The report on the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) by UN Special Rapporteur Professor James Anaya has been welcomed by ANTaR, the only non-Indigenous national advocacy organisation dedicated specifically to the rights - and overcoming the disadvantage - of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

ANTaR supports Professor Anaya’s moderate and measured approach and agrees with Anaya’s criticism of the Australian Government’s NTER, which “overtly discriminates against Aboriginal peoples, infringing their right of self-determination and stigmatizes already stigmatized communities”.

Angus Frith, ANTaR’s Acting President, said “The rights of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory need to be upheld. This is not happening at the moment.”

Indigenous disadvantage must be addressed, but in ways that allow for government to work in “partnership with Indigenous peoples’ own institutions and decision making bodies, which are most familiar with local situations”. Further, ANTaR notes Professor Anaya’s support for Indigenous leaders’ statements of the need for Indigenous peoples themselves to continue to be able to strengthen their own organizational and local governance capacity.

This approach is consistent with Tom Calma’s proposal for a new National Indigenous Representative Body.

ANTaR welcomes Tom Calma’s proposal as an important first step towards true independence and self determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It shows true leadership.

A National Indigenous Representative Body will provide an important voice for Indigenous people and their communities to be able to speak to government on their own behalf.

The proposal as it stands provides for an Indigenous organisation controlled by Indigenous people. That means that it will be flexible and is a real opportunity for Indigenous people to demonstrate leadership.

For a National Indigenous Representative Body to be successful all parties, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and government, must show their goodwill to support it being able to express Indigenous views on issues such as the human rights consequences of the NTER.

Particularly, ANTaR calls on the Commonwealth Government to support the National Indigenous Representative Body financially in the terms recommended by Tom Calma, and also to give proper respect to its policy recommendations.

Media contact: Angus Frith 040 787 7931