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Hunter, Catherine --- "Recent Happenings" [2006] IndigLawB 7; (2006) 6(16) Indigenous Law Bulletin 23


Recent Happenings December 2005

compiled by Catherine Hunter

5 December

A report undertaken by the Public Service Commissioner into the employment of Indigenous people in the Australian Public Service has revealed that numbers have declined for three consecutive years. The abolition of ATSIC and ATSIS has had a noticeable effect on the levels of Indigenous people employed – more than 100 people were retrenched as a result. Dr David Cooper, National Director of ANTaR, said that the Government has failed to both support existing Indigenous employees and to recruit new employees. He reports that nearly half of Federal Government agencies do not have a specific approach for recruiting Indigenous employees.

7 December

Northern Territory Chief Minister, Clare Martin, is involved in the transfer of ownership of national parks in Central Australia to Indigenous people. However, there are concerns that changes to the Federal Aboriginal Land Rights Act will allow for land claims that may result in the parks ceasing to exist. Alice Springs Town Council Alderman, Melanie van Haaren, is calling for a moratorium on the process until further information is available.

9 December

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, has called for a Senate Inquiry into the issue of stolen wages. Australian Democrats Deputy Leader, Andrew Bartlett, has offered his support to this request, saying that it would provide the opportunity for a national examination and overview of the historical facts. Senator Bartlett commented that legislation under which the loss of wages occurred was state-based and that the response of the state governments has varied. He said that the Queensland Government’s approach has been totally inadequate, and while the New South Wales Government was better, there has been very little undertaken to assess the situation in other states.

12 December

The Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology Sydney, has released a ‘Toolkit’ to enable Indigenous people to understand and deal with the Federal Government’s Shared Responsibility Agreements (‘SRAs’). Ruth McCausland cautions that while SRAs may bring money, they can also bring problems. She said that SRAs are often signed by individuals despite whole communities having responsibilities as a result and that participants should ensure they have as much information as possible before signing. Her toolkit aims to provide information and awareness and advice about negotiating with the Government and is available from: <http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/news/downloads/Toolkit_negotiating_SRA.pdf> .

12 December

The ABC television series, UsMob (created by David Vadiveloo), in which Indigenous children of the Hidden Valley town camp in Alice Springs filmed their own lives, has won the Community and Individual Award at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s human rights awards. The concept has now been adopted overseas.

13 December

The Queensland Government has conducted a review of its Alcohol Management Plans (‘AMPs’) where they have been in place for two years or more. The reviews are to be forwarded to community justice groups for comment. Despite an internal State Government report criticising the implementation of the AMPs and their lack of success, Indigenous Policy Minister John Mickel has said he does not expect there to be considerable changes to the programs.

13 December

Native title has been officially recognised for the first time in Victoria. After 10 years of preparation, the five Aboriginal tribes were successful in their claim for recognition. Merkel J said that the case demonstrated that the evolution of traditional laws and customs did not necessarily result in the loss of connection, nor claim, to the land. While the claimants were only granted native title to two per cent of the land, broader cultural ties were recognised to the remainder of the land.

13 December

Aboriginal Legal Aid solicitor, Joe McNamara, has brought attention to the issue of the removal of young offenders from their home town as a condition of bail. McNamara said that in such removals, offenders lose their support networks. He said that young people away from their families, without adequate supervision, are more likely to reoffend.

16 December

The Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Amanda Vanstone, has criticised small Indigenous outstations as not deserving of the investment required in providing services such as schools, water and sewerage. However, the Northern Territory Administrator, Ted Egan, has defended the right of remote Indigenous communities to exist. He said that those living in remote Aboriginal communities have very simple needs and only require basic services from the Government. Egan said that such communities want to have their right to exist and to live on their land acknowledged.

18 December

Indigenous groups have questioned the effectiveness of SRAs, describing them as inconsistent and unaccountable. The town of Mulan is well-known for its agreement to ensure the children of the community had their faces washed in return for the installation of a petrol bowser. However, evidence at a Senate Estimates hearing revealed that the bowser had not been delivered one year later. ANTaR National Director, David Cooper, said that the region of Murdi Paaki had not received any of the 200 air conditioners the Government had agreed to provide, despite having met the requirements of their SRA for more than two years. Ruth McCausland, of Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS, is concerned at the lack of planning and evaluation of outcomes involved in SRAs. She also questioned whether the services delivered under SRA funding should be considered basic human services that all citizens should receive.

24 December

ANTaR has called for individuals and organisations to contact their local member and Minister in an attempt to delay the introduction of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Amendment Bill in Victoria. The Bill seeks to change Commonwealth legislation to enable the Victorian Government to directly administer cultural protection in the State. ANTaR has been approached by Indigenous groups concerned about the lack of informed debate and negotiation of the Bill with Indigenous people. For further information see: <http://www.antarvictoria.org.au/culturalheritage/> .

29 December

The incoming National President of the Australian Labor Party (‘ALP’), Warren Mundine, has announced his resignation from the Federal Government’s National Indigenous Council. While there has been criticism of the potential for a conflict between the two roles, Mundine has said that the reason for his resignation was to give his full attention to the ALP.


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