At the NCCA
Issues
Relevant Resources about the NTER
The following is a collection of key reports and other relevant information about the NTER.
A further conversation with Elders
As the Northern Territory Intervention continues it is often hard for those of us in other parts of Australia to really understand how it impacts on the daily lives of Aboriginal people. We often hear in the media about such things as the increase in numbers of teachers; that law and order has improved; that there are improvements in health; that so many jobs have been created and so many houses have been built. We may also hear from those who question these reported benefits. We may hear from welfare bodies; from inquiries such as a recent NT inquiry into child welfare; from shadow ministers who question Government claims; from academics; from International Human Rights bodies and experts; from Churches and from organizations such as NATSIEC. These other sources of information are important and often highlight contradictions, they challenge Government claims, and they criticize the policies that are having such impacts on the communities. Rarely though do we have the opportunity to hear directly, without interpretation, from Aboriginal people themselves.
This happened on the 7th of February when, thanks to the efforts of ‘concerned Australians’, a large audience in Melbourne had the opportunity to listen directly to Elders from the NT.
As well as hearing directly from the Elders two important statements were released. One was from the Elders themselves, and highlighted the pain they and their communities are experiencing as a direct result of the Intervention. In this statement they appeal to all Australians to “walk with us in true equality” and help put an end to the “nightmare that Northern Territory Aboriginal People are experiencing on a daily basis”.
Download the Elders statement here 
elders_statement_feb_11009.pdf
The second statement was signed by several leading Australians. This statement called for the Government to start afresh and to comply with our international obligations and also to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act in an unqualified form.
Download the statement by leading Australians here 
The_Statement_by_Eminent_Australians.doc
Report on the evening by NATSIEC staff download here. Report_on_conversation_with_Elders.pdf
Racial Discrimination Act
Reinstatement of the RDA
The RDA changes, as amended in the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination) Act 2010, will come into effect in December 2010. However, NATSIEC considers this legislation to be incomplete and that we can not leave such vital aspects of the NTER as “special measures”. The Act as it stands will not provide protection against racial discrimination and seemingly actively promotes racial discrimination. Amendments to the legislation “reinstating” the RDA are urgently needed.
NATSIEC calls on the Government to urgently address the discriminatory nature of the legislation and to introduce amendments which will ensure the rights of Aboriginal peoples are protected and respected.
In particular we urge the Government to:
- Introduce amendments to reinstate the RDA in full;
- Ensure that any welfare reform is just, non-discriminatory and does not impinge on the rights of any recipients;
- Review the NTER measures to ensure that they fully comply with the RDA and our obligations under human rights standards such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Download a briefing note on the RDA Briefing_Note_on_RDA_Dec_2010.pdf
Write to, or phone, the Prime Minister
PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 7700 or 03 9742 5800
Fax: (02) 6273 4100
Contact Julia Gillard via http://www.pm.gov.au/PM_connect
Write to your Member of Parliament http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/index.htm
NATSIEC Statement on the RDA Statement_on_RDA_and_constitutional_recognition.pdf
WCC Living Letters Visit
12th -17th September 2010
The World Council of Churches (WCC) Living Letters team visited the Northern Territory of Australia in September 2010. The visit was in response to an invitation extended by the NCCA/NATSIEC with the view to shed light on the human rights situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to show solidarity with the Indigenous people who feel their voices are not heard. We recognise that there are issues throughout Australia, but the focus of this visit was the impact of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER).
February 2011 - World Council of Churches releases a statement on the Situation for Indigenous Peoples in Australia
January 2011 - The WCC has released a report written by the International Living Letters team about the visit. Download here WCC_LivingLettersReport_Beyond_Intervention_2010
The visit concluded on Friday 17th September 2010 with the Living Letters Team releasing a statement about their visit. Download the statement here - WCC_Living_Letters_statement_NATSIEC.pdf
Media statement at the start of the visit - WCC_Living_Letters_Visit_commences_in_Darwin.doc
Some members of the team did an interview on ABC's Sunday Nights with John Cleary - you can listen to the podcast at http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/stories/s3015949.htm
Report written about the WCC visit by Dean Whittaker who is a resident of Maparu. This report highlights some of the issues and needs of Maparu. WCC_visit_to_Mapuru_report_final.pdf
Background to the visit
The invitation to the WCC was extended following a forum held in 2009 by NATSIEC. This forum brought together Indigenous Church leaders from around Australia to discuss the Australian Government’s NTER (click here for further details on the forum). The aim of the forum was to show solidarity with Aboriginal people in the NT, and to formulate a common response and plan for action. A key recommendation arising from that forum was to ask the NCCA to extend an invitation to the WCC to send a Living Letters team to visit the Northern Territory.
Living Letters are small ecumenical teams visiting a country to listen, learn, share approaches and challenges in overcoming violence and in peace making, and to pray together for peace in the community and in the world
A Living Letters team previously visited Australia in 1981 to assess the situation for Aborigines. They travelled around the country for three weeks and met with a wide number of individuals, communities and organizations. The 1981 report of this visit reflected the concerns, hopes, dreams and aspirations of Aboriginal people as heard by the Living Letters team. The report gave guidance to the Churches and hope to Aboriginal people. The independent and objective points of view were valuable to take to Government to highlight what was observed and the areas where Australia needed to do better.
The team of eight are Indigenous people from various countries and denominations. Delegates were from Bolivia, Indonesia, Areatora/New Zealand, The Philippines, The USA, Egypt and were accompanied by an Australian team.
For further information about WCC Living Letters click here.
UN Special Rapporteur
United Nation's Special Rapporteur Professor James Anaya visits Australia
February 2010 - Professor Anaya's report is released - NTER_Observations_FINAL_by_SR_Anaya_.pdf
August 2009 - Submission to the UN's Special Rapporteur Professor James Anaya - NATSIEC_submission_Prof_Anaya.pdf
CERD
NT Aboriginal Elders Take their Message to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Geneva
(The following information was provided by 'concerned Australians').
Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM and Rosalie Kunoth-Monks are on their way home from Geneva where they had been attending the 77th Session of the Committee for Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. According to Dr. Djiniyini this was an important meeting for both of them. He said, “We were able to present evidence first hand. We were able to close the information gap”.
He continued, “We were able to speak from the soul. The environment in which we were speaking was one focused solely on human rights; it was not intruded upon by politics. We were able to reach the heights in dialogue and understanding that we hadn’t expected.”
Djiniyini and Rosalie carried with them to the UN the report “Loss of Rights” prepared by, ‘concerned Australians’.
To read reports presented to CERD click here.NT Intervention Forum
In early June 2009, NATSIEC hosted a forum of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Church leaders to discuss the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) also known as the Intervention. The aim of the Forum was to develop a common voice from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Church bodies and to develop a common platform for action.The Forum released a Statement regarding the NT Intervention and called on Governments and Churches to address the issues.
Download the Forum Statement here. NATSIEC_FORUM_NTER_Statement.pdf
NATSIEC statements on the Intervention
Media statements on the NT Intervention.
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Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by General Assembly Resolution 61/295 on 13th September 2007. The Declaration, which took twenty years to negotiate, sets out rights and principles to guide Nations to ensure the rights of Indigenous Peoples are protected.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples United_Nations_Declaration_on_the_Rights_of_Indigenous_Peoples.pdf
More information on the Declaration can be found at the Australian Human Rights Commission site.
August 2009
Graeme Mundine - Speech to the United Nations Association of Australia, Qld conference on the UN Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. UNAA_conf0809.pdf