Antinuclear

Aboriginal traditional landowners condemn Abbott’s policies, and scorn Warren Mundine

Traditional owners slam PM, Sky News,  , 16 May 2014 Indigenous traditional owners have slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott for not following through with his promise to be a PM for First Australians.

It came on the final day of the full meeting of the Northern Land Council in Katherine.

NLC deputy chairman John Daly said “We need Mr Abbott’s ear, not his puppets anymore.”The Government has just buried its head in the sand,” he said.There’s also been a protest over water licences and allegations the NT Government is ignoring traditional custodians.

Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion addressed the 78- members today at Katherine, 300km south of Darwin.He was grilled on budget spending cuts to Indigenous Affairs, his use of sections of the Land Rights Act to circumvent going through the NLC, and instead dealing directly with Traditional Owners.

Indigenous leaders also marched on a water summit being hosted by Primary Industry Minister and local member Willem Westra Van Holthe.Mr Van Holthe said water allocations were made to benefit all Territorians.

At the annual general meeting of the Northern Land Council in Katherine on Friday, traditional Aboriginal landowners were clearly unimpressed with what they see as a lack of consultation about the half a billion dollars to be cut from indigenous spending……..

The council also derided the head of Mr Abbott’s Indigenous Advisory Council, Warren Mundine, for not taking up an invitation to visit and meet with traditional owners.

‘Warren Mundine is a poshy indigenous person who has never set his foot in this Aboriginal community,’ said Matthew Ryan, a traditional owner from the West Arnhem region.

He said Mr Mundine didn’t understand what life was like for people living in remote communities.

‘Most of us live with 30 other people in our house, he doesn’t,’ Mr Ryan said.

– See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2014/05/16/abbott-criticised-at-indigenous-meeting.html#sthash.AhWHWJAu.dpuf

May 17, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL