WGAR News: Sydney protests 8th year of NT Intervention: STICS - Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney

Newsletter date: 19 June 2015

Contents:     

* Media Release: STICS - Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney: Sydney protests 8th year of NT Intervention
* Upcoming anniversary march & rally: 3pm, 21 June 2015: NT Intervention - Stolen Futures - 8 Years of Racist shame!
* Homepage of Stop the Intervention: http://stoptheintervention.org/

* Upcoming Event: 26-28 June 2015: An art installation about the Yolngu people: S.O.S. Australia -restoring dignity will take place in Berlin
* Tribute: Marion Caris - Berlin, Respect and Listen: Vale Michele Harris OAM: http://www.respectandlisten.org/vale-michele-harris.html

* Compilation: Respect and Listen: The Intervention: an Anthology: http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/intervention-anthology.html
* Upcoming Events: Respect and Listen: The Intervention: an Anthology book launches
1 July 2015: National launch in Sydney: National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE)
9 July 2015: Ashfield Town Hall
4 August 2015: NT Darwin launch: Charles Darwin University

* Background Analysis:
Michele Harris & 'concerned Australians': Books and Publications drawing out Aboriginal voices from the NT: http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/publications.html
Paddy Gibson, STICS: First Nations Peoples and Australian Government Policy - What happened to the Intervention?
Jon Altman, Journal of Indigenous Policy, Jumbunna UTS: Arguing The Intervention
Jon Altman & Susie Russell, CAEPR, ANU: Too much ‘Dreaming’: Evaluations of the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Intervention 2007–2012

* Compilations:
Respect and Listen: 'concerned Australians': http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/concerned-australians.html
Respect and Listen: NT Intervention: http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention.html
Respect and Listen: Treaty: http://www.respectandlisten.org/treaty.html

* Background:
WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government
WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement
WGAR Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia

WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

- Media Release

STICS - Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney: Sydney protests 8th year of NT Intervention
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/sydney-protests-8th-...
18 Jun 15: "On Sunday June 21, protesters in Sydney will mark the eighth anniversary of the Northern Territory Intervention renamed Stronger Futures with a rally at Town Hall and march to the Block in Redfern. The protest will be addressed by Ken Canning, Albert Hartnett, Eva Cox, Gerry Georgatos and Kyol Blakeney.
"John Howard’s announcement of the NT Intervention was one of the most shameful days in the history of our brutal treatment of First Nations People", said Alex Johnson, spokesperson for the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS). "It has set the struggle for First Nations People’s rights back many decades."
Under the Intervention, the military was sent into Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, the Racial Discrimination Act was suspended and compulsory Income Management was introduced for Aboriginal people. The Intervention also removed the Community Development Employment Projects which provided employment and maintained basic infrastructure in communities.
Most of the Intervention’s measures were extended for 10 years by the federal Labor government’s Stronger Futures legislation in 2012.
"$1 billion has been spent on the punitive, racist measures of the Intervention, which have only had a detrimental effect", said Cathy Gill. "Government statistics show that since 2007, incarceration in the NT has doubled, reported rates of attempted suicide and self-harm are up almost 500%, child removal rates have increased more than three-fold, and there is more alcohol related domestic violence." ... "

- Upcoming anniversary march & rally

21 June 2015: NT Intervention - Stolen Futures - 8 Years of Racist shame!

https://www.facebook.com/events/567345523405275/permalink/567827446690416/

"Sunday, June 21 at 3:00pm in UTC+10
Sydney Town Hall

8 Years of Racist shame!

NT Intervention - Stronger Futures

Join us for an anniversary march and rally

3pm Sunday 21 June
Town Hall Sydney
to The Block, Redfern

Speakers:

Uncle Albert Hartnett, a Wangkumurra man with first-hand experience of child removal

Uncle Ken Canning, Murri writer and poet from the Kunja Clan of the Bidjira Nation

