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On this day, 10 years ago, the Federal Government implemented what has become known as The Intervention – sweeping powers aimed at Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, ostensibly based on unsubstantiated rumours of pedophile rings and wide spread drug use in Aboriginal communities. Much of the resulting panic was generated by the mainstream media. As a result, the Racial Discrimination Act was suspended - the Australian armed forces and Federal Police were sent into these communities and methodically enforced these extraordinary new laws. Since then, not one pedophile ring has been discovered in any Aboriginal community.
Today, on this 10th anniversary, a forum and discussion was held at the Redfern Community Centre, organised by STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney). The panel was chaired by Jeff McMullen and consisted of Steve Gumerungi Hodder Watt, Amelia Pangarte Kunoth-Monks and Nicole Watson.
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After the discussion, several community members spoke, including Aunty Jenny Munro, Uncle Lyall Munro Jnr, Aunty Shirley Lomas, Aunty Deborah Campbell and Kaleesha Morris.
Some resonating comments during the evening included:
“The evidence showed there was more sexual abuse here in New South Wales than what was happening in the Northern Territory… yet the stigma remained with Aboriginal people” – Jeff McMullen
“The women ran into the bush – it was like another Stolen Generation all over again” – Amelia Pangarte Kunoth-Monks
“There was a fear that if I gave my children a hug they’d take my children away from me.” - Amelia Pangarte Kunoth-Monks
“As an Aboriginal man, [The Intervention] made me feel ashamed of being around my own children in case they thought I was abusing them.” – Steve Gumerungi Hodder Watt.
“Rates of imprisonment have increased by 41%... it was implemented in a way that demonised and strangled the hopes of Aboriginal people.” – Nicole Watson
“ We have a renaissance of men and women as our leaders… but one thing we lack is respect.” – Nicole Watson
“It’s time for an intervention by us black people because our sovereignty has never been ceded” – Aunty Shirley Lomas
This week marks 10 years since the Australian Federal government unilaterally enforced a set of far-reaching laws specifically aimed at Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. Many communities claim this move was a a pretext for a land grab and to further undermine Aboriginal connection to their ancestral lands and their culture.
Below are some photographs of the speakers at today's forum discussing the 10th Anniversary of the Intervention in the Northern Territory, presented by Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology Sydney.
One of the most reverberating comments about the Intervention, which included the landing of army troops into Aboriginal communities, was made by speaker Kylie Sambo. "It felt like an invasion..." she said.
From the organizers:
"The Northern Territory Intervention, launched by John Howard in June 2007, was the biggest attack on Aboriginal rights in many generations. The Australian Army was sent into Aboriginal communities and the Racial Discrimination Act was suspended to push through a host of draconian measures to allow the Commonwealth to take control of Aboriginal people and their lands.
A decade later, the Intervention has disappeared from public debate, but Aboriginal communities continue to deal with severe breaches of their human rights. Many of the measures remain in place, extended until at least 2022 under ‘Stronger Futures’ legislation. Conditions in communities have deteriorated, with many social indicators such as rates of incarceration, child removal, attempted suicide and school attendance going backwards. Intervention policies such as the quarantining of welfare payments and withdrawal of resources from remote Aboriginal communities have spread out across Australia."
Speakers included Pat Turner, Stephen Bunbadgee Hodder-Watt and Kylie Sambo. The forum was hosted by Prof. Larissa Behrendt.
Part of a continuing series of photographs about the 24/7 Kitchen and Safe Space for the Homeless, set up in Martin Place in Sydney and run entirely by the homeless community, volunteers and donations from local businesses, community groups and individuals.
The space was set up on Xmas eve last year by Lanz Priestly and has since been continuously threatened by Sydney City Council with closure, despite the increasing demand for its services: food, clothing and a safe place to sleep and socialize for the homeless and rough sleepers of Sydney. Today, with the latest threat of closure looming, an urgent meeting amongst the residents was held to discuss the space’s plans in response.
Tonight, with winter having just begun, a small church group unexpectedly arrived, donating sleeping bags rated to -15 degrees. And the coffee was kept on the boil and the food kept being served as the numbers swelled into the night.
More info: https://www.facebook.com/Sydney247StreetKitchenSafeSpace/
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Photographs from a corroboree at Koojay, also known as Coogee Beach, to celebrate Reconciliation Week. Featuring performers from the Matraville Soldiers’ Settlement Public School and the Doonooch Dancers. Speakers included Dean Kelly, Marcia Ella-Duncan, Calita Murray and Shane Phillips.
The 26th of May 2017, known as ‘Sorry Day’, is the 20th anniversary of the tabling of the 'Bringing Them Home Report', after the inquiry into the so-called ‘Stolen Generation’, the systematic removal of Aboriginal children from their families. In 2008, former Prime-Minister Kevin Rudd apologised on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliament for these removals. Since that apology advocates claim that governmental removal of Aboriginal children has actually increased – by a staggering 400% - effectively creating the next Stolen Generation.
