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Welcome to the STICS website!
STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney) is an open collective of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people committed to the repeal of the NT Intervention and the struggle for Aboriginal self-determination.
We meet every Monday to discuss the campaign and plan for actions and awareness-raising. 6pm Monday nights, Federation Conference Centre, Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills (turn off Elizabeth st at Albion St and left onto Mary street) - http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=23-33+Mary+Street,+surry+hills&sll=-24.686952,135.703125&sspn=61.631455,97.207031&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=A. Everyone is welcome. Should you require further information and would like to attend, please call Jean: 0449 646 593 or E-mail: stoptheintervention@gmail.com
For the Aboriginal Elders statement: please click here
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Please sign the Petition to Stop
Stronger Futures and support Aboriginal self-determination in the NT: please click here
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Stronger Futures Legislation: Weblink highlights - New Video - Petition - NITV Forum: please click here
For a new compilation of info on the Stronger Futures legislation: http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/stronger-futures-legislation
STICS bulletin for 2 April 2012 Special Meeting: please click here
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Please have your say on the Extension of Key
NT Intervention Measures for another Decade
The Federal Government has extended the deadline for submissions on the legislation that replaces the Emergency Intervention into Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-02/20120202-more-time-comment-intervention-replacement-laws/3807380?section=nt
Main page for Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Bill 2011 and two related bills:
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=clac_ctte/strong_future_nt_11/index.htm
Direct link to view all uploaded submissions
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=clac_ctte/strong_future_nt_11/submissions.htm
Direct link to view all uploaded hearing info
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=clac_ctte/strong_future_nt_11/hearings/index.htm
Current Committee inquiries
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=inquiries/index.htm
For some recent documents: please click here
For the Stronger Futures Submission Guide: please click here
For the document with links to further info about the
New Policies, Aboriginal Elders voices and for Taking Action:
please click here
For a summary of the new laws by Paddy Gibson: please click here
For the December Tracker articles on Stronger Futures: please click here or here (under Media Coverage)
For info about the 2011 NT Consultations: please click here
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Feb 28: Parliament House protest against 'Stronger Futures',
new NT Intervention legislation
For the poster, videos, speeches and further info: please click here
Petition to the Attorney General: Stop Stronger Futures and support Aboriginal self-determination in the NT: please click here
Stand for Freedom campaign video: please click here
Stand against Macklin's Decade of Discrimination
- Stop the Second Intervention!
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation currently before parliament would extend the NT Intervention for a further ten years. Explicitly racist laws, which vilify Aboriginal people & culture are being kept or strengthened including:
* "Star Chamber" powers held by the Australian Crime Commission for investigations in Aboriginal communities, including removal of the right to silence.
*Prohibition of consideration of Aboriginal customary law and cultural practice in bail and sentencing. * 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 a 6-pack.
* Blanket bans on "sexually explicit or very violent material" on Aboriginal Land. These restrictions serve no purpose other than the perverse stigmatisation of Aboriginal men.
* Continued suspension of the operations of the permit system in communities
* Complete Commonwealth control over regulations in Community Living Areas Proposed amendments to the Social Security Act will see further attacks on the rights of Centrelink recipients. These measures will initially be targeted at NT Aboriginal peoples, but have national implications, especially in areas such as Bankstown where Income Management is being rolled out:
* An expansion of the School Enrolment and Attendance Measure (SEAM) means chronic school attendance problems could see families cut off certain Centrelink payments entirely.
* Staff from any nominated organisation will have the power to order people onto Income Management in the same way that Child Protection agencies currently do.
* Staff from nominated government agencies will be able to pass on information about clients to Centrelink, even if doing so contravenes State or Territory law.
* Income Management will follow you even if you move out of an Income Management area.
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For the Income Management petition: please click here
For updates on
Income Management, updates on the 2011 NT Consultations, Walk With Us, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Barbara Shaw's Speaking tour, & Support for Muckaty, Aboriginal Rights events in Sydney, Nov 11,
please click here
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Now is a crucial time to mobilise, with the Parliament considering Stronger Futures legislation which would spread Income Management around the country and extend the NT Intervention for ten years. Don't forget our rally in Canberra on February 28 against this legislation.
To get more info, sign the petition or view a video on Income Management please see http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/call-for-a-moratorium-on-government-income-management.html or http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/income-management
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No to Income Management
- not in Bankstown, not in the NT, not anywhere!
