The text below is from www.concernedaustralians.com.au.
Will You Help to Prevent a Crisis?
The Commonwealth’s commitment to Homelands and Outstations was surely sealed by the 1967
Referendum. How can it be then that the federal government can consider abandoning their
long-held responsibilities by cutting essential funding to these especially vulnerable areas?
What is clear is that the Commonwealth knows full well that the consequences of the cuts will fall
with brute force onto Aboriginal communities least able to defend themselves. Such behaviour is
contemptible.
It is quite clear that state governments do not have the resources
to simply replace Federal
funding.
Mr. Barnett in Western Australia has responded by indicating that he will close up to
150 remote Aboriginal communities by simply cutting off their essential services – water, power
etc. Arrangements with the South Australia government are still to be determined but at this
stage the outstations fear their fate will be similar to those in the West.
The results of such actions are perhaps too great to contemplate, just as there is no real attempt
to understand the cultural implications of moving people from their traditional homelands.
What does closure mean?
The relationship between Aboriginal peoples and their lands is
acknowledged but little understood. The connection to land is the embodiment of Aboriginal
cultural identity. It totally embraces a sense of belonging without which there is a life long sense
of grieving and loss.
It is only on your own land that you have rights – once you move these rights
are lost and you become simply a squatter on somebody else’s land.
Forced removals in the past have proved devastating and costly, not only to the communities
themselves but also to the surrounding communities responsible for resettlement. Nearly all
outback Aboriginal communities are under-resourced, have inadequate infrastructure and are
grappling with social problems.
To burden these communities further is unthinkable.
Such action would place Australia in conflict with international law.
"...forced evictions are ... incompatible with the requirements of the International Covenant on
Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and could only be justified in the most exceptional
circumstances...."
UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, General Comment No.4, (1991)
Pope Francis warns Australia of socio-economic disaster when he states, “severing the ties of
Aboriginal people from their land and thus their culture, spirituality and very foundation of their
being, is unethical, immoral, un-Christian and heartless.”
We strongly believe that the Federal funding decision should be reversed.
For this we need your
urgent help.
Can you either send letters or telephone Tony Abbott and Nigel Scullion and tell
them that it would be totally unacceptable for funding to Remote Communities to be cut.
The Uniting Church, guided by Congress and local synods, opposes the closure of communities
and forced removals. Many of the points they have made are included in the list below as a help
for those who wish to write letters. Contact details of the Prime Minister and the Minister for
Indigenous Affairs are also below.
Points for Letters –Writers Opposing Remote Community Closures:
(you may like to focus your letter on one or more of the below points)
• The unconscionable failure of the Federal Government to maintain its responsibility
for the safety and future of Aboriginal Peoples from Outstations/Homelands.
• To close communities will create a wave of dispossession denying people the ability
to stay in touch with their land and their culture.
• There has been no attempt by government to understand what such forced
community closures and movement of people means for people’s social, mental,
spiritual and physical life.
• There has been no consultation with Aboriginal people or the organisations which
represent them regarding alternative solutions, and
• The movement of so many people would put enormous pressure on the communities
they go to – housing, education, health facilities, and community relationships.
Nothing has been done to plan for and deal with such impacts.
Hon. Tony Abbott:
Parliament House,
PO Box 6022,
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277
7700
Electoral Office:
PO Box 450, Manly, NSW, 2095
Telephone: (02) 9977 6411
Hon. Nigel Scullion:
Parliament House,
PO Box 6100,
Canberra, ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 7780,
Electoral Office:
Unit 1, 229 McMillans Road,
Jingili, NT 0810
Telephone: (08) 8948 3555
Telephone Calls to Oppose Remote Community Closures:
If you decide to telephone your concern to the offices of Mr Abbott and Mr Scullion please
give your name and address while leaving a message stating your strong objections to these
funding cuts that will lead to the closure of homelands/outstations. Demand that the
decision is reversed.
If you have the energy, please do also inform your Local Member of your concerns.
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