Kyol Blakeney, a Kamilaroi man and Sydney University SRC president

Eva Cox, Research Fellow at Jumbunna, Indigenous House of Learning at UTS

Gerry Georgatos, human rights and social justice campaigner. Editor of The Stringer. ... "

- Homepage

Stop the Intervention
http://stoptheintervention.org/

- Upcoming Event

26-28 June 2015: An art installation about the Yolngu people: S.O.S. Australia -restoring dignity will take place in Berlin
Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/events/26-28-june-2015-an-art-installation-abou...
German Indymedia: https://linksunten.indymedia.org/en/node/146175
18 Jun 15: "From the 26th till 28th of June the art installation S.O.S. Australia –restoring dignity will take place in Berlin. The installation is about Yolngu people and their struggle for land rights, self-determination and a treaty. The installation was developed in cooperation with Michele Harris from 'concerned Australians' and with the support of Yolngu people from Arnhem Land. It will be dedicated to Michele Harris. The installation is part of the popular annual Berlin art festival 48 Stunden Neukölln and is integrated in the Berlin Action Week to support the rights of Aboriginal people, which takes place from the 23rd till the 28th of June. ... "

English version of the announcement of the art installation on the website of the art festival:
http://www.48-stunden-neukoelln.de/en/event/sos-australien-kunst-macht-mit

- Tribute

Respect and Listen: Vale Michele Harris OAM
[scroll down page] http://www.respectandlisten.org/vale-michele-harris.html
4 Jun 15: "From Berlin I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michele. I never met her in person but we spoke often via mail and I became to know her as a wise and intensely committed woman who did everything to help the Berlin Aboriginal Solidarität Netzwerk and the German NGO Society for Threatened Peoples to raise attention for Aboriginal issues in Germany. She was especially supportive of an art installation about Yolngu people, that I am building with an artist friend and that will be three days on display in Berlin in June during the art festival 48 Stunden Neukölln. I am so sad that she won’t be able to see the result that will be filmed and sent to Australia. I will really miss Michele, her wisdom and her valuable feedback, but I will carry on her spirit to keep on raising awareness of Aboriginal issues in Germany." Marion Caris, Berlin, Germany

- Compilation

Respect and Listen: The Intervention: an Anthology: http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/intervention-anthology.html

- Upcoming Events

Respect and Listen: The Intervention: an Anthology book launches

[scroll down page] http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/intervention-anthology.html

1 July 2015: National launch in Sydney

National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE)
166-180 George St, Redfern NSW 2016

To be launched by Gillian Triggs, AHRC

Speakers:
Pat Anderson, eminent author of the report Little Children are Sacred,
Ali Cobber Eckermann, award winning poet from the NT,
Anita Heiss and
Rosie Scott

9 July 2015: Ashfield Town Hall

http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/naidoc-week-event-the-intervention-an-ant...

Thursday, July 9 - 6pm for 6.30pm
Ashfield Town Hall
260 Liverpool Road, #3
Ashfield, NSW 2131

In conversation with
Mick Gooda the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, AHRC

Contributor Nicole Watson, who is currently employed as a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney.

Editor Rosie Scott

Cash sales only of the book on the night.

Organised by the Ashfield Library

4 August 2015: NT Darwin launch

Charles Darwin University,
in the new Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education
at Casuarina Campus.

Speakers:
Yalmay Yunupingu,
Rosie Scott
Jeff McMullen

and more TBC

- Background Analysis

Michele Harris & 'concerned Australians':
Books and Publications drawing out Aboriginal voices from the NT
http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/publications.html

- Background Analysis

Paddy Gibson, STICS: First Nations Peoples and Australian Government Policy - What happened to the Intervention?
http://stoptheintervention.org/past-events/20-apr-2015-what-happened-to-...
Special report back from Paddy Gibson on the effects of current government policies on First Nations Peoples communities.
20 Apr 15: "Paddy Gibson has just returned from 12 months living in Alice Springs. At this special STICS meeting he gave a presentation looking at the continuing impacts of the NT Intervention, now known as 'Stronger Futures' on Aboriginal living conditions, incarceration and child removal rates. Paddy also discussed how the policy architecture of the Intervention is expanding across the country and why the demand for a repeal of Intervention laws remains as important as ever. Watch his speech: ... "

