Politics

The Bar Association of NSW's submission to a Law Reform Commission inquiry into First Nations incarceration calls for a new approach to sentencing which takes into account the deprivation and disadvantage inherent in an individual's Aboriginal background. The association also calls for an end to mandatory sentences, which make it impossible for courts to make any allowance for such disadvantage in their decisions. The rate at which Aboriginal people end up in jail is appalling and in NSW last year Aboriginal people were 3 per cent of the population, but 24 per cent of the prison population.

The United Nations has described Australia's lack of progress on Closing the Gap as "woefully inadequate", saying the over-incarceration of Indigenous people is a major human rights concern. Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Ms Tauli-Corpuz said it was unacceptable that despite two decades of economic growth, Australia had not been able to improve the social disadvantage of its Indigenous population. She urged the Federal Government to establish a treaties and truth-telling commission.

On his return from Uluru, Ghillar, Michael Anderson details the rigged processes of the Referendum Council's National Convention and the subsequent media: 'I was absolutely shocked and horrified at the disjointed discussion that occurred on ABC TV Q&A last night ( 29 May 2017). In my opinion the conclusions that occurred at the Referendum Council's National Convention at Yulara, Ayers Rock Resort, were totally betrayed by the Q&A panel. Having been permitted to sit as an observer in the main National Convention at Yulara near Uluru, I was privy to observe the proceedings and I sat through the 'Synthesis' of the Regional Dialogues and what they called the breakout workshops as well, where the key topics were 'The Voice', 'Treaty', 'Strategy'.

The message from the grassroots is clear. We are the Sovereign Owners of Our Nations.

Our Law is the Law of the land. We oppose the lies and the hypocrisy of the Australian government's Referendum Council and their highly paid sellouts.

We are the true Sovereign owners of our land. NO CONSENT to theft, lies and government and corporate propaganda.

Here is the Statement made by the delegates at the Referendum Council meeting in Uluru on Friday 26 May, 2017. some delegates walked out of the meeting on day 2 of procedures due to frustrations regarding the way the processes were conducted and they were not allowed back in later.
The website admin will reserve judgement on this statement until the Sovereign Union legal eagles have time to survey it and any other associated paperwork and comment ... but it looks disastrous to a layperson.

A formal complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about the serious breaches of process that have occurred and are currently occurring by the Referendum Council, which has been formed under the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Maureen E. Davis, Marbk and Ghillar, Michael Anderson include several articles that explain the inconsistencies and deviations from the Referendum Council's stated processes. They call for an immediate investigation of the matters raised and also call for the formal suspension and termination of the activities of the Referendum Council.

Treaty: Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN) - Inter Nation Multilateral Treaty at the original site of the 1972 Embassy in Canberra, 10:00am Wednesday 10 May 2017.
23 First Nations across southern Queensland and northern, north west, upper western and western New South Wales gathered in Canberra yesterday for today's signing of a Multilateral Treaty between these First Nations, which affirms each Nation's independent sovereign status.       ...

Isobelle Anderson of the Kirjin Nation in Far North Queensland has made an official complaint to June Oscar AO, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait and Islander Social Justice Commissioner, regarding the way the Referendum Council is conducting their Regional Dialogue meetings and called the whole process a 'circus'    ...   'To make a complaint to the Ombudsman in Canberra, I have to lodge a complaint with the Commonwealth Agency first. I cannot do this because they will not allow me to ...'   

'We do need to understand who is running the Referendum Council, which is now trying to distance itself from the failed Recognise and Reconciliation campaign for the constitutional inclusion of the words 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders'. This engine room they call the 'Referendum Council' must be urgently scrutinised. Who are these people and what are their backgrounds?' - Ghillar, Michael Anderson provides an overview of the deceit by our own people who are being led by a government with a treacherous agenda.

The regional meetings set up by the Referendum Council have been a farce. The 'Delegates' were hand-picked and without any representative election process. Their selection didn't meet western democratic standards or First Nations' protocols. The aim of these meetings has proven to be what many expected, a total whitewash. Anyone with alternative opinions or ideas were unable to speak or even record the events. However SU Volunteers monitored the proceedings at the Sydney meeting and provide their comprehensive report here.