National Indigenous Times

Issue 136 23 August 2007

BLACK FRIDAY: Turner devastated by racist laws
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: It's the blackest Friday ever in modern Australian history.” That's how Pat Turner - formerly the nation's most senior Indigenous bureaucrat - described the passage of the federal government's NT intervention legislation.

NT govt announces $286m abuse plan
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: The Northern Territory government has announced a $286 million plan to tackle Aboriginal disadvantage, in its official response to the child abuse report that prompted federal intervention.


Mutitjulu divided under permit scrap
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: Tourists will be able to wander the Central Australian community of Mutitjulu while rangers' accommodation only a few metres away is off limits to the public, says the Central Land Council (CLC).

Brough labels NT 'Closing the Gap' campaign as “underwhelming”Issue 136, August 23, 2007: Minister for Indigenous Affairs Mal Brough has labelled the Northern Territory government's response to the Little Children Are Sacred report as “underwhelming”, adding that it fails to address the needs of the current generation of Aboriginal children.

NT plan “good and practical”: Macklin
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: The Northern Territory government's $286 million plan to tackle Aboriginal disadvantage is a “good and practical start”, says federal Labor's Indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jenny Macklin.

Internet system to help with Aboriginal child health: Abbott Issue 136, August 23, 2007: The federal government says a new internet-based health system for remote areas will ensure health issues identified in Aboriginal children are properly followed up.

CDEP cuts put age and disability services at riskIssue 136, August 23, 2007: Care of the elderly and disabled in the town camps of Alice Springs is under threat because of a $98,0000 shortfall following the scrapping of the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP).

CDEP scraps hurt artists: ANKAAA
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: Thousands of Aboriginal artists will have their livelihoods threatened by the abolition of the permit system and the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) , says their representative body.

Indigenous population continues healthy growth: ABSIssue 126, August 23, 2007: The Indigenous Australian population continues to record healthy growth, according to new figures released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Library's Indig work wins award
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: A program teaching Aboriginal people in remote communities to read, use technology and preserve their culture has won the Northern Territory Library (NTL) a high-profile international award.

THE BIG READ: Heartbreak HillIssue 136, August 23, 2007: This month, the federal government rushed its NT emergency intervention legislation through parliament. The haste was indecent, to say nothing of the actual laws. In the end, after feigning moral indignation about some aspects of the laws, the Labor Party gave the legislation its full support. Both major parties passed the measures in the face of massive opposition from Indigenous leaders. Here are just some of the black voices that the Labor and Liberal parties ignored.

Nura Gili $1m richerIssue 136, August 13, 2007: Global financial services firm UBS has committed to a major investment in support of Indigenous programs at the University of New South Wales.

Priority Schools for a fair go
Issue 136, August 13, 2007: Education and Training Director-General, Michael Coutts-Trotter has praised the schools working through the Priority Schools Program as a living example of the Australian value of a “fair go for all”.

Bush business course takes off
Issue 136, August 23, 2007: A course in the Northern Territory is showing Aboriginal people how to build successful enterprises based on local natural resources.