Archives 2016

Media reporting and policies almost always focus on what is “wrong” with Indigenous Australians. They look at the problems Indigenous people face compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
 
Current government policy is titled the “Indigenous Advancement Strategy”. But its very name suggests that Aboriginal people are in some way “behind” or “lacking”, needing to be advanced

Signalling hills and lookouts were of immense importance for Aboriginal groups. They were often pivotal landmarks in the Songlines landscape, major means of communication and education, and tools for co-ordinated hunting or fishing. Their importance is reflected in some Aboriginal place names, for instance Nildottie in South Australia, which actually meant "smoke signal hill."

Aboriginal signalling lookouts are of interest for the role they seem to have played in co-ordinating resistance activities. [node:read-more:link]

The United Nations Office of the High Commission on Human Rights has made a rare foray into West Australian politics, calling on the Legislative Council to vote down the Barnett Government’s controversial anti-protest laws.

The laws would create criminal offences punishable by up to two years jail or a $24,000 fine for “physically preventing lawful activity” or possessing any “thing” police suspect was intended to be used for that offence. [node:read-more:link]

Action has begun in the High Court to try to stop a native title deal that could be worth $1.3 billion to the Noongar people of the south west of Western Australia.

The challenge is by other Noongar native title claimants who say they did not agree to the deal with the WA government to relinquish native title rights in return for a $1.3 billion compensation package.

The package would include land and funds for a trust to be managed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders. [node:read-more:link]