Click here to endorse 'Women for Wik - Monitoring the Federal Action in the Northern Territory'. Your name will be added to our petition. Your email address will be kept private. You can also have your say at our online forum by clicking here, and there are other things you can do.
Women For Wik - Statement
Women For Wik continue to monitor the intervention. The Rudd Government is gearing up for the July review. Women For Wik will contribute to the public debate by publicising what is happening. We applaud the restoration of CDEP but, as Eileen Cummings says, the government needs to start talking to communities and the quarantining of wages needs to end.
Women For Wik have now nearly 3,000 people who have endorsed us. We have begun to use this email list of endorsees as the major contact point for notices. If you have not yet endorsed and wish to stay in touch with what is happening please endorse and join our Announce list.
We hope people will post their experiences and views in our forum and keep up the information flows. Also please send us information on planned activities to post on the list.
You will have noticed our new streamlined website. Because the website is very expensive to maintain we are limiting it’s use to endorsements and self posted comments at this stage. We would love to hear from anyone who may be prepared to fund or take over managing the site.
WGAR – Working Group For Aboriginal Rights (Australia): WGAR News
(wgar.news@gmail.com) has taken on the role of monitoring the media.
To subscribe email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words
"subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
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Statement
The Federal Action in the Northern Territory could provide a unique opportunity to improve conditions in Aboriginal communities, but there is also a real possibility that it may make things worse. As currently planned, it will undermine key aspects of Aboriginal societies - country, kin and culture. Moreover, by using a top-down approach, it has the potential to work against self-government and, in some instances, contravene human rights. This will not improve the lives of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.
Accordingly, we call on both Federal and Territory governments to
recognise the importance of Indigenous identity and develop an
environment of mutual respect through cross-cultural awareness,
communication and engagement. Like the many Australians who walked
the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation, we believe
our generation can ensure a fair go for Indigenous citizens.
Online Petition
This online petition has been set up to support the Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, as they rally against the government's new legislation that once again brings injustice and discrimination, and portrays a false image of Indigenous people overall.
Please click on the link below to continue:
http://abolishlegislation.start-a-petition.com
A BIG THANKYOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Jeannie Nungarrayi Egan - Elder - Youth Supervisor - Committee member (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Thomas Jangala Rice - Elder - Youth Supervisor - Chairperson Mt Theo - (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Robbie Jangala Walit- Cultural Mentor - Treasurer Mt Theo committee (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Ned Jampitjinpa Hargraves - Community Liaison Officer (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Allen Japanangka Minniecon - Community Youth Worker - (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Jennifer Naparulla Minniecon - Community Administration Worker - (Yuendumu Community N.T.)
Images From Recent Events
What Can You Do?
Who Are We?
We are primarily ordinary Australians. Our parents have brought us up to believe in the best of Australian values-justice, equality, fairness. We are concerned that Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory are not getting a fair go, and our voices are joined in protest. We are concerned about a particular policy, not political parties. We are committed to changing the current situation, so that it more clearly reflects the values of ordinary Australians and respects the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Prominent women supporting us monitoring the Federal Action in the
Northern Territory include Lady Deane, Tamie Fraser, Lowitja
O'Donoghue, Justice Elizabeth Evatt, Helen Caldicott, Anne Deveson,
Kate Grenville, Gabi Hollows, Faith Bandler, Anita Heiss, Margaret
Fulton, Rosemary Stanton, Judith Rodriguez, Drusilla Modjeska, Margaret Pomeranz and Fiona Foley.
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