![](//t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQe6qgdJqn2JoDGEmpscyibpVHik-_nk6_quw7G2AorYRVIR7BcOl5F0rjNsTbfO-fU-wRIZQQ)
SBS
What Easter means for Indigenous AustraliaSBSBut Pastor and Kabi Kabi and Goreng Goreng man, Ray Minnieco, says that the Easter period resonates deeply with
Indigenous spiritual traditions, thanks to the story of sacrifice. “For me in terms of our
Aboriginal spirituality, the story of sacrifice
...
![](//t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQe6qgdJqn2JoDGEmpscyibpVHik-_nk6_quw7G2AorYRVIR7BcOl5F0rjNsTbfO-fU-wRIZQQ)
SBS
What Easter means for Indigenous AustraliaSBSBut Pastor and Kabi Kabi and Goreng Goreng man, Ray Minnieco, says that the Easter period resonates deeply with
Indigenous spiritual traditions, thanks to the story of sacrifice. “For me in terms of our
Aboriginal spirituality, the story of sacrifice
...
“For me in terms of our Aboriginal spirituality, the story of sacrifice [has] always been a very important part of our spirituality, our culture, our traditions ...
Professor Bowman read an Aboriginal legend recorded in 1894 by pioneering German anthropologist and missionary Carl Strehlow, which was only ...
The scientific world is stunned by research which backs an Aboriginal legend about how palm trees got to Central Australia. Several years ago ...
An attempt by Marama Fox to condemn the Australian Government's closure of Aboriginal communities was stopped by the Leader of the House Gerry ...
MARK COLVIN: Indigenous leaders in South Australia are calling for a guarantee that remote communities in the state won't close as a result of funding cuts.
Crisis meetings were held in the state over the weekend, and leaders are calling for an urgent meeting with the State Government.
The West Australian Government has suggested closing some communities as a result of Federal Government funding cuts.
The South Australian Government says it's pushing the Commonwealth to change its decision, but Indigenous groups say the lack of a plan B is causing anxiety.
In Adelaide, Natalie Whiting reports.
NATALIE WHITING: The fall out of a Federal Government plan to hand over responsibility for funding remote communities to the states has focussed on Western Australia.
But in South Australia, around 60 Indigenous communities are also facing an uncertain future.
The funding covers essential services like electricity and water supply and garbage collection.
Aboriginal leaders from across South Australia met at the weekend, and say they need an urgent meeting with the State Government.
Haydyn Bromley is from South Australia's Aboriginal Lands Trust.
HAYDYN BROMLEY: Communities are extremely worried and extremely stressed at the moment. A lot of the Aboriginal people who are living on community are living there and have a very strong connection affiliation to country, which delivers for them their security and their spiritual wellbeing and health.
So you force people off the land, you force people out of their country and it will have a negative impact on issues like closing the gap.
NATALIE WHITING: The Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has flagged closing 150 communities in the wake of the federal cuts.
In South Australia, the State Government is continuing to fight the Commonwealth's plan.
But Mr Bromley says a plan B is needed.
HAYDYN BROMLEY: With all due respect to the State Government, it's reassuring to know that they're not planning on closing the communities, but if they don't have a plan B on how they're going to fund the communities, it is closure by stealth.
Now it's okay to say, “Yes, we're not going to do this,” but unless they come up with how they're going to stop it, it's going to happen.
NATALIE WHITING: Indigenous leaders from all of the affected communities took part in the crisis meeting.
They all agreed Indigenous voices need to be involved in the current discussions.
HAYDYN BROMLEY: At the moment, our priority is meeting urgently with the State Government to address the issue and business arising from the weekend. Following that we want to… we are seeking a meeting with Minister Scullion to try and address how we're going to navigate forward.
NATALIE WHITING: South Australian Greens MLC Tammy Franks has raised the issue in Parliament.
TAMMY FRANKS: The Federal Government are the ones who set this ball rolling. The State Government has so far refused the deals offered to it by the Federal Government. The uncertainty is because the Federal Government changed its policies, so let's be clear on that. But the State Government and the Federal Government now just need to both step up and guarantee the future for these Indigenous communities.
NATALIE WHITING: The State Minister for Indigenous Affairs Kyam Maher has been holding meetings with his Federal counterpart, Nigel Scullion.
Ms Franks says she's hoping to see a resolution shortly.
TAMMY FRANKS: I would hope that in the next week or so, we can have an announcement from both those ministers that gives security, that can show that the South Australian and the Federal Government can actually do the right thing by Indigenous communities, and give them certainty of their future essential services.
NATALIE WHITING: Would you like the State Government to give a guarantee that it won't look to close communities if the cuts do go ahead?
TAMMY FRANKS: Sure, but then the Federal Government would withdraw the money and we'd have to find that as a state somewhere else, and as we know South Australia does struggle with finding money to fund the essentials that we need.
And it has been a Federal Government responsibility to date, they shouldn't pull out without guaranteeing that money straight to state.
NATALIE WHITING: So do you think, though, if they do pull out, it will be feasible for SA to maintain these communities?
TAMMY FRANKS: Well they've always said that they'll pull out with and they've put $10 million on the table prior - that's not enough. There needs to be more on the table from the Feds.
NATALIE WHITING: In a statement, the State Minister Kyam Maher said talks with the Federal Government have been positive.
He says both governments understand the need to resolve the issue quickly.
MARK COLVIN: Natalie Whiting reporting.
After spending time in Australia on her sabbatical in 2003, Beebe and her late husband, John, began collecting Aboriginal Art. Their converted barn in ...
Parts of Australia have been privileged to see dazzling lights in the night sky ... In 1851, Aboriginal people near Hobart said an aurora made noise like ...
He will arrive in Australia on Monday – his third visit – and will conduct his only ... and surveillance unit, about 60 per cent of whom are Aboriginal.
The prince is due to arrive in Australia on the 6th April and will split his time ... This month's secondment to Australia will be one of the final acts of his ... fire exercises, and will also spend time meeting the local Aboriginal population.
Captain Harry Wales will patrol the north with Aboriginal soldiers and train with special forces during his month-long secondment to the Australian ...
But in July 2013, the WA Department of Aboriginal Affairs introduced ... MacIntyre told Guardian Australia the guidelines used by the department ...
The Member of Parliament Josie Farrer, who introduced reform of Western Australia's constitution and the recognition of Indigenous people to ...
"I really feel proud to be the first Aboriginal man to go there and conquer the ... "What we really want to do is show all Australians, and especially ...
Pages