“End the NT Intervention”: ARC Forum Nov 1

“DEFEND ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES, FROM ‘THE BLOCK’ TO THE TOP END!”

Aboriginal activists and other speakers take a critical look at Rudd’s Review Panel Report on the on the NT Intervention, the continuation of attacks on welfare and the need to resist racist attacks on Aboriginal Communities in Sydney as well as the NT

2pm – 4pm Saturday 1st November

Redfern Community, Centre Hugo St, Redfern

For more information, ring Greg 0432 050 240 or email aboriginalrightscoalition@gmail.com

The Aboriginal Rights Coalition, Sydney, meets every Monday at 6pm @ the Redfern Community Centre. Please come along and join the campaign for justice.

If you can’t make the meetings, please consider donating to help the ARC cover our costs. Whether it be travel costs for speakers, photocopying, food or venue hire, the ARC is a volunteer organisation, and depends upon your help to continue.

http://aboriginalrightscoalition.wordpress.com/

Rally against the NT Intervention - Sat 27 Sept

Aboriginal control of Aboriginal affairs

STOP THE RACIST INTERVENTIONS INTO ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

Rally 11am Sat 27 Sept

at the Block (opposite Redfern station)

As Rudd prepares to receive his whitewash "review" of the NT intervention into Aboriginal communities, show your solidarity with Aboriginal people in the NT and here against this racist land grab, welfare quarantining, and increased police powers. Demand the restoration of the Racial Discrimination Act, and the funding of community-controlled services.

Defend the Redfern Block.

Speakers include Roslyn Frith, NT community spokesperson and granddaughter of 1966 strike and land rights leader, Vincent Lingiari, plus speakers from the Redfern community and unions.

Organised by the Sydney Aboriginal Rights Coalition

http://aboriginalrightscoalition.wordpress.com

BLACK AND WHITE UNITE FOR RIGHTS CONFERENCE

BLACK AND WHITE UNITE FOR RIGHTS - CONFERENCE, MAY 23-25
**SORTING FACT FROM FICTION IN THE NT INTERVENTION**
http://aboriginalrightscoalition.wordpress.com/

‘DAY OF MOURNING’ ANNIVERSARY FORUM 70th Year Anniversary
FRIDAY 23 MAY
6-8:30 pm, Australia Hall, 150 Elizabeth St Sydney
* Welcome to Country - Chika Madden
* MC Intro & Cultural Performance - Greg Eatock
* How far have we come? - Professor Larissa Behrendt
* Parliamentary Response - Senator Rachel Siewert (Greens, WA)
* Update on impact of NT Intervention - Barbara Shaw
Break & Acoustic Performance
* Human Rights Implications - Darren Dick HREOC
* Community Developed Approaches - Muriel Bamblett SNAICC (tbc)

SATURDAY 24 MAY
Redfern Community Centre, 29 Hugo St, Redfern
OVERVIEW OF ABORIGINAL HISTORY OF STRUGGLE
Welcome to Country - Chicka Madden
Conference Welcome - Millie Ingram

9:00-9.10am
Fifty Years of Struggle: Contextualising the Campaign - Greg Eatock

The Intervention Unpacked
9.10 – 10.45 am
The Intervention: grass roots impacts - Juni Mills, Chris Poulson, Lyle Cooper
Plus Speakers from the Floor, Individual’s experiences & Communities Input

MORNING TEA 10:45-11:00

PANEL - PATERNALISM REVISITED - The Intervention Unpacked (cont’d)
11:00am-12:00pm
Welfare Management, Land Legislation, CDEP, Mission Managers, grog & pornography controls, health & education, & the impact on Child Protection - Monitoring the Intervention (Aboriginal organisations & Communities Input)

The Expanding Intervention
12-12:30 pm
Qld’s Experience - Victor Hart
WA’s Experience - Natasha Moore
NSW Experience -
SA Update - Brian Butler

12:30-1:00pm Questions

LUNCH 1:00-2:00pm

Afternoon Sessions
WHY THE CHANGE IN APPROACH & WHERE’S IT HEADING?
Ideology Underlying Intervention, 2:00-2:15pm
What’s the thinking behind the NT Intervention? - Cathy Eatock

Which Way Forward 2:15-2:30pm
International Precedents & Evidence Based Aboriginal Developments - Muriel Bamblett (tbc)

Review of NT Intervention 2:45- 3:00pm
What’s planned next? - Larissa Behrendt

3:00-3:30pm Questions

AFTERNOON TEA 3:30-4:00 pm

STATE REPORT BACKS
4:00-5:00pm
State Report Backs
5:00-5:30pm
Alice, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melb, Tas & Sydney - ARC & Affiliated Organisations

Questions

6-9PM COMMUNITY BBQ & PERFORMANCE


SUNDAY 25 MAY
ABORIGINAL CAUCUS & CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS
9:30-12:30
Aboriginal Caucus
National Coordination, ARC Structure, Community Issues, Future Directions

Campaign Workshops?
Engaging Unions, Broadening Support, Managing the Media and Working with Students, and the International Campaign

LUNCH 12:30-1:30pm

BLACK & WHITE UNITE SESSION
Koori Caucus Outcomes
1:30-2:00pm
Future Directions Report Back: Where are we going & how do we get there?

Workshops’ Report Back
2:00-2:40pm
Workshop Recommendations: How the other 97.5% of the population can help!

Resolutions
2:40-4:30pm

Conference Close 4:30 pm

Monday: HREOC joins Mutitjulu elder at NT intervention forum

Darren Dick from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission worked with Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma on the recent Social Justice Report 2007. This report provides extensive analysis of the way the NT intervention is breaching Australia's Human Rights obligations.

This Monday, he will join Mutitjulu elder Vince Forrester and Monique Wiseman from the Aboriginal Rights Coalition in discussion about the current impact of the NT intervention and the future of the campaign.

Monday April 14 6pm Redfern Community Centre
BBQ provided

Speakers include:
* Vince Forrester - Elder from Mutitjulu community
* Darren Dick - Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
* Monique Wiseman - Aboriginal Rights Coalition activist, recently returned from solidarity work in Darwin town camps

Two months after Kevin Rudd's apology to the stolen generation, a new wave of dispossession in sweeping through the Northern Territory.

The NT intervention has introduced a punitive welfare regime and seen the closure of many services in remote communities. Large numbers of people are being forced into the major urban centres, where they can not access employment or accommodation. Last Thursday and Friday in Alice Springs, a "special police operation" targeting "anti-social behaviour" (ie Aboriginal people in public spaces) saw 188 people taken into custody.

Vince Forrester is a long time land rights activist and Aboriginal leader. He is from Mutitjulu, a proud community whose demonisation paved the way to the federal intervention. He will discuss the devastating impact this policy is having on his people - from the intimidating police raids through to the closure of the local high school and health care facilities. He will also discuss strategies for reasserting self-determination and campaigning to seriously address disadvantage.

Monique Wiseman has recently returned from Darwin. She will speak about the deteriorating conditions in Darwin's town camps, whose populations have doubled through the intervention as people are forced in from remote communities.

This forum will also provide an opportunity to talk about the way forward for the campaign against the Northern Territory intervention. The Aboriginal Rights Coalition is preparing for a national conference in May. We are also building for mass rallies on June 21, marking one year since the intervention.

Come along, here the stories first-hand and get involved in the campaign!

For more info see: http://aboriginalrightscoalition.wordpress.com
Contact: Greg Eatock 0432050240 Paddy Gibson 0415800586

Watch footage of recent ARC protest at Redfern Centrelink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g5Er9jdxNo