If Tony Abbott wins government does he intend to dissolve a number of Local Aboriginal Land Councils in regional Australia?

Can Opposition  Leader Tony Abbott follow through on his desire to abolish scores of statutory indigenous governance bodies?

Are there more than twenty Australian Government statutory indigenous governance bodies? To date I can barely find twenty entities to which that description might possibly apply.

Or is Abbott including Local Aboriginal Land Councils [LALCs] on his 'to abolish' list? 

If this is the case then hopefully LALCs in regional New South Wales will be exempt (unless Premier O'Farrell agrees) as these councils were apparently formed under state law.

The Australian 10 August 2013:

Mr Abbott said the Coalition had to stop the boats, fix the budget and address infrastructure spending, which was seriously neglected. But, if elected, he wanted to add taking "reconciliation to a new level" and embedding the idea of personal responsibility as he had in government with the work-for-the- dole program and the Job Network.

In promoting indigenous affairs to one of his top priorities, Mr Abbott said there was no longer institutional racism in Australia and he believed most Australians saw Aborigines and Aboriginal culture as an "adornment" to the nation.

Mr Mundine, who quit the ALP six months ago after becoming disillusioned with Labor's failure to recruit an indigenous representative in parliament, supports Mr Abbott's vision for Aboriginal Australia and is prepared to work with any prime minister to end indigenous disadvantage.

He will today reveal a radical four-tiered plan to rewrite Aboriginal affairs by abolishing scores of statutory indigenous governance bodies, which he says hinder development, opening up communities to the outside world and excising townships from the communally owned land system to create private home ownership and business development. Mr Mundine, the executive chairman of the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, will deliver a keynote speech at the Garma Festival, in which he calls for dramatic changes to land ownership to create more economic opportunities.

Mr Mundine's steadfast view that commercial development offered the only chance for indigenous communities to escape poverty has long stood in opposition to the rights-based agenda of the Labor Left.

Edited version of Warren Mundine’s 10 August Garma Festival Corporate Dinner Speech.

Excerpt from this speech:

When Europeans came to Australia, indigenous people were grouped in nations, each with a distinct geography, language and culture. The identity of indigenous people was tied to the culture and language of their own nation, not to the Australian land mass as a whole.

Most statutory bodies created to govern indigenous people are not aligned to indigenous nations. In NSW there are twice as many land councils as nations, and land council members do not need to be descended from a nation that the land council services. In the Northern Territory there are four land councils and dozens of nations.

National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day, 4 August 2013. Is your organisation marking this day in some way?

 

From the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care:

 

What is National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day?

NAICD is held on 4 August each year to celebrate the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children within family and community.

First held in 1988, the day has also been used over the years to increase awareness on important issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

In 2013, NAICD is all about stepping up for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s rights.

This year’s theme is Right Here, Right Now. Our Rights Matter.

It seeks to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by increasing public awareness about:

• major human rights concerns that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children across the country; and
• the unique rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as First Peoples of this country.

The theme also aims to support local events to celebrate children, assist better  understanding about what their rights mean and how communities can work better to ensure that all children have the opportunity to live these rights every day.

SNAICC wants to work with communities and organisations — Indigenous and non-Indigenous — to make sure this year’s children’s day is the biggest and most successful yet.

We hope the day will provide the opportunity for Australians to come together to discuss issues critical issues impacting our children and work together to improve mutual understanding and to see change happen.

As in previous years, SNAICC will hold a national launch (in 2013 it will be in Melbourne) and assist organisations across Australia to hold local events celebrating the day.

SNAICC has once again developed a range of resources for children and adults to help with celebrations. These include:

• a glossy National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day poster

• a series of seven beautifully-illustrated posters on child rights and a children’s activity book to accompany the poster

• an educator’s guide on facilitating child rights workshops with children, and

• children’s day goodies bag (including stickers, arm bands, pencils and more).

These resources will be available from June for purchase at low cost, with one set also provided free to SNAICC members.

