Labor Government steals Aboriginal Land

21.7.09

Barbara Shaw from Mt Nancy Town Camp, Feb 2009

The residents of the Alice Springs town camps have fought for many decades to keep their land. The town campers’ organisation, the Tangentyere Council, has worked hard with a tiny budget to maintain housing and supply other basic services such as running water.

Now the Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister, Jenny Macklin, is threatening to compulsorily acquire the town camps in early August. People will pay rent to the NT Government, which has a record of failing to maintain housing and of evicting Aboriginal families on trivial grounds – such as lighting a fire to cook kangaroo in the back yard, or having “too many” family members staying in overcrowded housing.

The Minister claims that this measure is to provide housing. But in the two years since the start of the Northern Territory Intervention, not one house has been built for Aboriginal families in the Northern Territory. This attack is one more step in stealing Aboriginal land and sidelining Aboriginal organisations.

Ahead of the ALP national conference at the end of July, rally against this racist land grab.

Jenny Macklin no way! Tangentyere here to stay!

RALLY

12 noon, Wednesday July 29

ALP headquarters, 360 King St West Melbourne

(near corner of Walsh St, just north of Flagstaff Gardens)

The Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective meets every Monday 6:30pm at Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith St Collingwood

For info call Joe 0434 127 661, Keith and Cheryl 0401806 331

or email us: melbourne-anti-intervention-collective@googlegroups.com

Labels: ALP, Indigenous Australians, Tangentyere