Anniversary of The Apology
13 February 2009
Event Program, http://musgravepark.org.au/anniversary_of_the_apolog_35.html
Musgrave Park Cultural Centre in partnership with Queensland Parliament Stolen Generations Alliance Link-Up Qld Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council
Joins the Community to celebrate the Anniversary of The Apology to the Stolen Generations, given by our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd on 13th February 2008.
Hear the stories of the stolen generations; listen, learn, understand;
Join with many Australians, who gather to reflect over the past, 12 months; and together let’s look beyond.
WHAT ARE THE ‘NEXT STEPS’?
RSVP your attendance to: Trevarne
Phone 3846 5700
Email: mpcc@iinet.net.au
Natalie Alberts
Assistant Director
Musgrave Park Cultural Centre Inc
121 Cordelia St
South Brisbane
PO Box 3467
South Brisbane Qld 4101
Ph: 07 3846 5700
Fax: 07 3844 0495
Monday 9th of March, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Level 2 of the Trades and Labour Council Building, 16 Peel Street South Brisbane.
Barbara Shaw from Mt Nancy town camp in Alice Springs has been an outspoken critic and tireless campaigner against the Northern Territory Emergency Response legislation, or Intervention, since the former Howard governments announcement of sweeping changes to Aboriginal land rights, management and funding of communities and programmes in 2007.
In response to the Rudd government’s recently released ‘Close the Gap’ annual reportcard, Barb Shaw who is part of the Alice Springs based ‘Intervention Rollback Action Group’ said “The gap is widening, not closing.
Barb Shaw is also part of the Prescribed Area Peoples Alliance, a representative body of community leaders from so-called ‘prescribed areas’ under the Intervention, who say Aboriginal people are paying the price for years of government neglect.
The Intervention Rollback Action Group and members of the Prescribed Area People’s Alliance believe there can be no reconciliation whilst the Racial Discrimination Act is suspended and the Intervention is being imposed on Aboriginal people.
Come along to this public meeting hosted by the Aboriginal Rights Coalition to hear about how the Intervention policies are impacting Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory, and now being extended into Queensland, and discuss how we can campaign to put Aboriginal rights and self-determination back on the political agenda.
Call 04135 34125 or email brisbanearc@gmail.com for more info.
Barb Shaw will also be speaking at the International Womens Day Rally, 10.30am Saturday 7th March at Queens Park in the City, and touring Northern NSW between March 14 – 20. Contact 0413 602 686 for more info.
2009/3/5 Trevarne Wighton
Traditional owners reject community shutdown proposal
By Darren Nelson
Map: Kuranda 4872
The traditional owners of a small Indigenous community near Kuranda, in far north Queensland, have rejected a State Government proposal to close down their settlement over the next five years.
Members of the Mona Mona community met the Department of Communities yesterday to discuss the future of the town where about 40 people have lived since 1913.
The Department of Communities proposed handing over 1,500 hectares of land from the Mona Mona community near Kuranda to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and allocate 100 hectares to traditional owners for cultural purposes.
Glennis Greagon from the Mona Mona Action group says it wants the decision changed.
Ms Greagon says they met with Department officials yesterday and flatly rejected the idea.
“We’ve asked them to review the Government decision made and whether it’s possible to change the land tenure,” she said.
“We want the land tenure handed over to the Aboriginal community.
“We could actually develop housing, we could develop enterprise, we could develop quite a few things if given the chance to do it.”
Reference
For Tindale map of Tjapukai lands near Kuranda, see http://samuseum.australia.sa.com/tindaletribes/tjapukai.htm