SNAICC would really appreciate any support, assistance and expertise you can provide to help promote this important event.

Obtain an order from HERE
 

For more information on NAICD, please go to the SNAICC website: www.snaicc.org.au

You can also contact us (0419) 508 125 or Nick Butera, SNAICC Resource Officer, on (03) 9489 8099

Aboriginal Legal Service 24 hour custody notification phone line may cease operating in June 2013

From Save the CNS:

To keep the CNS operating, the ALS needs:

►Funding of $500,000 per annum to commence 1 July 2013

►A funding commitment of three - five years

The phone line costs the same to operate per annum as holding two juveniles in detention for one year.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP IT RUNNING! We NEED to get the government on board. Show how MASSIVE the support is for the government to fund this service by:

'LIKING' the ALS Facebook page and future posts regarding the Custody Notification Service
 

'JOINING' our SAVE THE CNS Facebook Event and click 'GOING'
 

'INVITING' all your friends to this event
 

'POSTING' your comments on this page
 

FOLLOW us on Twitter to learn more about the Custody Notification Service
 

EMAIL US  to add your name to our growing list of Supporters
 

There have been no Aboriginal deaths in police custody since this service began. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE LIVES. SO PLEASE DO!

Koori Mail current edition:

.. a funding stand-off between the federal and state governments means the ALS will be forced to cut the CNS at the end of the financial year, which chief legal officer John McKenzie said would impact vulnerable people.

CSG mining company Metgasco now throwing Githabul elders off their own land?

Officials close the Eden Creek State Forest
adjoining the Doubtful Creek coal seam gas drilling site yesterday afternoon

In order to assist Metgasco Limited in its battle with Northern Rivers protestors, officials have closed Eden Creek State Forest.

Therefore Metgasco needs to explain why an elder apparently in the forest as part of his cultural duties and obligations found himself in the middle of this incident reported in The Daily Examiner on 6 February 2013:

Earlier, two Githabul elders were arrested in two separate incidences while police secured the site.

Witnesses said one of the men was conducting a Githabul initiation ceremony when he was arrested within the Eden Creek State Forest for allegedly spitting.

Eden Creek State Forest was handed back to the Githabul people under the Native Title Act in 2007.
 

Northern Rivers Talking Turkey 31 January 2013

UPDATE:

The Echo Net Daily 6 February 2013.

NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers will no longer feed police at an anti-coal-seam gas (CSG) protest at Doubtful Creek near Kyogle after an outcry from local firies opposed to CSG.

National Indigenous Television (NITV) up and running on SBS4

 

News, movies, current affairs and much more

as National Indigenous Television goes to air

at midday each day on SBS4

at Channel 34.

Tony Abbott gets laughed off the political stage

 

Australian Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott has finally become a genuine political joke.
 

Brisbane Times 15 November 2012:
 

At a dinner on Saturday, Mr Abbott reportedly described Mr Wyatt, who won the Perth seat of Hasluck at the 2010 election, as a good bloke but ''not a man of culture''.

Mr Wyatt, whose mother Mona was a member of the stolen generation, was unimpressed and he and Mr Abbott had words over the phone on Monday night.

But on Tuesday, Mr Abbott exacerbated tensions again with his push to poach Ms Anderson.

''I think it would be terrific if, as well as having an urban Aboriginal in our Parliament, we had an Aboriginal person from central Australia, an authentic representative of the ancient cultures of central Australia in the Parliament,'' he said.

 

This caused quite a few Australians to laugh at him.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Dog On the Moon at Crikey

@Utopiana and and @Ebswearspink appear to have kicked off a Twitter hashtag #itriedtobeauthenticbut.

@Utopiana is Celeste Liddle from Melbourne who describes herself as a black feminist.

@Ebswearspink is believed to be a young indigenous lawyer who came from the Byron Bay area.

 

Here is a sample:

 

Ebs ‏@Ebswearspink

#itriedtobeauthenticbut when someone asked me who my mob was I promptly denied having links to Italian gangsters

 

Celeste Liddle ‏@Utopiana

#Itriedtobeauthenticbut... someone yelled "Which way?" and I pulled out a GPS

 Retweeted by Ebs

 

Anita Heiss ‏@AnitaHeiss

#itriedtobeauthenticbut but I've thrown more parties than boomerangs!

 Retweeted by Ebs

Georgia MacGuire ‏@blackgin

#Itriedtobeauthenticbut my certificate of Aboriginality doesn't have Authentic Indigenous artefact written on it.

 Retweeted by Ebs

 

Ryan Griffen ‏@Ryan_Griffen

#itriedtobeauthenticbut a cab driver said I looked Italian and my English was too good.

 Retweeted by Ebs

 

Luke Pearson ‏@LukeLPearson

#Itriedtobeauthenticbut every year at Corroboree I just end up line-dancing by myself in a corner somewhere singing "Achy-Breaky heart"...

 Retweeted 72 times 

Clarence Valley local government election candidates and cultural understanding in 2012

Leaving aside for the moment candidate Jeremy Challacombe’s rather odd expectation that members of the Yaegl community might need to sit cross-legged in the sand to discuss the future of Dirrungun at the mouth of the Clarence River, there was an even bigger surprise at the Yamba Meet the Candidates Meeting held on 3 September 2012.

Another candidate, Paul Parkinson, appeared to be labouring under the strong misapprehension that Australia’s court systems are clogged up with indigenous land claims which are primarily financial compensation claims.

According to Mr. Parkinson, native title claims post-Mabo have degenerated into something other than a desire to be recognised as traditional custodians of the land.

A view which somewhat surprised and confused this listener, so I went looking for answers.

All was not as this candidate apparently believes.

Compensation applications are made by Indigenous Australians seeking compensation for loss or impairment of native title according to the National Native Title Tribunal.

In January 2010 there seems to have been only three compensation applications listed across the entire country.

There are currently no notices of compensation applications for New South Wales. Nor are there any in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia or Victoria. There is one listed in relation to a nature reserve in West Australia.

That is it – one lonely compensation claim notification on the books right now. Hardly an argument for unresolved claims piling up in the court system.

According to Justice Berna Collier as of 30 April 2011 the Federal Court had 471 native title claims before it nationwide, with only 17 in the ACT/NSW. The majority of these are not new claims. Again, hardly a number to bring the Bench to its knees.

Interestingly, native title claims usually only come before the Federal Court for formal determination if such claims are opposed – for example by government or mining corporations.

On any given day one is more likely to find the Federal Court's daily list filled with immigration, taxation or commercial litigation rather than native title matters.

What still puzzles me is why Paul Parkinson thought it appropriate to make that inaccurate  statement in the first place.

A map of native title claims in New South Wales can be found here.

Myths and facts about the NT Intervention from an indigenous perspective

From Stop The NT Intervention:

·        
* Yuendumu statement to Jenny Macklin signed by 236 people in 24 hours:

"We don't want this intervention! Children are worse off under this legislation... This is our land. We want the Government to give it back to us. We want the Government to stop blackmailing us. We want houses, but we will not sign any leases over our land, because we want to keep control of our country, our houses, and our property".

·        
* It costs tax-payers $7000 per person to administer the welfare quarantine (according to HREOC) which has seen people going hungry trying to access the most meagre Centrelink payments.

·        
* Three years after this “emergency” response there have hardly been any improvements in the situation.

The available statistics show that

-       the child malnutrition rate has increased

-       the unemployment rate has increased

-       the program to build new houses (SIHIP) has only delivered very few houses so far

-       school enrolments and attendance have basically not changed despite efforts to increase school attendance

-       Income management did not result in buying more fresh food and vegetables

NSWALC told to show its face over mining exploration plans

Patsy Nagas

Northern Rivers Echo 22 March 2012:

Former Kyogle councillor and Aboriginal woman Patsy Nagas also challenged NSW Aboriginal Land Council CEO Geoff Scott to come and face local people. She expressed anger at the Sydney-based land council's application for petroleum exploration licences in the region.

"It's breaking cultural protocol to start with… It's someone else giving away someone else's country," she said.

She claimed the Githabul people had already signed over land that they claimed through Native Title near The Risk and The Lions Road for mining exploration. She said the issue was of great concern and there needed to be deeper discussion about the implications for Aboriginal people and their land.

Byron Shire News 16 March 2012:

"It is another spiritual country; it is not (Mr Scott's) country and it is up to the people of that area."

The Northern Star 13 March 2012:

Bundjalung elder and Gugin Guddaba Local Aboriginal Land Council deputy chairwoman Patsy Nagas also said her group were strongly opposed to the development of coal seam gas in the region.  

Photograph from Google Images

Reg King issues invitation to his mob to gather on Friday 16 March 2012 to protest mining on NSW North Coast

At A Black Cockatoo on Wednesday, March 14

A Special Invitation : Friday 16th

Born and bred Cubawee elder of the Bundjalung Nation Reg King strongly supports his cousin Harry Boyd Ngaraakwal elder in his call for a public enquiry into the decision made by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to apply for exploration licences for petroleum and gas mining in the Northern Rivers.

Reg met with both a NSW Aboriginal Land Council (ALC) councillor and Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) representative to verify Geoff Scott’s published views in the Northern Star and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers earlier this week.

Reg says “I was disgusted by Ngulingah’s official position as a representative body, which supports mining exploration, in the Northern Rivers. Especially given that the role of the Ngulingah LALC is to represent and respond, to the concerns of LALC members and Bundjalung people.”

Reg and other elders are fully aware of the significant dangers that coal and coal seam gas mining present for us all.

This Friday 16th March Reg and other community members will meet at 55 Carrington St Lismore - out the front of Thomas George’s office. Reg will be sharing the message that we want clear representation from our local State MP.

Reg says “The Bundjalung Nation and the whole of the Northern Rivers do not want coal or CSG mining.” Reg would like to extend a special invitation to all of his Mob, to join him on Friday for this very important gathering.

To date, Thomas George’s position on CSG mining in the Northern Rivers is unknown. Given the NSW ALC’s confirmed motives towards mining Reg feels that George’s current role in protecting the Northern Rivers is of essential concern.

Gathering commences at 10:00am.

Any enquiries about the gathering can be directed to Wanda on 0427 302 725.

Terror Nullius: From Howard to Gillard

Excerpts from EVIDENCE-FREE POLICY MAKING? THE CASE OF INCOME MANAGEMENT by Eva Cox* in The Journal of Indigenous Policy – Issue 12

The 2007 introduction of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) was the result of an odd amalgamation: an  exposé' on the ABC's Lateline program, prejudice against Aboriginal communities, an upcoming election and the need to look decisive. They had some bureaucrats with outdated proposals for paternalistic control of welfare recipients dating back to the 1990s, when policy changes in the UK and USA undermined the right to welfare entitlements that had been part of the post-war welfare state.

There's not a single action that the Commonwealth has taken so far that … corresponds with a single recommendation. There is no relationship between these emergency powers and what's in our report.'

There are many large gaps between available evidence and the corresponding decisions, and this set of legislative changes exemplified the need in a democracy for those aware of the risks and damage to point out the problems and be heard. Many groups giving evidence to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee9 and participating in the consultations cast doubt on the income management program, but the Government officials had already made up their minds and took notice only of what supported their conclusions. Our review shows how counterevidence was manipulated, ignored and misused, suggesting that decision makers had already decided on their course of action before ‗consultation processes' or evidence taking began.

Given this wealth of information that has not been considered appropriately, this issue of the Journal argues that the Government is failing to meet its own stated standards for use of evidence in policy-making and often ignores its own advisers' views of what is good policy and what works. In this case, there is an additional twist as the income management policy appears to have been used for wider political purposes such as major changes to income support policy.

