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Sydney launch of NT Consultations Report 2011: By Quotations 3-5-12

Media Statement by ‘concerned Australians'                                                                      3 May 2012

 

Sydney launch of

"NT Consultations Report 2011: By Quotations"


Graeme Mundine and Amy McQuire will launch NT Consultations Report 2011: By Quotations on Friday the 4th May in Chippendale.

A sequel to the highly regarded publications This is What We Said and Walk With Us this book gives voice to the views of Aboriginal people living under the Northern Territory Intervention. Between June and August 2011 the Australian Government conducted Stronger Futures Consultations in Northern Territory communities. These were held with the stated purpose of finding out what worked and what didn't work under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER), commonly called the Intervention.

The Government then proposed "Stronger Futures" legislation which purports to reflect the wishes of Aboriginal Peoples as expressed through these consultations. No official recordings were taken of those consultations.

NT Consultations Report 2011: By Quotations is a record of what was said by Aboriginal people at the consultations. It is based on 10 consultations from different parts of the Northern Territory - Mutitjulu, Kintore, Alice Springs Town Camps, Yuendumu, Bagot Community, Maningrida, Galiwin'ku, Yirrkala and two Public Meetings in Darwin and Alice Springs. There is surprising consistency of views across all the transcripts giving us a direct understanding into what Aboriginal people have asked of Government, including their desire for an end to the Intervention. The related Bills have passed through the Lower House and are now before the Senate.

Amy McQuire is the Editor of Tracker Magazine. Graeme Mundine is the Executive Officer of the ACM Sydney Archdiocese.

This event is organised by ‘concerned Australians'. The full transcripts have also been made public at www.concernedaustralians.com.au.

Date: Friday, 4 May2012 Time: 5.30 for 6.00pm start

Venue: Amnesty International's NSW Action Centre, Level 1, 79 Myrtle Street, Chippendale