At Sit-In: Gerry Georgatos discusses Closure of WA Aboriginal Homelands with Hugh Riminton

At Sit-In: Gerry Georgatos discusses Closure of WA Aboriginal Homelands with Hugh Riminton, outside Parliament House canberra on 15 February 2015.

– Petition

Saving Aboriginal communities, Change.org:
Stop Colin Barnett premier of Western Australia:
Petitioning Stop the closure of remote Aboriginal communities in Australia
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-remote-aboriginal-communities-in-australia-stop-colin-barnett-premier-of-western-australia
“Closing remote Aboriginal communities in Australia and
moving Aboriginal people into the cities will cause
displacement and discourse. Aboriginal people have lived
thousands of years in these remote areas,they have cultural
significances to the people, yet Colin Barnett the Premier
of Western Australia is making yet another excuse to remove
Aboriginal people off their home lands. Colin Barnett has a
purpose for this land for mining and jobs. The premier does
not care for cultural history of Australia’s first people,
its all about economy, greed and capitalism for uranium
mining investors. … ”

Analysis / Opinion

Red Flag Newspaper: Closure of remote communities devastates residents
http://redflag.org.au/article/closure-remote-communities-devastates-residents
10 Feb 15: “Western Australian Liberal premier Colin
Barnett is closing 150 of the state’s 274 remote Indigenous
communities. … Prominent WA Aboriginal activist Marianne
Mackay, speaking to Red Flag, said: “Colin Barnett just
wants to open up more mining leases for big business and
development. With the amount of youth suicide and children
being stolen again, the amount of deaths in custody, high
incarceration rate, all these kinds of things, they’re
social justice issues that have impacted on our people.
They are a continuation of the genocidal policies that the
government continues to create. Colin Barnett should be
ashamed of himself.”” Miranda Wood

– Analysis / Opinion

Global Research:
Australia May Stop Providing Water and Power to Remote Aboriginal Communities

Australia May Stop Providing Water and Power to Remote Aboriginal Communities

12 Feb 15: “Up to 200 indigenous communities in Australia
could lose access to power and water because the government
says it can no longer afford to deliver the basic services.
… Rodney Dillon, an indigenous advisor at Amnesty
International Australia, told VICE News that some members
of the indigenous communities might not survive a move.
“It would be a complete culture shock, a complete mental
shock,” Dillon said. “This is their homeland. It’s where
they belong it’s where they are proud. … ”
Jessica Lukjanow

– Analysis / Opinion

ABC Kimberley: Indigenous community closures: essential service uncertainty
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2015/02/10/4177425.htm?site=kimberley
10 Feb 15: “Concern is growing about essential services
provision to West Australian Indigenous communities when
the State Government takes over from the Federal Government
in July. … But with five months to go until the Federal
Government stops providing services to communities, the
Pilbara Regional Council’s CEO, Tony Friday, is concerned
at the lack of information from the State Government about
what is going to happen. … The WA Department of Local
Government declined to answer ABC North West WA’s specific
question about what preparations have been made to plan for
the change to municipal services, instead providing the
following statement: … ” By Ben Collins.
Ben joined ABC Kimberley in 2004 as a guest zoologist on
the Kimberley morning program. Since then he has worked as
a radio producer and presenter and is now exploring the
creative potential of being a cross-media reporter.

The Guardian:
WA premier withdraws royalties help for struggling Aboriginal communities
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/feb/03/wa-premier-withdraws-royalties-help-for-struggling-aboriginal-communities
3 Feb 15: “Mining royalties will not be used to keep open
“unviable” remote Aboriginal communities, the Western
Australian premier, Colin Barnett, has said. The move
scuttles a lifeline thrown by WA National party leader and
regional development minister, Terry Redman, in December.
Redman said in December the $1bn “Royalties for Regions”
fund, which is drawn from 25% of the forecast mining
royalties paid to the state, could be used to support 274
remote communities threatened with closure after the
federal government withdrew funding for essential services
in November. … ” Calla Wahlquist

WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/08/background-plans-to-close-aboriginal-homelands-remote-communities-in-wa-and-sa
(last updated: 8 January 2015)

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