Fringedwellers of the Swan Valley, Western Australia --- "Letter to the Editor: Swan Fringedwellers" [1986] AboriginalLawB 15; (1986) 1(19) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 5

• Letter To The Editor: Swan Fringedwellers

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Letter to the Editor:

Swan Fringedwellers

The Editor,

It would be no good having a new white man's law if it was like the Hawke-Holding Government's present Sacred Sites Law, as written about in your article 'Interim Protection' by J. F. Waters from the DAA. [1985] AboriginalLB 83; 1(17)pg18

The Minister, Mr Holding, has done nothing in the past to protect our sacred Aboriginal beliefs and there is proof of it there in the article: Out of 18 times the Aboriginal people have asked for protection for their Aboriginal law and culture and sacred beliefs, 17 times the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Australian Government have failed to do so.

A new law to protect our religious rights and our rights to our culture should be the otherway round. The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs should have his say first then the old black fellas should have the last say. At the moment it is like the Minister is telling the old fellas it is his sacred law, and it is like he is telling the old fellas he has been here on this continent longer than them, and he knows he hasn't and he knows he is a white man.

If there is going to be a new Act, it should be that way: A committee should be set up of old blackfellas, old lawmen who should have the final say.

There is no old black Minister telling the white fellas how their law should be run!

What has been printed in this article here is utter nonsense. It holds no real Aboriginal meaning. It is clear foranyone to see that Mr Holding's law (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage - Interim Protection Act 1984) has proved it does not respect the blackfellas law and culture, so why should he as the Minister be the final decision-maker? 17 cold blooded murder decisions have been made, 17 genocide decisions have been made and countless deaths of Aboriginal people have occurred as a result of these wrong decisions, 17 assaults on the entire Aboriginal race have been made, 17 attacks on our beliefs and our culture.

We know from experience with trying to protect our sacred belief of the snake.

When the Swan Shire Council put a boat ramp in the Swan River to desecrate our sacred ancient belief, after the Swan Shire President, Mr Gregorini, had agreed with the Aboriginal people it was not to be put there but moved further downstream, and it was then put there illegally with no permission given by blacks and no permission given by the white 'owner' of the land, the Metropolitan Regional Planning Authority. We the Aboriginal people applied to Mr Holding for protection, Mr Holding failed to protect our sacred belief, which is Australia-wide and which we are duty bound to protect on behalf of all Aboriginal people.

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs is meant to be a responsible person put in that position. It is proof alone that the Federal Government does not respect their own white law by Mr Holding merely following the State Labor Government. Mr Keith Wilson, the then State Minister with Special Responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs, allowing the boat ramp to be put there by the Swan Shire Council using Federal Government money to desecrate our belief.

Mr Holding's department and Mr Holding himself failed to consult with the Aboriginal people at all. He didn't even take our cries for help to him as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs seriously. He didn't bother to find out properly. If he had taken the time out he would have found out that the Swan Shire Council intended to put the boat ramp there illegally.

What is the use, then, of a law like Mr Holding's Sacred Sites Law? It is only so Ministers and Governments can go overseas and give a false impression and say to the United Nations and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the World Council of Churches and people in other countries that they are giving the Aboriginal people a fair go and respecting their human rights and they are not.

Fringedwellers of the Swan Valley, Western Australia.