Belly, yes not much interest unfortunately.

So what are Aboriginal People up against ?

I recently complained to Mal Brough's Dept about the hasty re directing and withdrawl of the $60 million dollars offered for the 20 years overdue and Alice Springs refugee town camp developement.

His department Senior advisor, a Mr Russell Patterson , replied in writing today ,and said in his last relevant comment, "It is not acceptable for such large sums of public money to be used to construct houses on private land ."

This ridiculous statement on indigenous people's basic housing needs takes some beating!

It would seem that the most deserving Australians ,at least in many eyes, probably never really had a chance anyway .

I do not believe the Howard's Government men were serious in wanting to solve the problem - no doubt this money offer will circulate from community to community gathering "good times are coming " press releases as it goes around Australia meeting a similar fate because of a lack of understanding of the Indigenous negotiation timescale .They simply needed a bit more time to get all the groups to agree . They had made considerable progress .

For an Army man like Mal Brough to "cut and run" , to use a horrible phrase, is a disgrace and does not augur well for our Aboriginal first Peoples particularly in the areas in Australia where they need help most .

kartiya Jim I think the lack of interest is clear ,one day I would like to find a forum like that long dead one that continues important threads for much longer periods.
However while I must go on record as no fan of this government I have no more faith in my party the ALP to fix it.
We get bogged down in seeing the dreadful problem and thinking the only answer is politically correct rubbish or throwing money at it.
It will take brave actions to undo the over 200 years of miss managing the problem.
To think after all that time people still live in such conditions.
And may I ad the view no doubt exists in my mind this problem is not just remote areas, but Australia wide.
While some are as much a part of the mainstream community far too many are not even close.

Thanks kartiya jim for posting Mal Brough's Senior advisor Mr Russell Patterson's comment from his reply :

"It is not acceptable for such large sums of public money to be used to construct houses on private land ."

IMHO the action from Mal Brough taking the money elsewhere is to be applauded.

The relevant town camps in Alice Springs are private landholdings and is long overdue they be treated as such.

Treating these private landowners as private landowners is a good step towards fixing the problems.

Next step is for these private landowners understanding and accepting they are the private landowners and learning to act like private landowners.

As the private landowners they are responsible for maintaining the housing they construct on their private land unless they lease the land or buildings to someone else with these responsibilities included.

Certainly agree the hasty re directing and withdrawl of the $60 million dollars offered for the housing is 20 years long overdue for both Alice Springs and the town camp developements.

Problem around Alice Springs is worse with Central Land Council's long term denial to Traditional Owners the issuing of valid leases for their homes all around Central Australia.

The Central Land Council's three-fifth share in Centrecorp the company has ownership directly or indirectly of large amounts of real estate in Alice Springs, believed to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Central Land Council has far to much leverage, influence over what happens around Central Australia, far more than most people elsewhere realize.

Now what kartiya jim has not mentioned is the Minster has advised a lesser amount of money may still be available, providing the NT Government can broker an agreement by the end of this month with the landowners.

Go complain loudly to all Australia how your finance company is refusing to give you a loan for houses and other buildings because you refuse to sign a mortgage.

They will complain back such behaviour is just plain stupid.

Whether town camps and you get any money is back to you kartiya jim...

Belly, a mix of compassion fatigue, complexity of problem and historical amnesia i reckon.

Hundreds of reports, thousands of recommendations,this is a cycle of reporting that governments think is the solution rather than action.

Talking about, reading about, knowing about, the disadvantaged of Aboriginal people is so firmly entrenched in white Australian culture that its considered normal - if not fundamental requirement of being 'Australian'.

The ultimate and permanent fixture of downward envy.

I will not kick Howard for his actions today, in fact it is a start.
But if any one from the greens or Democrats cares to explain why they do so to me it would be of help.
Just after I spoke of political correctness its main contributors in this country launch into a lets whine but do nothing mode.
What are the policy's of the greens in this area?
And if the lost and dieing Democrats have a policy other than self destruction let me know what it is in this matter.
Remember please the impact poor or no education has on this issue.
And for goodness sake STOP thinking this issue is not nation wide!
How dare we Australians insult other country's like say India for its cast system while we are content to let these conditions exist in our country and blame only its victims for the problem.
Tough love, accountability for both sides and good quality education for every Australian child by unbreakable law, a start to finding an answer not a threat.

Sorry polpak,
Howard's and Brough's previous "Cut and Run" attitude to Aboriginal poverty and despair and the huge problems it has brought to our Indigenous people has been a disgrace for all Australians.
The Northern Territory Government's irresponsible attitude to alcohol is basically anti-social,against humanitarian principles and personally destructive in it's effects on Aboriginal communities .

More Howard band aids are evidently following .

We should never forget Howard's WIK TASK FORCE,with it's battle overtones , was an creation in 1998 forged by the Liberals, the Nationals And the National Farmers' Federation under Don McGauchie to take away Aboriginal Land Rights that had been granted by the High Court.
Those Rights taken away by his 10 POINT PLAN could well have helped them adjust to their unenviable historical social and economic status .

The NT Government is now appealing Indigenous fishing rights granted by the Courts in the remote Blue mud Bay .

[Of Course much better to keep them on the Federal Government's dole!]

Mal Brough's excuse, as explained by his senior advisor Mr Patterson for not giving the Aboriginal Australians a decent roof over their head in Alice Springs [ie. "Too slow ,Basically it's now up to them !"] is in no-one's best interest and no way to conduct negotiations on land .

Aboriginal people need their own Ministerial Department - It is hardly fair for John Howard to expect the struggling Mal Brough to help them get on their feet while he is working on a part time basis .

Unless there are many millions of dollars and a PLAN to give hope and help to those people who are chronic alcoholics in Central Australia ,Howard's initiative will fail .

You can not invade a country , take away the inhabitants' best land, ignore their culture , disrespect or only give it lip service and expect no problems .

"Blind Freddy", who was probably black , could see this .

Howard's lack of leadership on Aboriginal Dispossesion, his historical indifference, and it's horrible legacy, is Australia's great shame.