Carmelite Monastery (Rebecca Scanlan)
While expressing my great appreciation of the positive steps taken by this Government with regard to Aboriginal people, I am deeply concerned by the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
This Act, which prevented the Nullifying or impairing of the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life' has been set aside to carry out a programme deemed necessary by the previous Government. If this treatment were applied to a group of tried and proven criminals it might be understandable, but it has been applied indiscriminately, without due investigation or consultation to the Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory.
The purpose of this suspension was, among other acts, to introduce legislation which forces traditional land owners to accept either 5 year leases or compensation for altered title. As you know, the Northern Territory Intervention legislation was rushed through the Parliament in a way which showed little regard for the honourable purpose of Government, to govern wisely and justly. The unforeseen consequences of this haste have been surfacing ever since, and this is one of the most worrying for Aboriginal people
Anyone with any personal knowledge of Aboriginal people would know the devestating effect this forced acquiring of their land would have. The stated purpose of this outrageous demand was to protect the children. What protection required the taking over of land? Was there no other way to protect them? In many places, were they in need of protection? Because of problems in some communities, this appalling demand was made widespread.
Does the present Labor Government intend to remove this disgraceful suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 from the present legislation?
I shall follow this matter with keen interest.
Rebecca Scanlan,
Carmelite Monastery