Antinuclear

“Stronger Futures” – discriminatory laws condemned by Aborigines and human rights groups

“We want an end to the intervention, we want to have control back over our lives, we want control back over our land and our communities.

Stronger Futures laws condemned after passing Senate ABC Radio Australia 29 June 2012 Indigenous and human rights groups have condemned the Senate’s rushed passing of new laws extending the intervention in remote Northern Territory areas.
It has been nearly five years since John Howard brought in the original policy.

Today’s passing of the Stronger Futures laws mean the current measures
will mostly continue for another 10 years.

Call for protest
An Aboriginal leader from the Territory community where the Federal
Government intervention began is calling on all Indigenous
Territorians to protest against the Stronger Futures legislation.

Vincent Forrester says the situation in the community of Mutitjulu,
south-west of Alice Springs, has deteriorated since the Intervention
and will only get worse under the laws.

“I am calling on all Aboriginal Territorians for civil disobedience,” he said.

“It must take place because they are taking our rights away and we are
supposed to be Australians.”

An Indigenous advocacy group called Concerned Australians says the
laws are discriminatory and racist.

Spokesperson Michele Harris says Indigenous people have not been
properly consulted.

“The message was we don’t want this new legislation,” she said.

“We want an end to the intervention, we want to have control back over our lives, we want control back over our land and our communities.
Green party leader Christine Milne last night criticised the
Government for bringing on the debate at short notice.

“This legislation was not even supposed to be coming on today,” she said.

The Senate had spent most of the day debating legislation aimed at
re-introducing the offshore processing of asylum seekers.

The Upper House continued sitting until early this morning to pass the
Stronger Futures legislation before a parliamentary recess.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-06-29/stronger-futures-laws-condemned-after-passing-senate/969840

June 30, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL