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Mui, Kenny; Cheung, Trevor; Hunter, Catherine --- "Recent Happenings" [2005] IndigLawB 24; (2005) 6(10) Indigenous Law Bulletin 24


Recent Happenings April 2005

compiled by Kenny Mui, Trevor Cheung and Catherine Hunter

1 April

Blackout Violence, a group set up to tackle Aboriginal domestic violence, recently received a prestigious award from the Government for its efforts in using rugby to battle domestic violence in Aboriginal communities. The New South Wales Aboriginal Rugby Carnival was used by the group late last year to highlight the issue and information on the prevention of violence and where to seek help. Players from more than 80 clubs showed their support.

1 April

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service has become the first organisation to provide legal services to Indigenous peoples in response to a tender system set up by the Federal Government. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock argued that the success of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service demonstrates the ability of Indigenous organisations to compete in an open and fair tender process. He says, ‘Contrary to some critics of the new tender arrangements, this announcement demonstrates that providing professional, culturally appropriate legal services to Indigenous Australians while also ensuring value for money are not mutually exclusive.’ Requests for tenders have also been released for the other states and the Northern Territory.

4 April

More than a dozen Aboriginal language groups from Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were represented at a meeting set up to discuss Indigenous rights and representation in the Alpine and Kosciuszko national parks. The meeting was organised by the Australian Alps Liaison Committee and included many Aboriginal elders. It was hoped the meeting would achieve strong representation of Indigenous peoples on the policy committees of the two national parks, more rights for the traditional owners and more involvement of Indigenous peoples in the management of the parks.

4 April

Musician and activist, Mandawuy Yunupingu, and Melbourne University musicology professor, Alan Marett, have begun a national project to archive every genre of traditional Indigenous song and dance. The project grew out of concerns regarding the influence of contemporary music and the lack of knowledge amongst younger generations of traditional ceremonial dances, initiation rites and sacred songs. Professor Marett estimates that about 95 per cent of traditional Indigenous forms of music in Australia have been lost.

6 April

An agreement was signed by Prime Minister, John Howard, and Northern Territory Chief Minister, Clare Martin, setting out a joint initiative of the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments to manage Indigenous affairs. The agreement is the first to arise from the Government’s Council of Australia commitment in June 2004 to improve and streamline Government services in the post-ATSIC era. The five priority areas under the agreement are youth, safer communities, Indigenous governance, wealth and employment, and service delivery infrastructure.

6 April

Prime Minister John Howard stated that the Federal Government is considering sweeping reforms to land rights legislation towards a ‘more private recognition’ of Aboriginal land title. The comment follows the announcement of proposed changes to Northern Territory land rights legislation, which provides Aboriginal communities with a greater say in mining exploration negotiations and a greater opportunity for Aboriginal people to acquire long-term leases for their own businesses and homes on traditional land. Critics, such as Galarrwuy Yunupingu, have expressed concern that the proposed amendments are an attack on the cultural basis of Indigenous communal title.

12 April

An inquiry by the State Coroner into the death in custody of an Aboriginal man in 2002 has found that previous Queensland governments had adopted a ‘brutal’ approach to the administration of Indigenous communities and should be held at least partially responsible for the present economic and social conditions in Indigenous communities. The inquiry found that the governments failed to provide appropriate training and resources despite the recommendations of dozens of reports.

13 April

A group of Aboriginal elders have lodged a writ in the High Court seeking Prime Minister John Howard, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty to show cause as to why claims of genocide have not been investigated. The elders have also called for an international boycott of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games if their actions fail.

18 April

The Victorian Government is considering the adoption of a bill of rights. Constitutional law expert, Professor George Williams, the founding Chief Executive of Vic Health, Rhonda Galbally, former State Government Minister, Professor Haddon Storey, and basketball player, Andrew Gaze, will discuss a proposal for the bill. The proposal requires the Attorney-General to ensure legislation complies with human rights standards. Other features of the bill include that the courts will be able to make declarations that legislation is incompatible with the State’s established rights and freedoms, and the Attorney-General would be required to inform Parliament of the declarations. Other models will also be considered, including the ACT Human Rights Act 2004.

21 April

The Many Rivers Regional Council of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (‘ATSIC’) is seeking to establish a new regional council in the wake of the demise of ATSIC. The Council has held public meetings to ascertain the level of commitment to continuing representation in an elected body. The Council’s Chairman, Steven Blunden, says that they have established a ‘people’s choice’ model and hope to present this to Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Amanda Vanstone, despite the lack of funding available for such a body.

27 April

The ancestral remains of four Indigenous people have been returned to their traditional lands. The remains had been held at the Shellshear Museum at Sydney University for 50 years. The remains were handed to Yorta Yorta elders during a smoking ceremony. The museum continues to hold the remains of another 130 Aboriginals but marks the beginning of the return of all the remains. Many Aboriginal remains are held at museums and universities in other parts of Australia and overseas. The ceremony marks the beginning of a repatriation project across Australia.

28 April

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, has called for transparency from the Federal Government in relation to the proposed arrangements for Indigenous affairs with the imminent closure of ATSIC. Mr Calma has called for the public to be informed about how Indigenous affairs will be managed by Commonwealth Departments.

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