Speakout: Tell Bankstown Labor MP Jason Clare (member for Blaxland) we're not going to allow Income Management to be expanded - Demand Clare stand with Bankstown and say NO!
Friday 27th April 12 Noon, 400 Chapel Rd, Bankstown, http://g.co/maps/64yfd
On July 1st this year the Federal government plans to expand Income Management (which has been imposed on Aboriginal people in the NT for the past 4 years) into 5 new sites: Bankstown in New South Wales, Logan and Rockhampton in Queensland, Playford in South Australia and Shepparton in Victoria.
Under this "trial", anyone assessed by Centrelink to be "vulnerable to financial crisis" will have 50% of their payment quarantined. Parents and legal guardians referred to Centrelink by child protection authorities (Community Services) will have 70% of their income compulsorily quarantined.
Like under the disastrous NT intervention, Centrelink will issue a ‘BasicsCard' to people who have had their payments quarantined. This card may only be used to purchase priority items eg. food, clothing and utilities from government approved outlets such as: Woolworths, Coles, Target, Kmart, Best and Less and Big W.
The Government estimates that 20,000 people will participate in Income Management in the five locations over the next five years. This is around 1000 persons per location each year.
Income management was first rolled out as part of the racist Intervention in the Northern Territory in 2007. Aboriginal communities have experienced almost 5 years of hardship and shame as a result of this and related policies.
Income Management in the Northern Territory has been widely criticised, both locally and internationally as it stigmatises and humiliates welfare recipients, wastes money on bureaucratic administration and discriminates specifically against Aboriginal people. In the NT, Income Management costs approximately $4,400 per person per year in administration alone. There is no evidence base to support the expansion of the system.
Despite this Jason Clare, member representing Bankstown, in a media statement last year proclaimed - "Income management has already proven effective in trial locations in Perth and the Kimberley in Western Australia, Cape York in Queensland and throughout the Northern Territory." He continued by declaring - "This is designed to make sure that welfare payments are spent in the best interest of children, rather than tobacco, alcohol and gambling."
But Independent research conducted by the Menzies School of Health, Darwin suggests that Income Management has had no beneficial effect on tobacco and cigarette sales, soft drink or fruit and vegetable sales. A recent report by the Equality Rights Alliance surveyed 180 women on income management in the NT. It found that 79% wanted to exit the system, 85% had not changed what they buy and 74% felt discriminated against. A report released by the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA) concludes that compulsory income management in the NT has profoundly long-term negative impacts on psychological health, social health and wellbeing and cultural integrity (March 2010).
International research suggests welfare reforms that utilise sanctions such as the Income Management system place additional stresses on families with young children and has the potential to increase family breakdown and child abuse.
Income management has already been found to be an expensive and administration-intensive approach with no evidence to suggest that it delivers outcomes that justify its complexity or cost. The expansion must be stopped and all those on income management in the NT should be given immediate freedom to leave the system.
A strong new coalition has formed in Bankstown. The campaign has initiated a call for a national moratorium on Income Management - demanding immediate amnesty for those already on the system and a halt to plans for expansion. Its founding statement has been endorsed by more than 50 organisations including unions, church and community groups.
Join STICS and Bankstown residents for a speakout at midday on Friday 27th April at the office of Jason Clare - 400 Chapel Rd. Bankstown http://g.co/maps/64yfd
For more information call Alex on 0449 184 801 facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/333817633347001/
TO ALL UNIONISTS AND SUPPORTERS
STICS is supporting thethe Say No To Government Income Management Campaign Coalition in Bankstown call-out to unionists. Please discuss sending representatives to the following meetings to build the campaign to stop the expansion of Income Management in Bankstown (see letter below).
Please see information below and attached inviting you to the following:
- An organising meeting for unionists 4.30pm Wed May 2nd, Arab Council Austraila office, 194 Stacey Street Bankstown
- A union and community seminar on opposing Income Management, Sat May 26th, 1pm Bankstown.
Unionists organising against compulsory income management
430pm Wednesday 2 May, 2012
Arab Council Austraila office
194 Stacey Street, near Bankstown station
This meeting for unionists and community members is hosted by the Say No To Government Income Management Campaign Coalition in Bankstown. Our open letter opposing compulsory income management has been endorsed by 54 community organisationsand unions.
