Dear [firstname,fallback=friend],
Town camps takeover a low point in Indigenous affairs
Yesterday, Tangentyere Council reluctantly agreed to hand over Aboriginal community land to the Australian Government for 40 years, in return for one hundred million dollars to upgrade housing and services in town camps in Alice Springs.
This was after months of pressure by the government, and a threat to compulsorily acquire the land under the Northern Territory Emergency Response.
While the proposed improvements are welcome and long-overdue, they are basic rights - not a privilege - and should not be used as a bargaining chip for land. ANTaR is disappointed that the Australian Government did not work constructively with Tangentyere Council to find a mutually agreeable solution.
This behaviour by the federal government calls into question the Prime Minister's commitment to build a new relationship based on mutual respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians at the parliamentary apology to the stolen generations last year.
For more information, please refer to ANTaR's media release.
Aboriginal human rights in the Northern Territory: have your say before 15 August!
Professor James Anaya, United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur, will be visiting Australia during the second half of August.
After his visit, he will be providing the UN Human Rights Council with a report on his assessment of human rights in Australia. The Australian government will be expected to respond.
This is a unique opportunity for us to highlight our concerns about the government's treatment of Aboriginal Australians in the Northern Territory.
Our government is now planning to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory, but not in a way that will comply with human rights principles. Their intention is to impose 'special measures' on Aboriginal people living in the 73 prescribed areas of the Northern Territory.
Take action: help us ensure that Professor Anaya addresses our concerns by adding your name to this open letter before 15 August.
Photo: Modernmurri card design. You can purchase Modernmurri cards from ANTaR's catalogue.
ANTaR is moving to a new office!
We're very excited to be moving to a new office in Dulwich Hill in Sydney's inner west.
The new premises has a shop front, with an office at the back. This will enable us to grow our 'The Rights Stuff' merchandise program and provide a clean and renovated space for our staff and volunteers to work in.
The move will take place during August and our current phone number and post to our PO Box will be diverted to our new office. We'll update you on our new contact details in the next ANTaR email newsletter.
Please help us establish our new office. If you can provide any of the following, email Natalia, our Development Manager:
- 8 L-shaped office desks, 1.5m x 1.5m
- Computers: laptops or desk computers, PC or Mac - we're not fussy so long as the computer is less than 3 years old
- One self-standing kitchen unit with cupboards
- One compact kitchen table that can be extended
- Fold-away chairs for the kitchen
- Standard-sized fridge (i.e. not a small bar fridge) less than 10 yrs old
- A reception desk or display cabinet for the shop that has room for a phone and computer on the top
- Truck, and strong people to help with the move
- Somebody to install a PABX phone system
- Somebody to provide labour and materials for wall-mounted shelves in the shop
- Somebody to provide labour and materials to install a frosted glass wall and door to separate the shop and the office
Photo: we're moving... by steevil.
Vote for ANTaR to receive a donation from Ethical Jobs
EthicalJobs.com.au supports charities that are making the world a better place. For Jul/Aug they’ve decided to donate $2,000 split between four Australian charities, based on the portion of their users who vote for each one.
Take action: Please vote for ANTaR on the Ethical Jobs website so we get a large share of the pie!
