there's our catastrophe

Apr 21

New Northern Territory Intervention Changes

Retains current alcohol bans, but increases penalties to six months imprisonment for liquor offences under 1350 milliliters, or an 18 month maximum prison sentence for liquor offences greater than 1350 millilitres.

The Indigenous affairs minister will be able to request that Northern Territory licensing assessors assess premises that sell, or allow for the consumption of alcohol, where there is concern that they are contributing to alcohol-related harm to Aboriginal people.

Retains porn bans in prescribed areas.

One of the biggest concerns raised by submissions to the inquiry included the harsh penalties on alcohol possession in prescribed areas. The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA)’s Johnathon Hunyor told the inquiry there was little evidence to suggest that increased penalties worked.

“I think that one of the issues we need to look at every time an increase in penalty and an increase in imprisonment is imposed is: what is the opportunity cost if realistically that is going to mean sending more people to jail?
Jail costs more than $100 000 per person per year, according to the Productivity Commission. Surely there are better ways to be spending that money on the sorts of things…touched on today that are lacking in our communities - that is rehabilitation, culturally appropriate services and culturally relevant treatment. That is where we should be putting the energy and resources, not on increasing the potential for people to go to jail.”

Source: “Stolen Futures: And You Thought There Was Nothing Left To Flog” Tracker Magazine Vol 2. Issue 12, APRIL 2012 p. 14

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Mar 8

mosshunt:

The Stronger Futures legislation plans to replace the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (otherwise known as the “Northern Territory Intervention”), which was due to expire in August 2012. The Northern Territory Intervention has attracted national and international condemnation for its racial discrimination against Aboriginal people and their culture.

However, the new legislation plans to maintain many elements of the Northern Territory Intervention for a further 10 years, and will further increase Government control over Aboriginal people and their lands.

These measures include:

Prohibition of consideration of Aboriginal customary law and cultural practice in criminal sentencing. This makes Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory the only group of people in Australia for whom the court cannot consider the cultural circumstances of an offence.

Blanket bans on alcohol on Aboriginal Land, despite consistent opposition from the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the NT (APO NT) who have said, “The decision regarding alcohol restrictions should be for relevant residents to make… The principal effect of these widely flouted laws has been to further criminalise and alienate many residents”.

Increases in penalties for possession of alcohol on Aboriginal Land, including 6 months potential jail time for a single can of beer and 18 months for more than 1.35L of alcohol.

“Star Chamber” powers by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) for investigations in Aboriginal communities, including removal of the right to silence.

Special powers that allow police to enter houses and vehicles in Aboriginal communities without a warrant, on ‘suspicion’ of possession of alcohol.

Makes laws allowing for information to be transferred about an individual, to any Federal, State or Territory government department or agency, without an individual’s knowledge or consent.

Blanket bans on “sexually explicit or very violent material” on Aboriginal Land. These restrictions serve no purpose other than the stigmatisation of Aboriginal men.

Complete Commonwealth control over regulations in Community Living Areas and town camps.

Continued suspension of the permit system in Aboriginal townships, in direct contradiction of APO NT who have said that: “communities on Aboriginal Land feel as though they have lost control… the flow on effects are overwhelmingly seen as negative and counterproductive to community safety”.

An expansion of the School Enrolment and Attendance Measure (SEAM) means parents whose children miss school more than 5 times over 2 terms will have their welfare payments slashed. This comes despite consistent concerns raised by Aboriginal families of inappropriate education in Aboriginal schools that is failing to engage their children.

Excessive licensing requirements on local grocery stores operating in Aboriginal communities, so strict that they could force store closure.

The Stronger Futures “jobs package” includes 50 new ranger positions and 100 “traineeships”. But this will not compensate for the more than 2000 remaining waged Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) positions that the Government will cut by April 2012; the final attack on a vibrant program which was the lifeblood of many communities, employing upwards of 7500 people before the NT Intervention.

Proposed amendments to the Social Security Act will see further attacks on the rights of welfare recipients. These measures will initially be targeted at Aboriginal people in the NT, but have national implications, especially in areas such as Bankstown or Shepparton where Income Management is being rolled out from July 2012.

http://standforfreedom.org.au/about/

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Jan 24

BEING SOBER ON SURVIVAL/INVASION DAY IN AUSTRALIA

siriuslydeep:

I don’t really drink alcohol. For heaps of reasons. But I definately won’t be drinking on Invasion/Survival Day this year. I guess I hope to be one less Anglo/white persyn putting money into/supporting this booze-fueled day of false nationalism. Getting drunk can make people less aware of their behaviour, and more prone to aggression and violence. Energetically and literally speaking, I don’t want to participate in getting wasted or celebrating this day as it represents the beginning and perpetuation of genocide, rape, colonisation and assimilation in this country by white people towards Indigenous people. And more recently, a growing sense of “white pride”/patriotism, violence and hatred directed towards people of colour/people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in this country.

