NB It should not be forgotten that they are the original inhabitants.
We are the intruders.
31 August, 2010
UN report damns Australia’s failure to end discrimination
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has
delivered a damning report on Australia’s failure to meet international
commitments on eliminating discrimination.
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, Spokesperson for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Affairs says the report lends its voice to international
calls for Australia to negotiate a treaty with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people.
“It is not surprising that the UN is disappointed with Australia’s
failure to deliver on its human rights commitments, especially those
concerning Indigenous Australians,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“Racial discrimination is embedded in the Australian Constitution and
continues to be enacted in the laws and policies of our states and
territories.
“Both Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard made election commitments to pursue
the constitutional recognition of Australia’s First Nations and so it is
now the perfect time to move on constitutional reform.
“The UN committee also urged Australia to ‘…ensure the Racial
Discrimination Act prevails over all other legislation which may be
discriminatory’ and ‘…adopt comprehensive legislation providing
entrenched protection against racial discrimination’.
“Recent amendments to the Northern Territory Emergency Response Bills by
the Gillard Government are a clear example of our failure to fully
restore the RDA and wilfully misinterpret ‘special measures’ as a means
of continuing discriminatory practices.
“The continued backing of the discriminatory NT Intervention laws by
both the ALP and Coalition led to the unprecedented swings in polling
booths in central Australia against the sitting member and Minister for
Aboriginal Health Warren Snowdon – with some booths showing swings of
upward of 50-60% against him and 30-40% to Greens candidate and NTER
critic Barbara Shaw,” said Senator Siewert.
The Greens say the UN CERD report also calls for measures to improve the
accessibility of justice and legal services and greater roles for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in policy development.
“Our high rate of indigenous incarceration continues to be a serious
concern, making the adoption of a Justice Reinvestment Strategy and
increased funding for Aboriginal legal aid services is an absolute
priority,” Senator Siewert said.
“Improved mechanisms to ensure proper consultation with Indigenous
communities in policy development and implementation remain essential if
we are to deliver on our commitments to end inequality in this country,”
concluded Senator Siewert.
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