The (government) press release fails to mention that the government research cited was based on the opinions of individuals rather than on objective data.

We are the co-authors of a study published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, which shows that the federal government's income management policy is not making an impact on tobacco and health food sales in remote community shops in the NT. Smoking and poor diet are responsible for much of the health gap between indigenous and other Australians.

We are concerned that indigenous affairs minister Jenny Macklin has responded to our study by highlighting the results of the government's evaluation. She has told journalists that the government intends to press ahead with plans to roll out income management more broadly, and has appeared to dismiss our findings.

* Eva Cox is a sociologist who has taught research methods at two universities and has twice run her own research consultancy. She has also worked with politicians and in senior public service positions and has engaged in policy making, evaluation, advocacy and bureaucratic implementation of programs. She delivered the 1995 ABC Boyer lectures on A Truly Civil Society. She is currently a Research Fellow at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney

Terror Nullius 2
Acrylic, oil, ochre and charcoal from the Finke Rivr on wood
560mm x 410mm

Enough is enough, Prime Minister Gillard!

Statement by Northern Territory elders and community representatives - No more! Enough is enough!

Melbourne 4 November, 2011

United First People’s Law men and women who are born leaders representing people of Prescribed Areas in the Northern Territory make this statement. Once again, they have gathered to openly discuss the future of our generation who have been subjugated by the lies and innuendo of the Federal Government, set out in the Stronger Futures document (October 2011).

The Stronger Futures report has created a lot of anger and frustration due to the lack of process and the ignorant way in which the views of the people have been reported. We therefore reject this report.

We will not support an extension of the Intervention legislation. We did not ask for it. In fact we call for a genuine Apology from the Federal Government for the hurt, embarrassment, shame and stigma, and for the illegal removal of the Racial Discrimination Act. It is our intention to officially call upon Government for reparation.

The recent consultations report shows that Government has failed to take seriously our concerns and feelings. This report is simply a reflection of pre-determined policy decisions. This is shown clearly by the absence of any commitment to bilingual learning programmes as well as the proposal to introduce welfare cuts and fines to parent of non-attending school children. Once again a punitive policy that is neither in the best interests of the child or the family.

Blanket measures have been central to the Northern Territory Intervention and have been the source of much distress. Where there are problems, they must be addressed on a case by case basis and preferably with the assistance through the appropriate community channels.

Since August 2007 till 2011, more than 45,000 First Nations Peoples living in the Prescribed Areas were traumatised when a Bill was passed through both Houses of Parliament (The House of Representatives and the Senate).

This legislation suspended the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 to put in place the Northern Territory Emergency Response. The Australian Greens were the only party to oppose the legislation.

These actions have placed Australia in breach of its international treaty obligations to the First Nations Peoples. Respectful discussion and negotiation with community elders did not take place before the introduction of the Intervention.
Discussions on a diplomatic basis are essential. There are elders in every Aboriginal Nation invested by the authority of the majority. These are the people with whom Minister Macklin should be negotiating, rather than with the chosen few, as has been her habit.

There has NEVER been acquiescence in the taking of our lands by stealth. Aboriginal people are sovereign people of this Nation. The process that will lead to legal recognition of customary law should be immediately commenced.

We believe that there should be an honest and comprehensive treaty negotiation with the Australian Government and facilitated by the United Nations.

We have a right under international law to self determination and after almost five years of the oppression of the Intervention, we demand that Government hand back to us control over our communities and provide adequate Government, long-term funding to ensure the future of Homelands.

Communty Councils have suffered from years of underfunding. The same is happening today with the Shires that have been imposed on us. There is a lack of funding for our Core Service.There is no capacity for Aboriginal communities to engage in long-term services planning without the certainty of long-term funding.