The meeting will discuss how to build the campaign to stop the introduction of the punitive and discriminatory policy of compulsory income management in Bankstown. From public sector workers in housing, child protection, Centrelink and schools, through the whole education and community sectors,the relationship between workers and their clients is set to be fundamentally changed by compulsory income management.
Campaign plans include hosting a seminar for unionists and community members on Saturday 26 May and a rally or public meeting on Saturday 16 June. These proposals are supported by the Canterbury-Bankstown Teachers Federation, the Australian Services Union, the Maritime Union of Australia, and many other unionists.
The government currently plans to introduce Income Management in Bankstown on 1 July. The expansion of income management to Bankstown is part of the 10-year extension of the racist and authoritarianNT Intervention in Aboriginal communities originally imposed by the Howard government in 2007. Attached are two letters with more background on this campaign.
Campaign Letter on Bankstown Income Management of 16 April 2012: please click here
Advert No to Government's Income Management: please click here
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Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) Public Meeting
Can Income Management help with Child protection?
with speaker Sue Gillett, STICS member and former DOCS Aboriginal policy worker
Monday, April 2 - 6pm
Teacher Federation Conference Centre
Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills
(turn off Elizabeth st at Albion St and left onto Mary street)
Income Management is often promoted as being in the interests of children, particularly those at risk. Under the scheme that set commence in Bankstown and four other "trial sites" around Australia, Child protection workers will be granted the power to put people on the system against their will. 70 percent of Centrelink payments are income managed in child protection cases.
There are serious concerns amongst both workers in the sector and communities facing income management about the potential impact of this policy and confusion about how it will work in practice.
Child protection and others workers in the community sector are also in a strategic position to challenge this policy and fight for more just and effective solutions for families in crisis. Many of these workers recently demonstrated their passionate commitment to just solutions at a PSA rally and candle lit vigil on March 14 against the privatisation and cuts to child protection planned by NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell. More information about this campaign can be found at http://safehands.org.au/
Please come along to this important discussion hosted by the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney.
Below is a short article by Sue Gillett, a STICS member and former Aboriginal policy officer at DOCS, who will introduce the discussion. The article was first distributed at the PSA rally.
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Income Management and Child Protection workers
Under the scheme that set commence in Bankstown and four other "trial sites" around Australia, along with that currently operating in the NT and WA, Child protection workers are on the front line of implementing income management, with the power to put people on the system against their will. 70 percent of Centrelink payments are income managed in child protection cases.
Many in the sector are concerned that this could seriously impact on relationships with clients. At a time when resources are being withdrawn from the sector by premier Barry O'Farrell, there is a real danger that income management will become a "band-aid" solution, replacing proper case-work.
Under ‘Child protection income management' Parent/s and/or carers can be placed on Income Management if there are child protection concerns and it is considered that income management might contribute to improved outcomes for children at risk.
At the sole Bankstown community consultation session, the Commonwealth government officials did not demonstrate any understanding or show any regard about the NSW child protection landscape and the work of child protection caseworkers and specialists.
The session did not provide any detail about the referral process that underpins income management and whether it will reflect the current NSW legislative child protection framework. Key to this issue is whether parents will be informed that they are being referred and by whom; the reason for the referral and the outcome; and whether the parents are placed on compulsory income management and if so; will this confirm the grounds for the referral and result in the removal of their child/ren. This could have a massive impact on the caseload of Community Services caseworkers who may be required to deal with the aftermath of zealous referrals, inexperience, ill-informed and poor decision-making and increased removals and out-of-home-care placements.
Under ‘Stronger Futures' legislation, Minister Macklin has also given herself the power to nominate any government agency and/or employees as its agents with the power to place people on income management, though there has been no indication of processes that will be followed. These new powers dismiss the expertise, knowledge, capability and qualifications of Community Services caseworkers and seem to suggest that the work done by professional child protection workers is simplistic and can be done by any agency worker that has been nominated by Minister Macklin.
Compulsory income management can bypass the legislative framework and undermine the essential, complex and necessary work involved with working with children at risk and families in crisis.
