Sovereignty

A camp on Perth's Heirisson Island set up in response to the planned closure of remote Aboriginal communities has been granted a stay of execution, after the city extended the deadline on an order to tear it down.
The island camp, which lies just east of the city's CBD, was set up about 10 days ago.Campers had been told to remove the tents, couches, tables and chairs by 12pm Thursday, but the City of Perth has now extended that deadline to 12pm Friday. [node:read-more:link]

City of Perth chief executive Gary Stevenson said on Wednesday that the group seemed to be more of a political protest on broader state and federal issues, rather than on the needs of homeless. The campers had been given until midday on Thursday to leave, but that deadline has now been extended to noon on Friday. A City spokeswoman said the deadline did not mean the council would enforce anything at that time, but that the situation would be reassessed. Two articles and an audio report from Marianne Headland McKay. [node:read-more:link]

VIDEO INCLUDED - Djurin Nyoongar Swan River Treaty officially sanctioned at Matargarup (Heirisson Island) in the Swan River on 1 March 2015. Various groups of the Djurin Republic and Nyoongar Nation came together to sign the Swan River Treaty on this day. "Placing our trust in our Creator and the Stories of our Dreamings, we, the following members of the Nyoongar Nation, affix our signatures representing each of the clans to this Treaty from this day forth to be known as the Swan River Treaty." [node:read-more:link]

An Indigenous protest against remote community closures in WA has been dismissed by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Peter Collier as premature. Aboriginal activists have set up camp on Perth's Heirisson Island, creating what they describe as a "refugee camp" for Aboriginal people displaced by the Government's planned closure of up to 150 communities across WA. The group has written a letter to the WA Governor, in response to the State Government's pronouncement last year that they would close up to 150 Aboriginal communities. [node:read-more:link]

A group of Indigenous campers on Heirisson Island say the self-declared refugee camp is “for all homeless and displaced person” and not a protest. The camp has been running since Sunday, with a sign declaring the area “Private property of the Djurin Republic”. The group are reportedly also protesting the proposed closure of remote communities in the State’s north. “This is a refugee camp, and it’s dry and peaceful,” one camper Willow said. “It’s for all homeless and displaced persons, we are not protesting or declaring war. [node:read-more:link]

A group of First Nations women have established a 'Sovereign Tent Embassy' at Matargarup (Heirisson Island) WA which also hosts a "Refugee Camp" for their homeless sisters and brothers and for the displaced First Nations people from their Homelands. Elder Maureen Culbong said, "We will stand in even stronger numbers together than even the two years ago where we stood for so long. There are so many issues our peoples face that we need the Embassy as a place of sanctity for all those hurting ... " [node:read-more:link]

The Freedom Movement held a Sit-In at Parliament House on 27 January, 2015. - There is no greater rights struggle than the Aboriginal rights struggle. It is a human rights struggle where not only the First Peoples of this continent were violently and murderously dispossessed of their lands but since the advent of British colonialism onto their shores they were subjected to segregation, apartheid and the systematic destruction of their cultures and languages – more than 350 First Peoples' nations and languages have been impacted. [node:read-more:link]

A federal government Ministers meeting passed a resolution supporting the four broad themes for change outlined in the federal government's initial response, which are reducing the overcrowding in the curriculum, promoting a parent-friendly version of the curriculum, improving accessibility for students with disabilities, and rebalancing the curriculum with the removal of the 'overarching themes' of Australian First Nations, Asia and sustainability issues embedded in curriculum subjects. [node:read-more:link]