Country Gal, reparations can mean lots of other things other than money, be it practical, symbolic or whatever.

For instance, for people who had their wages stolen and misused by all state may want other benefits that they would have accrued if they had received their entitlements.
No unions protected workers rights! Intergeneration poverty was and is historically born in how the state controlled our lives. Some things never change!

As for the date, no worries. Actually colonisation and land theft happened for many within the last 100 years-especially for those in more remote areas. 1788 was just the beginning of the carnage.

Point taken Rainier!

I guess I wanted to clarify what you meant by reparations. I dont see money as a solution to anything, unless it is applied in a careful and considered way (and that doesnt just apply to indigenous affairs).

Whilst only 2% of the population, the circumstances of this 2% are more widely varied than any other group in modern Aust I would think. Certainly some are quite well-off, whereas others live in the most abject poverty. How do we come up with something that means something to every receipient, and still be fair to every receipient? Given the diversity it is a very difficult point. Governments by nature are broad-brushed in approach (again, this is applicable not just to indigenous affairs).

Another point about being kept in poverty, is that there are a number of examples of people that have been raised in that pverty, but have broken out of it. What lessons can be learnt from the approach of these people? Was it due simply to an ultra-tough personal spirit, or was there a mentor (be it parent or someone else) that provided encouragement along the way? If external support was a contributing factor, how can we foster this and develop more of it?

CG, you asked:

Was it due simply to an ultra-tough personal spirit, or was there a mentor (be it parent or someone else) that provided encouragement along the way?

YES, many i know of (perhaps i could include myself?) did the boot straps approach to everything but it was not done without support from family. Many forgo their own ambitions and dreams to help someone else. Its a tough decision to make for supporters rather than those they are supporting. At the end of the day the extended family is either a hindrance (often without wanting to be) or a strength.

If external support was a contributing factor, how can we foster this and develop more of it?

External support is often NOT there at all because the wider perception by whitefellas is that we already get everything on a platter. ATSIC was seen as the one stop shop by whitefellas for Aboriginal needs. It was never that at all.
I was recently heartened to hear about how many Grey Nomads were willing to help. I'm sure there are others. Quite often its not about money but rather the social capital and network of knowledge applied to how -to access goods and services- develop a strategy- being confident to ask without fear of refusal-that is desparately required.

Hope this answers some...

28-06-2007

PRESS RELEASE

(PART 1)

Leaders of the Mutitjulu community today questioned the need for a military occupation of their small community.

They ask you to hear their views of the Government's current actions and past inactions.

There is far more to be learned than the news can tell us, and no end to crisis without listening to communities and working to meet their human needs for health and social services.

"We welcome any real support for indigenous health and welfare and even two police will assist, but the Howard Government declared an emergency at our community over two years ago - when they appointed an administrator to our health clinic - and since then we have been without a doctor, we have less health workers, our council has been sacked all our youth and health programmes have been cut.

We have no CEO and limited social and health services. The government has known about our overcrowding problem for at least 10 years and they've done nothing about it.

How do they propose keeping alcohol out of our community when we are 20 minutes away from 5 star hotel? Will they ban blacks from Yulara? We have been begging for an alcohol counsellor and a rehabilitation worker so that we can help alcoholics and substance abusers but those pleas have been ignored. What will happen to alcoholics when this ban is introduced? How will the government keep the grog runners out of our community without a permit system?

We have tried to put forward projects to make our community economically sustainable - like a simple coffee cart at the sunrise locations but the government refuses to even consider them.

There is money set aside from the Jimmy Little foundation for a kidney dialysis machine at Mutitjulu, but National Parks won't let us have it. That would create jobs and improve indigenous health but they just keep stonewalling us. If there is an emergency, why won't Mal Brough fast track our kidney dialysis machine?

PART 2.

Some commentators have made much of the cluster of sexually transmitted diseases identified at our health clinic. People need to understand that Mutitjulu Health Clinic (now effectively closed) is a regional clinic and patients come from as far away as WA and SA; so to identify a cluster here is meaningless without seeing the confidential patient data.

The fact that we hold this community together with no money, no help, no doctor and no government support is a miracle. Any community, black or white would struggle if they were denied the most basic resources. Police and the Military are fine for logistics and coordination but healthcare, youth services, education and basic housing are more essential. Any programme must involve the people on the ground or it won't work. For example who will interpret for the military?

Our women and children are scared about being forcibly examined; surely there is a need to build trust. Even the doctors say they are reluctant to examine a young child without a parent's permission. Of course any child that is vulnerable or at risk should be immediately protected but a wholesale intrusion into our women and children's privacy is a violation of our human and sacred rights.

Where is the money for all the essential services? We need long term financial and political commitment to provide the infrastructure and planning for our community. There is an urgent need for 10's of millions of dollars to do what needs to be done. Will Mr Brough give us a commitment beyond the police and military?

The commonwealth needs to work with us to put health and social services, housing and education in place rather than treating Mutitjulu as a political football.

PART 3;

But we need to set the record straight:

- There is no evidence of any fraud or mismanagement at Mutitjulu - we have had an administration for 12 months that found nothing

- Mal Brough and his predecessor have been in control of our community for at least 12 months and we have gone backwards in services

- We have successfully eradicated petrol sniffing from our community in conjunction with government authorities and oil companies

- We have thrown suspected paedophiles out of our community using the permit system which our government now seeks take away from us.

- We will work constructively with any government, State, Territory or Federal that wants to help aboriginal people.

END

WE CAN CLOSE THE GAP

All around Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations are taking action to improve the health of their people. For example, in Townsville the Mums & Bubs program has reduced perinatal deaths by more than half. Their experiences, and research in Australia, New
Zealand, the US and Canada shows that indigenous health crises CAN be overcome when Governments demonstrate leadership and make solving the health crisis a national priority.

Call for Federal, State & Territory Governments to commit to:

... Increasing annual Indigenous Health funding by $450 million to enable equal access to health services (equivalent to only 1% of the current Health Budget)

... Increasing Indigenous control & participation in the delivery of health services

... Addressing critical social issues such as housing, education and self-determination which contribute to the Indigenous health crisis.

CloseTheGap is an awareness and advocacy campaign organised by a coalition of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, health, human rights and development organisations, including Oxfam Australia, ANTaR, the Australian Medical Association, and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.