http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/opinion/pms-thinly-veiled-racist-comments-fuel-perception-that-all-aboriginal-people-are-unemployed-dole-bludgers/story-fnk0b216-1227265159404 (http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/opinion/pms-thinly-veiled-racist-comments-fuel-perception-that-all-aboriginal-people-are-unemployed-dole-bludgers/story-fnk0b216-1227265159404)
THE biggest misconception about Aboriginal people in mainstream Australia is the persistent idea that we are constantly providing them with money.
Now, I have to admit, I never pay too much attention to what Prime Minister Tony Abbott says. At this point, his behaviour has started to border on a parody of itself.
But it's hard to ignore the babbling fool when he targets the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Australia.
It's hard to ignore when he tries to drive a larger wedge between the Aboriginal community and the mainstream.
The self appointed 'Prime Minister of Indigenous Affairs' said this week that it was not the taxpayers' job to "subsidise lifestyle choices" of Aboriginal people who live remote.
This coming from a man who makes half a million a year of taxpayers' money to fly around eating onions, maundering in speeches, and stumbling into press conferences.
The same man who claimed $628,736.33 in expenses in the first half of 2014 alone.
A man who also gets two free homes – Kirribilli House in Sydney which is estimated to be worth $54.5m and the heritage-listed The Lodge in Canberra, which Abbott recently renovated at a cost of $10.5m.
By my calculations, if taxpayers are subsidising the lifestyle of an individual, it is the not-so esteemed Abbott.
Aboriginal people living in remote communities are an easy target for a politician who is continually losing favour with not only the public, but also his party colleagues.
Most won't hear what he said, and the ones that did won't have a platform as well-publicised as his to speak out.
Painting Aboriginal people as a drain to the taxpayers' wallet has undoubtedly won back Abbott's racist demographic who love ranting over VBs at the pub about how unfair it is that Indigenous people get to claim Centrelink payments while they are forced to do an honest day's work.
It was a smart move, which I'll credit to his chief of staff, and political advising mastermind Peta Credlin, because I honestly don't believe Abbott could come up with something so dastardly and clever.
But the perception that all Aboriginal people are unemployed dole-bludgers is propaganda that is further fuelled by irresponsible, thinly-veiled racist comments like Abbott's.
During my time living in Alice Springs and the community of Ti Tree, Aboriginal people were some of the hardest workers I knew. :o ??? :-\
There is always going to be an unemployed element. At the end of the day, it comes down to a lack of jobs more so than a lack of desire to work.
In 2011, 55.8 per cent of Aboriginal Australians aged between 15-63 were employed, compared to 76.4 per cent of non-Indigenous Australians.
You must take into account that Aboriginal people were 12 times more likely to live in remote areas.
It's hard to claim ALL Aboriginal people are on welfare when more than half have jobs.
Anybody who has spent time in a remote community can tell you about the substandard living conditions of Australia's First People.
Listening to racists talk about remote communities, you could be forgiven for thinking Aboriginal people live in sprawling estates of five-bedroom mansions.
OH! poor pennyless boong story again?! People are tired of having these bums think we owe them stuff! It isn't racist to state that their communities are a waste of money as there are no jobs or opportunities for the people there! So what if he said that if Aboriginals moved to Sydney it wouldn't make them any less of an Aboriginal.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/centralian-advocate/alice-braces-for-indigenous-influx/story-fnk4wgm8-1227269755626 (http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/centralian-advocate/alice-braces-for-indigenous-influx/story-fnk4wgm8-1227269755626)
PROTESTERS gathered outside Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion's Alice Springs office on Thursday morning to voice concern with funding cuts and the feared closure of remote communities.
Central Australian MLA Alison Anderson attacked Prime Minister Tony Abbott's recent statement that living in remote areas is a "lifestyle choice".
"These comments should not be made if we are talking about closing the gap," Ms Anderson said.
"Closing the gap is about having relationships with Aboriginal people; the first people of this country."
Indigenous activist Barbara Shaw said funding cuts and community closures would lead to people moving from the bush to Alice Springs.
"To hear that communities are going to be closing in Western Australia, we have to be prepared for the influx," she said.
"Where is the money going to come from to service the Aboriginal people that have been moved off their country.
"We are going to find a lot of Aboriginal people homeless.
"I know Nigel Scullion won't want my visitors or my family from Barrow Creek staying with him."
About 80 people attended the protest, which coincided with national Close the Gap Day.
Mr Scullion has defended the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and says Aboriginal people will be better off.
He told CAAMA radio that recent criticism was not justified.
"There's a huge oversubscription of the program because people have a lot of ideas and that's fantastic," he said.
"The criticism that's been afforded the program should be discounted.
"We said if we saw a gap in service delivery, any gap in service delivery, we'd fill it. We've done that in Central Australia."
Senator Scullion said he was "very confident" the new arrangements would be much better for people on the ground, who would have access to better services.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/city-rally-stops-traffic-in-national-day-of-action-on-health-inequality/story-fni6uo1m-1227269697166 (http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/city-rally-stops-traffic-in-national-day-of-action-on-health-inequality/story-fni6uo1m-1227269697166)
MORE than 500 people stopped traffic as they marched on Parliament House in Adelaide during a national day of action on health inequality.
Oxfam Australia promoted National Close the Gap Day as an opportunity for all Australians to join together and "tell our leaders we want progress on health and life expectancy".
But the Adelaide event became a rally to "stop the forced closure of Aboriginal communities".
The group gathered in Victoria Square at noon and then marched along King William Street to Parliament House, reducing northbound city traffic to a standstill for nearly half an hour.
They chanted "Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land", waved flags and posters bearing slogans such as "Close the gap, not the communities".