We have had enough! We need our independence to live our lives and plan our futures without the constant oppression and threats which have become central to the relationship between Government and Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. We will not support policies that have not been negotiates with all elders of Prescribed communities and we will not support an extension of the Intervention, or an Interventionunder other names.

Since the Apology and since reconciliation, the level of incarceration of Aboriginal men has increased three-fold; our families are being punished for failure to attend a foreign school design; our capacity to govern our own lives has been totally disempowered; Aboriginal youth suicide rates in the Northern Territory are higher than anywhere else in Australia; and our people have been demonized, labelled and branded. This is not what an apology is and it is not reconciliation. These outcomes are the very opposite to their intent.

Australia is in breach of its international treaty obligations to the first nation’s people through it membership to the United Nations in the elimination of racial discrimination.

We as leaders of the Northern Territory acknowledge other peoples’ views. We acknowledge that some may agree and some may disagree with parts or all of the ‘intervention’; whatever the name the Government chooses to call it. The only right we now have left is to remain silent.

We as Aboriginal people call on the international community to hold Australia to account for its continuing crimes against humanity for its treatments of its first nation’s people. Again, we say to our visits by the Minister’s department; this is not consultation. Proper consultation is about listening and inviting and including the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Consultation is about outcomes that are progressive and agreeable to all parties.

The future is based on our children having a quality education, but to date this continues to be a systemic failure. A quality education for our people needs to include:
• Bilingualism in schools to be returned and strengthened to ensure our children learn their traditional languages, dialects and cultural knowledges.
• Attendances need to be rewarded, rather than children and families being punished for non-attendance.
• Aboriginal teachers in classrooms and school educational leadership roles are essential to building quality, localized schooling programs. This means also equal pay and entitlements, rewards and opportunities consistent with their important roles.
• Curriculum needs to change and reflect traditional knowledges not just for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, but importantly for the broader Australian population who know very little about their own first peoples.
• Aboriginal teachers need to be treated fairly and equally to their non-Aboriginal counterparts in delivering quality education to our children. This includes the opportunity to tell oral stories of Kinship, Creation Stories, and about important cultural knowledge and skills.

Failure to accept these views and work seriously toward their inclusion will simply mean more of the same.

Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra OAM
Rosalie Kunoth-Monks OAM
Japata Ryan
Harry Nelson
Djapirri Murunggirritj
Barbara Shaw
Yananymul Mununggurr

Buyinbin Aboriginal Corp receives $519k grant

Strengthening employment opportunities

for Indigenous people in Page

The Australian Government is continuing to support Indigenous people in Page to get training and find work as part of a $47 million boost to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) across the country.

Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin MP was very pleased to announce today that Buyinbin Aboriginal Corporation will receive $519,000 for Muli Muli, Baryulgil and Malabugilmah to provide training and community development.

“CDEP funding is used across the CDEP communities to help Indigenous job seekers gain the skills needed to find sustainable employment and contributes strongly to personal, social and economic development,” Ms Saffin said.

Buyinbin will use the funds to provide activities that include the renovation of the community hall, purchase fit-out of coach for mobile training, contract maintenance, market garden and bush regeneration. Skills training includes Certificates 11 and 111 information technology, outdoor recreation, micro/small business and Certificates IV in ATSI Cultural Arts.

“The funding also continues the employment of one community development officer and two mentors/supervisors.” Ms Saffin said.

“This investment will continue the good work of Buyinbin which includes Muli Muli, Baryulgil and Malabugilmah.

Mr Russell Freeburn CEO of Buyinbin Aboriginal Corporation said today “we will continue to deliver training and other services to our CDEP communities and I would like to acknowledge and thank Minister Macklin for approval of the additional funding which is a valuable resource that will enable us to do this.  I appreciate the efforts and assistance of Janelle Saffin for her continued support of our remaining CDEP communities.”

Community Development Employment Projects is a key contributor to the Government’s aim of halving the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment within a decade.

