbourne)
Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Canberra)
Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (WA)
Australian Peace Committee (SA)
Reconciliation for Western Sydney
Convergence contacts in various states:
Greg Eatock (Sydney) 0432050240
Barbara Shaw (NT) 0401291166
On Site at Tent Embassy (Canberra) 0405163183
Michaela (Melbourne) 0429136935
Peta Ridgeway (Newcastle) 0413351584
Sam Watson (Brisbane) 0411274079
Sue Gilbey (Adelaide) 0411411322
Read updates of Call Out & endorsements here:
http://www.tasmedia.org/node/1656
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
Subscription to WGAR News is free.
To subscribe, email wgar.news at gmail.com and include the
words "subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
To unsubscribe, email wgar.news at gmail.com and include the
words "unsubscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
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