SUPPORT FOR PALM ISLAND

Please see also Deaths in Custody page

30 September 2005

A Message from former Palm Island Mayor Erykah Kyle:

Many members of the Palm Island community are still very low in spirit since the events of November last year.  Until the court cases are settled and depending on what the Court's decision is on these matters we are finding it difficult to see where we will go from here.  The Government, however, is determined to continue to push for their own agenda, not ours, and we see difficult days ahead.

People continue to be incarcerated, continue to have serious health problems and continue to be poor, and we all live with that every day.  A lot of this is to do with this big approach from the outside which doesn't really work for us.  If they continue to move in that arena while we are here struggling for what we consider the right way to go the dangers and injustices of our current situation will also continue.

One of our biggest concerns is that self-determination is nowhere near on any agenda, at least for Palm Islanders.  We still have government agents flying in and doing everything for us and its not working.  Its money going to waste and until we can get that message out in relation to self-determination they are going to continue to trample all over us.  It feels like we are in chains again and this is crippling us.

We say to the Government: "Don't call us disfunctional when you don't see what the whole picture is, donıt call us anything when you haven't lived in this kind of situation yourself".

We know there are good people out there who are trying in different ways to support us.  There are some very tangible ways you can help and the letter writing campaign outlined below is one thing you can do in the area that most interests you.   As you will see many previously successful local
community enterprises have been either shut down or taken over by the government and they have failed as a result of that.  We must redress this situation but as a Council our hands are often tied and we need your support.  Any help while we are under so much pressure with such limited assistance plays a part.

Erykah Kyle, Palm Island Mayor

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PALM ISLAND LETTER WRITING KIT

The Palm Island Council and community is asking for assistance from the wider community.  In collaboration with attendees to the National Non-Violence Gathering in April 2005 and members of ANTaR Qld, Palm Island Mayor Erykah Kyle has asked that letters be written about one or all of the four main areas below - these are the areas Palm Islanders are struggling with the most to have their voice heard in Government.   Please send copies of what is sent to Ministers to the Palm Island Council as well - they need know they have your support!

1.      Justice
Palm Island still faces a high rate of incarceration, particularly for their young men.  There used to be a community-run reintegration program on the Island called 'The Mundy Bay Program' but this program no longer exists. Instead it was replaced by a state-run outstation, the buildings for which are now standing vacant.  The Palm Island Council would like you to support their efforts to lobby for the re-introduction of a community-owned and managed reintegration program.

Who to write to:

Attorney-General & Minister for Justice Hon Kerry Shine
attorney@ministerial.qld.gov.au Fax 3220 2475
GPO Box 149 Brisbane Qld 4001

Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Hon Warren Pitt
CandDS@ministerial.qld.gov.au  Fax 3210 2186
GPO Box 806  Brisbane Qld 4001

Premier Peter Beattie
premiers@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 2900
PO Box 15185
City East Qld 4002

Att Erykah Kyle
Fax 4770 1241
C/ Palm Island Post Office
Palm Island Q 4816

2.      Education
High rates of truancy and behavioural problems still concern teachers, parents and the community.  The Palm Island Council is keen to incorporate Aboriginal cultural education in curriculums as happens at the Murri School in Brisbane. Currently this option for Palm Island is not supported by Education Queensland.  The idea of a Murri school on Palm Island has been supported by the community.

Who to write to:
Education Minister Rod Welford
educationandarts@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 5335
PO Box 15033
City East Q 4002

Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Hon Warren Pitt
CandDS@ministerial.qld.gov.au  Fax 3210 2186
GPO Box 806  Brisbane Qld 4001

Premier Peter Beattie
premiers@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 2900
PO Box 15185 City East Qld 4002

Att Erykah Kyle
Fax 4770 1241
C/ Palm Island Post Office
Palm Island Q 4816

3.      Health
Palm Island has a number of AIDS/HIV sufferers.  The community implemented its own program, called Turtle Dreaming, to raise awareness and manage the disease which was well accepted by Island residents but that is also now gone from the island.  This program was locally determined and managed. Despite the success of Turtle Dreaming, the Palm Island community is not supported in establishing other locally-managed health programs.  Queensland Health has central control over all the Islandıs health services.  There are other very serious health issues faced by Island residents such as an increasing need for dialysis for diabetes sufferers.  There are no education programs for health awareness and disease prevention on the Island.

Who to write to:
Health Minister Stephen Robertson
health@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 4731
GPO Box 48
Brisbane Q 4001

Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Hon Warren Pitt
CandDS@ministerial.qld.gov.au  Fax 3210 2186
GPO Box 806  Brisbane Qld 4001

Premier Peter Beattie
premiers@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 2900
PO Box 15185
City East Qld 4002

Att Erykah Kyle
Fax 4770 1241
C/ Palm Island Post Office
Palm Island Q 4816

4.      Retail Store/Enterprise
A professionally planned tender for a locally-owned cooperative to manage the retail store on Palm Island has been rejected.  The store has been managed by the government for 20 years or more and proceeds are used to subsidise the transport of goods to other more remote Aboriginal communities (there are five other DOGIT community stores managed by DATSIP).  This is an issue which is long overdue for solution.  For Palm Islanders there is no option, there are other stores on the Island which are successfully and locally owned and run, the same should be the case for the primary source of food and supplies for all Palm Island residents.

Who to write to:

Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Hon Warren Pitt
CandDS@ministerial.qld.gov.au  Fax 3210 2186
GPO Box 806  Brisbane Qld 4001

Premier Peter Beattie
premiers@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Fax 3229 2900    
PO Box 15185     
City East Qld 4002

Att Erykah Kyle
Fax 4770 1241
C/ Palm Island Post Office
Palm Island Q 4816