“We are committed to ensuring that local Indigenous people have the skills necessary to get and keep a job.” Ms Saffin said today.

The full list of CDEP providers is available at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/progserv/families/cdep/Pages/default.aspx

Office of Janelle Saffin MP Federal Member for Page

Media Release 7 October 2011

Yaegl people claim native title over Crown land & water in an area covering 1,400 sq kms on the NSW North Coast

A fifth native title claim covering traditional lands on the NSW North Coast has been lodged with the National Native Title Tribunal.

This claim covers approximately 1,400 sq kilometres and appears to be the second claim involving the Yaegl People of the Clarence Valley.

The first co-claim (with the Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr peoples) which primarily involves waters of the Clarence River, from below Harwood Bridge to the sea, is yet to be determined

National Native Title Tribunal
Notice of an application for determination of native title in the State of New South Wales
Notification day: 27 July 2011

This is an application by a native title claim group who are asking the Federal Court to determine that the group hold native title in the area described below.
A person who wants to become a party to this application must write to the Registrar of the Federal Court, Level 17, Law Courts Building, Queens Square, Sydney NSW 2000, on or before 26 October 2011.
After 26 October 2011, the Federal Court’s permission to become a party is required.
Under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth) there can be only one determination of native title for a particular area. If a person with native title rights and interests does not become a party to this application, there may be no other opportunity for the Federal Court, in making its determination, to take into account those native title rights and interests in relation to the area concerned.


Application name: Yaegl People #2
Federal Court File No: NSD168/2011
Date filed: 23 February 2011
Registration test status: The Native Title Registrar has accepted this application for registration.
Description: The application covers areas of Crown land and water in the vicinity of the towns of Maclean, Yamba and Wooli.
The application excludes: freehold land, other areas where native title has been extinguished and the area covered by NSD6052/1998 Yaegl People #1.
The application falls within the Local Government Authority of Clarence Valley Council.

Data statement: claimant application boundary compiled by the NNTT.
For assistance and further information about this application, call Nicole Maher on freecall 1800 640 501 or visit www.nntt.gov.au.

The largest and most successful North Coast claim to date was made on 29 November 2007, when the Federal Court of Australia made a consent determination recognising the Githabul People’s native title rights and interests over 1,120 sq km in nine national parks and 13 state forests in northern New South Wales.

NAIDOC Week 4-10 July 2011

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Local NAIDOC Events Calendar

Community Action Grants application round open to local clubs, community & environmental groups until 1 August 2011

From a Dr. Mike Kelly MP media release:

Community groups around Australia can now apply for small grants to help fund local environmental and sustainable agriculture projects.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dr Mike Kelly, today announced that $5 million will be available through the 2011-12 Community Action Grants round.

“Community Action Grants are helping rural, urban and Indigenous community groups around Australia take action to conserve and protect their local environment and natural resources,” Dr Kelly said.

“Grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 are available to help local community groups undertake activities such as planting trees, revegetating landscapes, rehabilitating dunes, removing weeds, controlling pests, holding field days, recording traditional ecological knowledge and improving sustainable land management practices.”

Since Community Action Grants were announced in 2009, 877 projects have received funding worth more than $15 million (GST exclusive).

“We have listened to feedback from the community and this year eligibility has been broadened to include all local community groups that deliver environmental and sustainable agriculture projects,” Dr Kelly said.

“Eligible community groups may include rotary clubs, surf clubs and scout groups, in addition to Indigenous, Landcare, Coastcare and other local community groups.

“The Australian Government is committed to supporting local community and volunteer groups which play a vital role in restoring the landscape.”

Community Action Grants are part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

Funding allows volunteers and local community groups to contribute to the Caring for our Country priority areas of protecting biodiversity and natural icons, coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats, and using sustainable farm practices.

Applications for the 2011-12 Community Action Grants will close Monday 1 August 2011.

More information on Caring for our Country and Community Action Grants, including how to apply, is available at www.nrm.gov.au or by calling 1800 552 008.