Hello everyone,
I had intended to add this information to Prompts this week but neglected to do so, hence this extra message today. What follows are three items related to the decision by the Federal Government to send extra police into aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. The radio news this morning indicated that those police are now present in many of those communities.
First is a media release last Saturday (23rd July) by our Moderator, David Pitman.
Second is a media release by the United Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress.
Thirdly is an open letter from Queensland Churches Together, preceded by the email explanation from Don Whebell.
I include these to you in the knowledge that while we will have differing opinions on the issues at hand, I believe that it is important for all members of the Uniting Church in North Queensland to know what has been said on our behalf by the Moderator, what is the UAICC’s position on the matter and what the National Council of Churches in Australia (of which we are a member church) is also saying.
On another point, I apologize for sending on to you in yesterdays Prompts the 2 hoax messages regarding policing issues. We need to be more diligent.
Bruce C.
The Moderator of the Queensland Synod Rev Dr David Pitman has just released (23rd July) this statement in response to the Federal Government announcement regarding Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
Cheers
Bruce Mullan (Editor of Journey)
“The announcement by the Prime Minister regarding intervention by the Federal Government into the critical situation of child abuse in indigenous communities is a matter for grave concern.
No one doubts either the seriousness of the problem or the urgent need for a constructive and sustained response, notwithstanding the recent release of yet another report, these realities have been disturbingly obvious for years.
Now, with an election just months away, the action proposed by the Prime Minister smacks of political expediency.
He could be forgiven if what was being proposed represented a strategic plan for the future of indigenous communities addressing the key issues of employment, health, education and housing, developed and implemented in consultation and cooperation with indigenous leaders.
Instead, the declared intent is the imposition of a series of social and legal penalties to be enforced by a special contingent of police.
In this way the Federal Government shrugs off its long-
It is reprehensible that it should now propose to use the force of law to compensate for its own lack of commitment and endeavour on behalf of our indigenous people.
It is deplorable that it should use the threat of withholding welfare from already desperately needy families in order to impose its will in this matter.
This will only ensure that those already suffering will suffer even more!
So now, it seems, having instituted and maintained the context in which these appalling problems have been allowed to develop, we are to turn back the clock and impose the same kind of policies that helped create this situation in the first place.
When will we ever learn?
Rev Dr David Pitman, Moderator. Queensland Synod”
UAICC -
Media Release for Immediate Release 25/06/07
The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) of the Uniting Church is urging the Australian Government to revise its approach to its emergency response reforms to tackle Indigenous child abuse in the Northern Territory if it is to affect real improvements.
UAICC National Administrator the Rev Shayne Blackman said he fully supported moves by the Australian Government to provide positive intervention to tackle child abuse but questioned their hasty emergency response approach in an election year which he said lacked full and proper negotiation with relevant Indigenous stakeholders.
‘This rapid reform approach taken by the Government needs to be negotiated from the ground up in conjunction with those Indigenous community leaders with a demonstrable record of achievement and not just solely imposed from Canberra” said Rev Blackman.
‘“The Government’s ferocious and hasty reforms are laced with military style coercion and have not been fully negotiated with those Northern Territory communities in a manner and timeframe that will enable all Indigenous stakeholders in this issue to be in a position to support the reforms in any cohesive fashion.
“While positive intervention is required we do not welcome this fierce approach by the Government which further marginalizes Indigenous community decision makers and which will serve to create further resentment.
“Every Australian child deserves a secure future free of abuse and if the Government is impartial in its dealings with the citizens of this nation then the same heavy handed tactics it is employing in Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory should be applied rights across every town and city, with abuse perpetrators to be dealt with under our existing legal framework.
‘We are calling upon the Government to enact policy in collaboration with Indigenous leadership that encourages individual empowerment and ownership of responsibility and this requires a new structural governance framework that conduits Indigenous wisdom from a community level into legislative decisions.
“In the interests of equality and justice I call upon the Government to reassess its approach” said Rev Blackman.
UAICC Media Contact: Ramon Peachey (07) 4773 5077
Greetings all
At the meeting of the Executive of Queensland Churches today, we received a letter that had been endorsed by the National Council of Churches in Australia. It is an Open Letter addressed to the Indigenous Affairs Minister, Hon Mal Brough. It expresses concerns held by the NCCA and the Australian Council of Social Service about aspects of the Australian Government's response to the situation of Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
The QCT Executive endorsed the Open letter and asked that members advise our churches. In passing on the Open letter to member churches for information, there is also the suggestion that local churches may also wish to discuss it and if they feel it to be appropriate, send their comments to Minister Brough.
Grace and peace
Don Whebell
“26 June 2007
Open letter to The Hon. Mal Brough MP
Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600
Dear Minister Brough
The undersigned organisations write this joint and open letter in order to convey our views on action required to stop the abuse of children in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, and our concerns about aspects of the Australian Government’s response to this problem as outlined in your statement of 21 June 2007.
The safety and well-
We wish to work collaboratively with Governments and the communities affected to ensure that children are protected. We would like to see greater investment in the services that support Indigenous families and communities, the active involvement of these communities in finding solutions to these problems and greater Federal Government engagement in delivering basic health, housing and education services to remote communities.
There is general agreement among the communities affected, Governments and service providers and in the wider Australian community that urgent action is required to address the abuse and neglect of children and to assist those affected by it.
We note that the services which most Australians take for granted are often not delivered to remote Indigenous communities, including adequately resourced schools, health services, child protection and family support services, as well as police who are trained to deal with domestic violence in the communities affected. We endorse the call in the Little Children are Sacred Report for the Australian and Territory Governments to work together urgently to fill these gaps in services.
There is also a need for a longer term plan to address the underlying causes of the problem, including community breakdown, joblessness, overcrowding and low levels of education.
Successfully tackling these problems requires sustainable solutions, which must be worked out with the communities, not prescribed from Canberra.
We are committed to working with the Government to ensure that in developing and introducing the proposed measure, support is provided to Indigenous communities’ efforts to resolve these problems. The proposals go well beyond an ‘emergency response’, and will have profound effects on people’s incomes, land ownership, and their ability to decide the kind of medical treatment they receive. Some of the measures will weaken communities and families by taking from them the ability to make basic decisions about their lives, thus removing responsibility instead of empowering them.
In their present form the proposals miss the mark and are unlikely to be effective
in their present form. There is an over-
We offer our support to Indigenous communities and the Government in:
* developing programs that will strengthen families and communities to empower them to confront the problems they face;
* consulting adequately with the communities and NT Government, and community service, health and education providers;
* developing a long term plan to address and resolve the causes of child abuse including joblessness, poor housing, education and commit the necessary resources to this.
Yours sincerely”
Blessings to you all
Bruce C.
Rev. Bruce Cornish,
Chairperson & Presbytery Minister
Presbytery of North Queensland, Uniting Church,
29 Wentworth Ave. Mundingburra, Q.4812
ph. (07)4779 5818 fax. (07) 4725 4596
mob. 0417 707 419
email. bcornish@bigpond.net.au