nuclear-news

Dodson’s outstation review to exclude Aboriginal communities | The Australian

Dodson’s outstation review to exclude Aboriginal communities THE AUSTRALIAN 2 Dec 08

ABORIGINES who live in the most remote parts of the Northern Territory are to be excluded from an inquiry into their very existence.

Territory consultant and Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson yesterday conceded he would spend the next two weeks conducting public hearings on the future of remote outstations — without visiting any of them.

The Territory Government is formulating a policy on the future of about 500 outstations, following an agreement last year that it would take over responsibility for the settlements from the federal Government…………………………

There is widespread fear in Aboriginal communities that governments are intentionally starving outstations of resources to force people into larger towns.

Much of that fear can be traced back to the colourful language of Howard government indigenous affairs minister Amanda Vanstone, who called outstations “cultural museums” that should be shut down.

Ahead of the public forum planned for Yirrkala in northeast Arnhem Land next week, the Laynhapuy Homelands Association, an outstation resource association that services about 700 indigenous people living in 18 homelands settlements, warned that Aboriginal people on homelands settlements were “here to stay”.

In a submission to the Territory Government lodged yesterday, Barayuwa Mununggurr, chair of the Laynhapuy Homelands Association Incorporated, threw down the gauntlet to governments.

“The message to all levels of government from our homelands people is that we will not be moving out from our traditional lands, and we are here to stay,” Mr Mununggurr said.

Dodson’s outstation review to exclude Aboriginal communities | The Australian

December 4, 2008 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized