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Intervention: participation not imposition
Wednesday 07 October 2009
Greens MP Sylvia Hale today welcomed the visit to Sydney of two indigenous leaders from the Northern Territory as they campaigned against the Federal Government’s intervention in the Northern Territory. The two men, Richard Downs from Ampilatwatja, and Harry Nelson Jacamarra from Yuendumu in the Northern Territory are on a nation-wide tour to raise awareness of the camp established by the Alyawarra people from Ampilatwatja who walked off their community to protest the intervention.
“The Federal Government must reinstitute the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory, and honour its election promises to consult with local communities about how to deal with issues affecting the Territory’s remote communities,” said Ms Hale.
“Instead, the indigenous people of the Northern Territory are subject to a form of apartheid as the Federal Government continues the Howard Government’s Intervention policies.
“I was particularly moved by Mr Downs’ description of indigenous people queuing in one line at the supermarket to pay for their groceries by voucher, while white people queued in another line to pay in the usual way. It encapsulates the inherently discriminatory nature of the Intervention.
“The Intervention, as introduced by Howard and continued by Rudd, is fundamentally flawed. It has been wasteful, has not produced any of the promised housing, and has done little to improve the health and welfare of indigenous people in the Northern Territory.
“I support the call of Mr Downs and Mr Jacamarra for the Federal Government to talk directly with the affected communities so that policies may be developed that engage rather than alienate indigenous peoples,” Ms Hale said.
Contact: Colin Hesse 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124
Sylvia Hale MLC Ph. 02 9230 3030 Email: 