Yesterday, a group of protesters, including the mother and sister of Dylan Voller, marched from Victoria Park to the number 1 platform at Central Station, where many Aboriginal children were whisked away to white foster families or institutionalised in government run homes, such as Kinchela Boys Home and Cootamundra Girls Home, where they were often abused and traumatised. Meeting the protesters at Platform 1 were men and women of the 'first' Stolen Generation, who spoke powerfully to the crowd about the experiences.
The repeated statement of the night: "Sorry Means You Don't Do It Again!"
About 150 students and staff convened at the University of Technology Sydney to protest against racism and Islamophobia after a Muslim student was assaulted on campus in a racially motivated attack.
Today’s rally coincided on the same day of a bombing at a concert in Manchester, UK, as speakers demanded resistance against racism and against further attacks against the Muslim community here in Sydney.
Portraits of some of the homeless and rough sleepers at the '24/7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space' at Martin Place, Sydney, part of an ongoing photographic project.
After successive Council raids and evictions, the space continues to provide safe sleeping places, food, sanitary products, books, clothing and other services. As winter approaches, more and more homeless men, women and LGBTQIA are flocking to this vital service, run by the homeless themselves and funded by donations from local businesses and community members. The fact that demand is so high is a damning indictment not only of the failure of other social services (and lack thereof) but also of government policy more broadly.
Situated directly opposite the Reserve Bank of Australia, it starkly raises the question, 'What kind of society do we want?'
Donations can be made directly at Martin Place or by going to the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Sydney247StreetKitchenSafeSpace/
Pictured (in order of appearance): T.J., Lanz Priestly, Greg Kinchela, Nigel, Dan Peter, Loretta, Jordan, Gavin
On this day, April the 29th, 1770, then Lieutenant James Cook and around 50 marines landed on the shores of what is now known as Botany Bay, shot at two Gweagle men and stole several items including a shield and spears. It signalled the first day of a British invasion, the legacy of which is still being felt. Today, around forty people gathered at the landing spot where these events first occured 247 years ago. Speakers spoke powerfully about the consequences of that day, claiming this anniversary - not the one marking January 26, 1788 - as the true first day of invasion.
Rodney Kelly, the organizer of the gathering and descendant of one of the Gweagle men shot by Cook's party, pointed out that some of the convicts who were subsequently sent here, were done so for simply stealing a loaf of bread, yet the British colonialists stole an entire continent without consequence. Richard Green sang and spoke with passion and humour, with support from Sharon Lee and Ronald Jemmott. Other speakers included Uncle Ken Canning and Elizabeth Jarrett.
Playing with the autumnal light one early morning at Bronte Beach with the wonderfully talented Sage.
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Today, on ANZAC Day, about 200 people gathered at The Block in Redfern to remember the Aboriginal men and women who served in the Australian defence forces, particularly in WW1 and WW2, and who on return to Australia found themselves without citizenship or recognition for their services.
The event also commemorated the victims of the so-called 'Frontier Wars', the series of ongoing wars which resulted from the British invasion of what is now known as Australia.
The contingent marched from the Block to Redfern Park, where a smoking took place and wreaths laid.
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How to photograph today's ANZAC parade without descending into jingoism or the glorification of war?
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As Australia celebrates ANZAC Day, around 300 people commemorated the 201st anniversary of the Appin massacre, on the site where scores of Dharawal men, women and children were massacred over the cliffs to the south west of what is now known as Sydney.
Here, a 'smoking' ceremony takes place at today's events. More photos to come.
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Images of Aunty Jenny Munro and supporters of the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy at tonight's meeting where the AHC presented plans for a massive redevelopment of student housing at The Block.
Aunty Jenny Munro being interviewed by NITV outside the Redfern Community Centre where new plans by the Aboriginal Housing Company to further redevelop The Block came under sustained fire during a stormy meeting. Media were barred from documenting the meeting by AHC representatives.
Aunty Jenny Munro led a 15-month campaign against redevelopment by setting up the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 2014, which culminated in an agreement for the funding of low cost housing for Aboriginal families. She promises that any further change to this agreement by the AHC will see the continuation of the Battle for the Block - this time, Round 2.
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Sydney's 2017 Mardi Gras parade saw off the threatening rain and was headed out by the First Nations Float after a smoking ceremony by Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison at Hyde Park.
Here are some photos of the parade, with a focus on the First Nations float but also with a few other general shots of the festivities.
The after party at Bar Cleveland was hosted by Nana Miss Koori and featured the Dreamtime Divas (Nova Gina and Lasey Dunaman) and Black Pearl.
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T.J. Hickey, a young Aboriginal boy, would have been 30 today had he not been killed in a police chase through Redfern and Waterloo in Sydney's inner city, 13 years ago.
Today, despite torrential rain, protestors rallied from the site of T.J.'s death in Waterloo to NSW Parliament, demanding the reopening of an investigation into the circumstances leading to the boy's impaling on a fence. They maintain that police were involved in T.J.s death - a murder rather than an accident.
Furthermore, the ninth annual 'Closing The Gap' report was today released in Parliament, indicating the overwhelming and increasing failure of government to alleviate disadvantage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this country. Indicators such as health, employment, education, housing, well-being and life expectancy are dramatically and structurally skewed against Aboriginal peoples.
The full report can be found at: http://closingthegap.pmc.gov.au/
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