Mabo Day - But no cake with 15 candles
It's not that there haven't been any positive outcomes in the Native Title and Land Rights arena, which by the way are two different concepts. For some background on what these terms actually imply and other facts on native title, I recommend to check out the National NT Tribunal site . As of a few days ago, out of 102 applications to the Tribunal in the last 10 years , in 68 cases the decision was that native title exists, 34 that it didn't. The most prominent legal action recently was the successful case of the Noongar people in WA, where the Federal Court upheld their native title claim over some 6'000 sqkm of Perth, a capitol city.
But just to underline the hypocrisy inherent in Australian politics, instead of celebrating with the traditional owners, the federal and WA governments are appealing the decision. As Prof. Mick Dodson clearly stated at this years Mabo lecture in Cairns, state and federal governments often are the ones fighting native title claims through drawn out litigation. Prof Dodson said the WA government, with encouragement from the commonwealth, has tried "every dirty trick" to oppose the recognition of native title in the south west of WA."This is not just political opposition for the sake of securing the redneck voters," he said. "It is structural and systematic opposition by governments at all levels to the recognition of native title."
Prof Dodson said the need for indigenous people to assert their rights to self-determination was paramount.
And right he is. The situation for many of his people is dreadful. The half-baked solutions worked out by governments consist generally of patching up symptoms, the customary blame shifting, empty promises, in other words business as usual. To make ourself a bit of a picture of what is going down, lets have a look at this weeks headlines.Does it really have to be that way? It is a shame of sort that a rich nation such as Australia can't ensure noticeable improvements in the lives of its indigenous people. But it doesn't stop there. John Howard, who's first action as incoming PM in 1996 was to slash ATSIC's budget by one third, seems to be now exporting his regressive politics.
Mabo And Self Determination - Bookshelf
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (Revised Edition), Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing
Demonstrates the synergy of physical and spiritual healing through the use of herbal medicine and other alternative methods that complement a doctor's care.Crime and punishment
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT N an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and walked slowly, ...War and peace
But the calm, luxurious St. Petersburg life, busying itself only with the apparitions and reflections of life, went on as of old ; and through the tenor of ...Romeo and Juliet
o Romeo and Juliet BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEAKE CASSELL and COMPANY, Limited LONDOit, PARIS $ MELBOURNE 1890. ...And Then There Were None
This novel concerns a group of ten strangers who have all been invited by a Mr. U. N. Owen to spend a brief vacation at a small, somewhat secluded island off ...Day-by-day Info Directory
Mabo/self determination
aboriginal law, self determination, sovereignty. An Expression Of ... Australia, Mabo judgement, native title, self determination, self-government, sovereignty ...
Mabo/Terra Nullius/The Mabo Decision
And the Justices said that the question of whether that sovereignty ... Australia, Mabo judgement, native title, self determination, self-government, sovereignty ...
Aboriginal sovereignty: reflections ... - Google Books
1 The issue of sovereignty 2 Indigenous nationalism, self-determination 3 The development of Aboriginal identity 4 Mabo and the historians 5 Mabo and the question of ...
self-determination | ANTaR - Australians for Native Title and ...
self-determination. All articles on Indigenous self-determination. ... "Making the system fairer and less onerous, and providing the right for Native Title ...
Mabo - The Next Steps | ANTaR - Australians for Native Title ...
I have come today to praise Eddie Koiki Mabo, the man, and to continue his fight for dignity and respect. ... and, as such, have the right to exercise self-determination as ...