- Background Analysis

Jon Altman, Journal of Indigenous Policy, Jumbunna UTS: Arguing The Intervention
Special Issue: Sept 2013 by Jon Altman
http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/journals/specialissue2.html
"For over three decades, Professor Jon Altman has been one of the leading scholars on Indigenous research with a particular focus on Indigenous economies. Through the period since the Northern Territory intervention in 2007 until the present day, his work has taken on increasing significance. In a period in which government policy continues to be shaped by ideological rather than by evidence and research, Jon Altman, like many other researchers in the field, found his expertise and work increasingly sidelined. ... "

- About

About the Journal of Indigenous Policy, Jumbunna UTS
http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/journals/jip.html
"Why the Journal of Indigenous Policy?
... The most fundamental value guiding the publication of this journal is that we respect and recognise Indigenous peoples right to self-determination as they define this right for themselves, their people and their communities. Genuine exercise and enjoyment of this right on a collective level requires policy to play a crucial role. All too often, when programs designed to support Indigenous peoples advancement fail, poor policy development and implementation is a key collaborator. ... "

- Overview

Overview of UTS: Jumbunna - Research Strength
http://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/jumbunna/our-re...
"Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, Research Unit is unique in Australia. An Indigenous led Research Unit, we operate throughout Australia, will staff working in communities in Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales, and collaborators in all States and Territories. Operating in the domestic and international spheres, the Unit prides itself on frank and fearless research and advocacy driven by the Indigenous communities it serves.
Our Vision is to promote, support and embody the exercise and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sovereignty and Self-Determination. ... "

- Background Analysis

Jon Altman & Susie Russell, CAEPR: Too much ‘Dreaming’: Evaluations of the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Intervention 2007–2012
http://caepr.anu.edu.au/Too-much-Dreaming-Evaluations-Northern-Territory....
2012: "Abstract: The Northern Territory National Emergency Response Intervention (the Intervention) of 2007 was a bold experiment by the Howard Government. The Intervention was developed quickly without comprehensive policy development based on evidence or consultation. During its five-year statutory life (ending August 2012), the absence of coherent policy logic has seen the Intervention fundamentally reframed by the Rudd and Gillard Governments. The unprecedented and controversial nature of the Intervention has seen extraordinary levels of monitoring, review and evaluation, but the absence of an overarching evaluation strategy has resulted in a fragmented and confused approach. ... " Jon Altman and Susie Russell, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, The Australian National University

- Bios

About Jon Altman - CAEPR - ANU
http://caepr.anu.edu.au/StaffProfiles/altman.php
http://caepr.anu.edu.au/StaffProfiles/Jon-Altman
"Research interests:
At the broadest level Professor Altman's research focuses on social justice and human rights for minority groups globally. More particularly, appropriate economic development and associated policy for Indigenous Australia; hybrid economy theory and practice; the economic engagement of Indigenous people with the Australian and global economies (especially in mining, tourism, the arts and emerging industries like carbon farming); commercial utilisation of wildlife and fisheries; the Indigenous customary economy and its articulations with market capitalism; land rights, native title and Indigenous land and sea management; and theoretical issues in economic and development anthropology."

About Susie Russell - CAEPR - ANU
http://caepr.anu.edu.au/StaffProfiles/Susie-Russell

 - Compilations

Respect and Listen: 'concerned Australians'
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/concerned-australians.html

Respect and Listen: NT Intervention
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention.html

Respect and Listen: The Intervention: an Anthology
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/intervention-anthology.html

Respect and Listen: Treaty
http://www.respectandlisten.org/treaty.html

- Background

WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/06/08/wgar-background-intervention-into-no...
(last updated: 14 June 2015)

WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-the-aboriginal-so...
(last updated: 17 June 2015)

WGAR Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/03/26/wgar-background-to-treaties-with-abo...
(last updated: 17 June 2015)

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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