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Connell, Rachel; Godfrey, James; Mackie, Anthony; Williams, Kevin --- "Recent Happenings" [1998] IndigLawB 31; (1998) 4(10) Indigenous Law Bulletin 20


Recent Happenings

Compiled by James Godfrey, Kevin Williams, Rachel Connell and Anthony Mackie

3 January

Phillip Lawson, a Barkandji person, filed an application in the Federal Court, claiming that South Australia Water had denied him his native title right to enter Lake Victoria, on the borders of Victoria, South Australia and NSW. The waters of the Lake now cover over 10,000 ancient Aboriginal burial sites.

7 January

The Canadian Government apologised to its indigenous peoples for past treatment, injustices, and assimilationist policies. The apology was part of a reconciliation package which included compensation. The reconciliation package arose out of the recommendations of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

7 January

A 31-year-old Aboriginal man was found dead in his cell at Greenough Regional Prison, Western Australia. Glenn Shaw, Chair of the Deaths in Custody Watch committee said the man was the 29th Aboriginal person to die in custody in WA since the release of the report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991.

13 January

Noel Pearson was one of five people awarded a Dutch human rights award, 'the Beggars medal', for his work on behalf of the oppressed and, the working poor.

13 January

Accompanied by twenty supporters of Friends of the Earth, Kevin Buzzacott, an Arabunna elder, attempted to serve an eviction notice on Western Mining Coporation at its Melbourne office, in protest over its uranium mining at Olympic Dam, South Australia.

17 January

The NSW Public Interest Advocacy Centre revealed that, due to its severe financial difficulties; it is seeking barristers to take cases for no fee in Stolen Children's compensation cases.

19 January

New evidence was given, to the NSW Coroner relating to Eddie Murray, who was found hanging in a cell at Wee Waa prison in western NSW, in 1981. Following the exhumation of his body at the end of last year, an autopsy has revealed that Mr Murray had: a fractured' sternum which could have been caused up to three days before his death-something' that the original autopsy did not uncover.

21 January

Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation, a Perth Aboriginal cultural group, announced its intention to use the internee to help fight commercial exploitation of indigenous people. It would investigate suspicions about the genuine Aboriginality of art and products, and any other' concerns posted at its website: http://dumbartung.org au

22 January

After five years of tireless advocacy for indigenous rights Mick Dodson, ended his five year term as Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice: Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. This position' was abolished by the Howard Government and combined with the position of the Race Commissioner, Zita Antonios.

23 January

The Australian, Bureau' of Statistics reported that figures showed that the mining industry is booming, with an increase in the number of new mines established and turnover up by more than one billion dollars in the 1996/97 financial year. These figures directly contradict claims by the Commonwealth Government that native title claims are putting the brakes on development.

25 January

Democrat leader, Meg Lees promised to reject Prime Minister Howard's Wik legislation when it returns to the Senate in March.

26 January

Cathy Freeman was named Australian of the Year.

30 January

The Beswick Aboriginal community, south east of Katherine in the Northern Territory, was evacuated by emergency workers after 350 residents were stranded without clean water in cramped conditions.


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