Antinuclear

Australia’s new colonialism – Aboriginal land grab for mining corporations

 the Howard government’s 2007 intervention suspended all Aboriginal land rights…… more likely to simply allow free access for corporations……. The effect of this 21st century land-grab on indigenous peoples is as catastrophic as that of the earlier waves of imperial aggression. ..

First Nations festival kicks off in London New Internationalist, 3 July 11, by Michael Walling “………..Australia’s Native Title legislation was fiercely resisted by the mining companies; but its practical benefit for indigenous people is limited anyway, since the title to land does not include any rights to minerals in the land, or to trees and vegetation on it.

In the Northern Territory, the Howard government’s 2007 intervention suspended all Aboriginal land rights; it was done, ostensibly, to protect children from sexual abuse – though quite how that would work defeats me – but more likely to simply allow free access for corporations.

Colonialism is back with a vengeance. The only difference today is that the aggressors are not privateers and pioneers armed with beads and bibles, but international corporations, so powerful and so prosperous that they answer to no government, but rather expect governments to answer to them.

The effect of this 21st century land-grab on indigenous peoples is as catastrophic as that of the earlier waves of imperial aggression. ..

July 2, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News