One of the organisers, Tanya Hunter, welcomed the crowd saying "we thought we'd be on the footpath but there's such a big mob here, we're going to be walking down the road".
Greens Aboriginal Affairs spokeswoman Tammy Franks MLC said it was an incredible turnout, considering it was organised with just three days' warning on Monday.
She said there was a clear connection between threats to close remote communities and the problems of health inequality.
"If you force people off their land and from their connection with country, their health outcomes and their mental health outcomes will be worse," Ms Franks said.
"If we close communities we will widen the gap."
Narungga Elder Tauto Sansbury said the WA Government's move to close the Aboriginal homelands, endorsed by the Federal Government was "appalling".
Organisers read a message from Ngarrindjeri Elder Major 'Moogy' Sumner warning of cultural genocide.
"When we start getting together, we're a very strong people, and we will support all other nations in this country," he wrote.
"Keep your hands off our communities, off our culture, off of us."
:'( O.k don't destroy the communities then, ... just get Tasmania up to finish the job! :P
Quote from: Adelaide Advertiser on Thu 19 Mar 2015Oxfam Australia promoted National Close the Gap Nigger Day
The more a charity group is in your face with its hand out, the more that charity group is tied with the black supremacist Blame Whitey agenda. Any boong incapable of removing the blow flies and the resulting maggots from its own stinking arse is a bong that deserves to die early.
@Cailen.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/afl/mathew-stokes-writes-open-letter-to-australian-prime-minister-tony-abbott-saying-he-isolated-indigenous-communities/story-fnsjoosu-1227281252893 (http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/afl/mathew-stokes-writes-open-letter-to-australian-prime-minister-tony-abbott-saying-he-isolated-indigenous-communities/story-fnsjoosu-1227281252893)
GEELONG midfielder and Territorian Mathew Stokes says Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is dividing Australians with his comments on remote Aboriginal communities.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, published on the Geelong club website on Friday, Stokes says comments on the "lifestyle choices" of Indigenous Australians "empower the ugly side of our society".
"For what it's worth, I don't think Mr Abbott was deliberately being racist, but one comment from someone in such a powerful position can cause so much damage," said the Cats dual premiership star.
Stokes' open letter follows four Hawthorn players protesting the closure of remote Aboriginal communities last week.
MATHEW STOKES' OPEN LETTER:
A couple of weeks ago, the Australian Prime Minister made some comments about the lifestyle choices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians living in remote communities. I don't know Mr Abbott and I am not really into politics and neither are my mates yet the day after those comments were made, that was the topic of conversation amongst us.
The comments from my circle of mates ranged from ignorance, misinformed and that old Australian way of using humour to get away with some pretty offensive statements. I thought to myself at the time, if that is coming from the mouths of my mates – many who are educated and have some understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues - imagine the conversations going on at smoko all over the country!
So my open letter today is not about politics, or a commentary on what we as a country do right or wrong. It's not about past decisions made, dollars spent or programs funded. It's about the damage caused by one single statement. It's about the disharmony that can come from one man's words.
The fact our Prime Minister is acknowledged as having done so much work in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - for him to make the remarks he did, as the leader of our country – what must the world think of us? His words have isolated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders even more than they are already.
We, as Australians are made up of so many different religions & cultures, but we have such a divide from our First Australians and comments like this have ability to drive us further apart. I was fortunate to grow up not having to deal with too much racism but many people I know have had this in their lives. It saddens me to think that by the time I bring kids into this world, not much will have changed.
I am a strong supporter of the work being done to close the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous Australians and there is much great work being done, but comments like those made recently by our PM only serve to empower the ugly side of our society. For what it's worth, I don't think Mr Abbott was deliberately being racist, but one comment from someone in such a powerful position can cause so much damage.
So this is my attempt to use those comments to draw attention to an issue important to me. Not as an AFL Player, but as a proud Aboriginal person and a proud Australian. I love our country and it concerns me that comments like this can impact, not only in offices in Canberra, but in our very own communities.
These are my thoughts, right or wrong, this is my opinion. I am willing to cop the criticisms this letter may bring but it's all worth it because I'm passionate about issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
One good thing to come from this is to see many Australians – of all backgrounds – come out to support the Close the Gap, Not Communities message. I encourage people to continue to listen, show respect and care for each other.
(http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2015/03/27/1227280/908177-197c416e-d414-11e4-9d75-f3c954eb789d.jpg)
EaeaeaeaH! Now get dat Mista Abbot fella to shart urp! Get all da pepple back into us mob playin' fooddy and bein' da heroz in awr communiddy and get da the pepple tinking abowt foody .. nod dis Polidics stuff. Day miwt stop us mob from gedding free $hit!?
Just imagine if several hundred White people got tired of living in the city and wanted a sea change in the desert amongst the blow flies. Let us also imagine that a philanthropic property owner in the outback wanted to donate a considerable acreage to these desert dwelling sea changers.
Now, should the tax payer - not the government, but you and I - should we fund their life style choice? And should the government, at our expense, go to the trouble of building homes, schools and other required facilities for the township? And if those desert dwelling sea changers should, for whatever reason, choose to destroy the township, should the government be required to rebuild that township?
Hell No!It's the same with these Abo garbage heap hamlets. Either shut them down, or leave them like wild grapes on the vine to survive or die by their own efforts.
Delenda est Abo.
@Cailen.
If the Abbos are "so connected to the land". Cut off their power and their water.. let them live in these places by traditional means and work, build and maintain these places themselves! If they moved outside that part of land to places where there was legitimate work or study that doesn't make them any less of an Abbo. They have the mechanisms in place to give them cheap accommodation and study grants and easy access to apprenticeships.. WHAT THE HELL IS THE PROBLEM?