Maybe this could be something other white people could do to take the “celebration” of invasion out of this day. To focus more on remembering and continued recognition of Australia’s first people’s, and acknowledging what it means to be a white persyn in this country and the effect our morals and behaviour has on everyone around us who is not profiting from white supremacy. By taking steps to create positive actions both mentally and physically, maybe we could make some real changes. Or at least I hope so.

if there was just one day where I support a complete ban on intoxicants for white people, it would be invasion/survival/sovereignty day. the amount of drunken nationalist aggression is often frightening. if you’re white, even if you personally aren’t particularly racist or nationalistic, if you’re on the streets drunk on this day, think about how that affects people around you, especially people of colour and especially Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. fuck, I would definitely cross to the other side of the street if I saw some drunken fool in flag face paint, how do you think people who are actually targeted by racism are gonna feel?

while I’m on the topic, some other things to do on this thurs jan 26th:

it is the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, an amazing achievement. the Embassy is having a huge gathering.

if you’re in melbourne there is an afternoon Survival Day concert in Belgrave. later that evening it is POC the Mic. do. yourself. a favour. you will not regret going to either of these events, it won’t be an act of dutiful penitence or anything like that. I mean, let it be noted that I am not opposed to dutiful penitence. but I am also in favour of seeing really accomplished feminist musicians like Lou Bennett for free, or for consistently getting my socks knocked off by the amazing array of multidisciplinary talent at POC the Mic.

one other thing that is worth doing is donating to the Ruby Hunter Foundation. Ruby Hunter was a renowned Ngarrindjeri musician who died last year aged just 55. the Foundation needs $40,000 for the production of an album of songs Ruby wrote for and about Aboriginal children called “Butcher Paper, Texta, Blackboard and Chalk” and an accompanying picture book and dvd. considering the appalling pay gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, making a donation to a grassroots Aboriginal organisation is probably a better use of my semi-hard-earned money (I had to really sweet-talk that Matchworks lady, ok!) than fancier pillows. I still really want new pillows though.

(via siriuslydeep-deactivated2012071)

Sep 2

Indigenous incarceration soars

leonineantiheroine:

LEXI METHERELL: […]

And despite it being more than 20 years since the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Royal Commission, the number of Indigenous people being imprisoned is one of the indicators on the rise. In the 10 years to 2010, the rate of incarceration of Indigenous women rose 60 per cent and 35 per cent for Indigenous men.

Robert Fitzgerald is the convenor of the committee which prepared the report. He says a key reason for the rise in Indigenous imprisonment is mandatory sentencing.

ROBERT FITZGERALD: Mandatory sentencing, you know, two strikes and you’re out sort of policies and what have you. If they’re not very carefully applied, will have a devastating effect in Indigenous communities.

LEXI METHERELL: And those on the frontline warn it’s only getting worse. The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in Darwin says new alcohol laws in the Northern Territory will only push up the incarceration rate. Priscilla Collins is the agency’s chief executive.

PRISCILLA COLLINS: You know, a lot of the banning notices were concerned that, you know, people are going to come in contact with the criminal justice system as the result of that because, you know, if you’re going to continue to ban someone for drinking, eventually they’re just going to end up coming into contact with the system and then, you know, they’re back in court.

LEXI METHERELL: A new $300 million prison is being planned in the Northern Territory to cope with the growing prisoner numbers, but Priscilla Collins says that’s the wrong focus.

PRISCILLA COLLINS: If you’ve got a drink driver, you just need to send them to jail all the time, I mean you need to address what the underlying issue is. Now I have seen the structure of the new prison and yes it is good in that, you know, when people go there, there are more education programs and rehab programs. But those programs should be available for people outside of the prison. You know, people shouldn’t have to wait till they get to prison to be able to access those services.

“…[from 2000 to 2010] the rate of incarceration of Indigenous women rose 60 per cent and 35 per cent for Indigenous men.”

talk about the myth of progress, aaargh

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there's our catastrophe

work is its own cure. you have to like it better than being loved. ⚑ ♀

New Northern Territory Intervention Changes

BEING SOBER ON SURVIVAL/INVASION DAY IN AUSTRALIA

Indigenous incarceration soars

work is its own cure. you have to like it better than being loved.

⚑ ♀