Thanks for taking the time, CJ - Wild Rivers legislation, the Intervention, substance over symbolism, OPAL - just a few.

Especially because the Coalition (backed up by the Independents) might attend to substantive issues over symbolic gestures - I'm sick and tired of symbolism, you can't eat it, it doesn't fix up a leaking tap or help your kids get a job.

Symbolism tied to substance - yes ! And, while I'll probably never vote Liberal, I suspect that they will be more likely to put their money where their mouth is.

CJ, I really think we all have to think very hard about where Indigenous policy, and Indigenous affairs, are going. We have to consider whether we have relied on panaceas, and silver bullets, for too long, and that we need to do more than re-cycle the same dreary policies over and over, like has been done for forty years now.

It's a different reality now from 1972: most Indigenous people live in urban areas and are not likely to go back to the bush (much as the Greens seem to wish it were so). There are now more Indigenous graduates and university students than all the Indigenous adults in the NT put together (and the Greens cannot understand THAT reality - of course, neither can the Indigenous elites, but that's another story).

We have to ask: what is moving, and what is dead in the water ? What policies have stuffed up Indigenous people and what has worked - even if the answers don't fit in with our ideologies and paradigms.

And I fear that the Greens are on the wrong side of that debate.

Joe

The 1967 referendum decision was to STOP Commonwealth and State racism, to stop them from qualifying the rights and responsibilities of fellow Australians using racial identification as the measure.

The 1967 referenda was NOT to widen opportunities for Commonwealth to continue, to widen, its own racist policies.

Arguing for rights, responsibilities to be qualified by racial identification/testing IS racism.

Our choice is either support racism or reject racism.

IMHO correctly, most Australians reject racism.

Compensating victims injured by prior denial of rights or responsibilities does NOT require same injuring behavior continue !

Loudest voices heard are those seeking rights and responsibilities qualified by racial measurement, because it suits them.

Many short memories, failing to learn from history.

The Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) 1976 Act has given ownership, title, of large NT land areas to corporations.

ALR(NT) recognized "Traditional Owners" as shareholders in these Land Trusts, with no special rights - other than a right to stand somewhere upon the ground - when not denied this.

For long time the Commonwealth and NTG using public monies constructed houses on these lands without secure titles.

Those houses are owned by the Land Trusts - unless the Commonwealth and NTG arrange to remove them with Land Trust permission.

ALR(NT) recognized "Traditional Owners" are denied valid leases to what they thought were their homes, denied valid leases by these Land Trusts.

Apprehended Violence Orders can NOT be obtained in court to order others away from your home and furniture because you do NOT possess required proof of right to exclude others - a valid lease.

Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) 1976 Act gave management agency responsibility for these large areas of the NT to other Commonwealth corporate identities - the various Land Councils.

Management decisions of these Land Trusts - are subject to instructions from these agent Land Councils.

To date most people in NT communities are still denied valid leases to their homes by these agencies.

polpak,
very disturbing what you say but somehow typical.

Amicus,
Neither side of politics has achieved anything, the left uses symbolic gestures and no action while the right gives action that violates rights, shows no respect nor understanding of culture and achieves nothing. The intervention for all respects is as bigger disaster as the batt's scheme. Pity there isn't the same level of outrage in the community over that.

In the end you can only conclude that no one achieves anything on aboriginal affairs because they have no idea what to do. Maybe they should listen more and do what is needed despite the cost and the possibility that it may go against what we have set in our minds as the right and proper outcome. What that is i don't know but we never will if we don't ask.

Hi Runner,

Your linked article of Noel Pearson in the Austalian isn't working. Yes, Mr Pearson is great - thank God he's around. And I know Tony Abbott does a lot of voluntary work within the indigenous community amongst other voluntary work. He is a man of action and puts money where his mouth is.

I am very saddened Labour got in. And am very worried about this odd Gillard. Another lying lawyer with limited experience in life it seems to me.

Cheers,

Just a quick update to the claim in the article that “none of the four all-powerful independent members of the lower house has listed reform in this area among their demands”.
It has now emerged that Rob Oakeshott’s parliamentary reform proposals include an acknowledgment of country prior to prayers on each sitting day. As Oakeshott negotiated this deal with both major parties it is not clear exactly who instigated it. Though we can be pretty sure from Tony Abbott’s ‘tokenism’ comments it wasn’t him. But both sides have now agreed to it.
The other addendum is that Bob Katter sought individual title deeds to homes and businesses to replace native title. He also wanted Aboriginal housing built only by indigenous labour. These are academic now Katter has sided with the Coalition.

Nairbe,

The thing is that Indigenous people, particularly in the cities, are doing it for themselves: there will be a total of about 26,000 Indigenous university graduates by the end of this year, about 1500 this year alone - four a day. They are not sitting around waiting for Lord or Lady Bountiful to drop their welfare blessings on them, they are up and doing. Maybe people in the remote communities are sitting around like stunned mullets, but many people in the cities are taking their own destinies in their own hands - and that may take some getting used to, for all those white destiny-deciders.

Agency and how to enable it, how to get people up on their own two feet and making their own decisions - that's the issue.

Oh, and the Indigenous community is on track for 50,000 university graduates by 2020. And they're not asking for your permission either.

Joe