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NT leader: Nova Peris is wrong, Stronger Futures must go


Stop the Intervention Collective                           Media Release                                           4 February 2013
 
 
 

NT leader: Nova Peris is wrong, Stronger Futures must go
 
 


Aboriginal leader Marie Ellis from Amoonguna near Alice Springs is visiting Sydney for a Strong Women's conference. She will speak at a Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) meeting on Monday night to discuss deteriorating conditions in her community under the Stronger Futures policy, which extends key NT Intervention powers for a further ten years.

Ms Ellis has expressed disappointment with the pre-selection of Nova Peris to to top of the NT Labor Senate ticket. She says NT Aboriginal Labor politician Marion Scrymgour was overlooked because of her stance against the Intervention and Stronger Futures.

"Nova Peris said the Intervention was a failure, but she supports Stronger Futures - what we call 'Stolen Futures'. She seems to have no idea of the chaos and trauma that is still being put on the people."

"Come to my community and you'll see all they have is a fancy new name, conditions are actually getting worse on the ground. All the racist policies are still in place."

"If Gillard truly cared about Aboriginal representation she would have backed Marion Scrymgour who was challenging for the Senate spot. Marion speaks her mind and has criticised the Intervention from day one. She has knowledge of the communities and she will tell it like it is".

"Nova Peris says she has experience in the education field. Why under the Gillard government so much money has been wasted on policies like income management which are failing to get our kids to go to school - the statistics are getting worse. Everyone is feeling so suppressed".

"We have heard from an auditors report released yesterday that income management costs up to $7900 per person per year in administration costs alone. How does the rest of Australia feel about this terrible waste of taxpayers money?".

"Minister Jenny Macklin has us stuck in the welfare days, treats us like children being breast-fed by the government. This has got to stop. We should not be third class citizens in our own country".

"I am coming to Sydney with a message - scrap the racist Stronger Futures legislation. Set down on with ground level with us, experience what the grass-roots means and together rewrite the policies so we can take control of our future", concluded Ms Ellis.

For comment contact:

Marie Ellis 0447 089 909

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Stop the Intervention Collective special meeting:

Guest speaker from the NT:

Marie Ellis, President Amoonguna community

Monday February 4 at 6pm

Teachers Federation Conference Centre, Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills (turn off Elizabeth st at Albion St and left onto Mary street)

Marie Ellis has been a leading Aboriginal voice opposing the Intervention and the devastation it has caused at Amoonguna, her community near Alice Springs. At this special STICS meeting, Marie will give us the latest news from the NT and discuss the struggle to re-establish community control and fight for the return of resources lost through the Intervention and Shire reforms.