Beating Income Management
A strong new coalition "Say No to Government's Income Management Not in Bankstown Not Anywhere" has initiated a moratorium on Income Management - demanding immediate amnesty for those already on the system and a halt to plans for expansion. Its founding statement has been endorsed by more than 50 organisations including unions, church and community groups.
We only have 5 months until income management is rolled out in the trial sites, and in Bankstown momentum is gathering to find ways to beat the implementation.
Child protection workers and other community and public sector workers have a crucial role to play in this campaign.
The Bankstown Coalition and anti-Intervention campaigners are working with trade unions to organise a conference in early June for workers and unionists to discuss how we can stop income management in it's tracks and fight for resources to be put into our vital support services.
Get involved today!
Recent Articles:
The Express - Government defends income management trial - 27 March 2012 - THE federal government has answered criticism of its impending income management trial on Bankstown residents, citing the local community as "doing it tough" compared with the average Australian. - http://express.whereilive.com.au/news/story/government-defends-income-management-trial/
[Scroll down on that page for more related articles]
The Greens - END BANKSTOWN TRIAL OF INCOME MANAGEMENT AND CONSULT WITH LOCALS: GREENS - 15 March 2012 - The Australian Greens have vowed to oppose the Bankstown trial of income management following last night's release of the Senate Inquiry into the Stronger Futures legislation report and evidence given to the committee questioning whether the government consulted with locals before announcing the Bankstown trial. Bankstown is one of five locations nationally where the government is set to trial compulsory income management from 1 July 2012. - http://wa.greens.org.au/content/end-bankstown-trial-income-management-and-consult-locals-greens
For more on Income Management: please click here
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1. Thursday, 20 October 2011 - 7pm - 8pm
Special screening of excerpts from the emerging feature documentary
Breath of Life
&
Muckaty Voices,
the opening film of the Down Under Film Festival in Berlin, Sept. 2011
The Chauvel Cinema
Paddington Town Hall
Cnr Oxford Street & Oatley Road,
Paddington, Sydney, NSW 2010
By Enlightning Productions
The co-producers are Oscar winning Michael Donovan, Halifax Film, Canada Eleanor Gilbert, Enlightning Productions and Belinda Pratten, freeswimmers
Details are on the Documentary Australia Foundation website:
http://www.tiny9.com/u/DAF_Breath_of_Life
RSVP: Eleanor Gilbert +61 (0)421 795 639 - enlightning.productions@gmail.com
For the poster: please click here
Bondi Beach Pavillon, Sunday, 20 May 2012
Introduction and Q&A by
Nicole Watson, Senior Researcher, Jumbunna, UTS
For the poster: please click here
The oldest culture on earth is fighting for survival. Our Generation explains the real issues underlying Indigenous disadvantage in this "lucky" country, and the responses of Aboriginal people to the Northern Territory Intervention. Through the voices of youth, men, women and elders from remote communities, the film opens the way for dialogue on how Australia can move forward with genuine respect and partnership with its First Peoples.
Date: Sunday, 20th May 2012
Time: 12.30pm
Venue: The Seagull Room, Bondi Pavillion Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
For enquiries: Deni email: denilangman@hotmail.com
Rozelle Screening, Thursday 24 May 2012 - 7pm
Rozelle Our Generation Screening
With special speaker
Graeme Mundine, Executive Officer, ACM Sydney Archdiocese
For the poster: please click here
Venue: Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre, 655A Darling St, Rozelle
Free Entry.
Time: 6.30 pm Refreshments provided at Tali Gallery, 667 Darling St
near the Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre
7pm Our Generation Screening plus Q & A at Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre
Hosted by Amnesty Intl NSW Demand Dignity AG & Tali Gallery
RSVP: email nswdignity@amnesty.org.au, or phone Ken 0420 354 096"
Part of the Head on Festival http://headon.com.au/event/tali-gallery-work-art
Sydney University Screening, Tuesday 29 May 2012 - 6pm
National Reconciliation Week
For the poster please click here
6pm sharp, Old Geology Lecture Theatre (Opposite the Footbridge Theatre) near Parramatta Rd, Sydney Uni Camperdown Campus
Followed by a guest speaker on ‘Reconciliation' and what still needs to be done to achieve reconciliation today. Open to all students at Sydney University and the wider public.
Contact Sally Plunkett (SUMS Indigenous Health Officer)
mob: 0432 076 891, email: splu8531@uni.sydney.edu.au