materialworld:

We request the refunding for critical support services and counselling for criminalised women pre and post release prison in North Queensland by the LNP who cut the funding last week.

Why is this important? Criminalised women have the highest rate of sexual and physical abuse perpetrated against them in our community. Due to this horrendous abuse women turn to self medication with illiiegal drugs and / or alcohol. Nearly 60% of the women have a mental illness.

In Townsville women’s prison over 80% of women are Aboriginal and over 90% of the women cannot read and write. These issues have to be addressed, so that women when released into the community can move on with their lives and not return to drug and alcohol abuse and offending to feed their addiction.

Housing is also a fundamental part of their success on release. The support of our services assists women in healing their traumas and practical needs so when released they can reconnect with their children and families and move towards their goals and being a part of their communities.

(via Save Sisters Inside | CommunityRun)

Sister’s Inside is founded and run by primarily ex-inmate women and some lawyers. It’s been an internationally recognized success model of a service that helps;

- inmate mothers and their children re-establishing or maintain functional relationships during/after imprisonment.

- improved prospects of literacy, safe accommodation and finding work on release.

Allowing how many female inmates in Qld are ATSI women being punished for defending themselves in domestic violence situations, or arrested for petty ‘offences’ related to homelessness, this being top of the list for service shut down tells you exactly where real state priorities are.

Probably not coincidentally: they host the Is Prison Obsolete? Conferences, being one of the few regional public forums about changing the overall high imprisonment of marginalized people, not just services.

Oz folk - pls. signal boost on your other networks, not many politics Oz folk on tumblr.  Non-Oz folk - ATSI = Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Native + Black.

leonineantiheroine:

vivianemae:

everythingbutharleyquinn:

leonineantiheroine:

http://m.news.com.au/TopStories/pg/0/fi1171757.htm

A POLICE officer unleashed a series of savage blows to the head of a teenager bleeding from a bullet wound to the neck during a brutal arrest early yesterday.

Moments after he was pulled from a mangled car wreck in Kings Cross, Sydney, shocking footage shows police repeatedly striking Troy Taylor before dragging his limp body across the street.

An officer then places a knee on the teen’s blood-soaked back to handcuff him.

The 18-year-old, one of two teenagers shot by police during a dramatic chase, is then left lying in a pool of blood as dozens of stunned bystanders look on.

The teenagers, one just 14, were in a serious condition in St Vincent’s Hospital last night.

—-

All of the boys and young men are Aboriginal. Yep they did the wrong thing by driving the car onto the pavement but also they seemed to be frightened of the police and there was no need for the cop to bash the kid after the car crashed. 

This is what Mick Mundine had to say:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/mick-mundine-horrified-by-video-of-arrest-of-shooting-victim-troy-taylor-in-kings-cross/story-e6freuy9-1226335217914

“ABORIGINAL elder Mick Mundine was shocked and stunned by the way police arrested shooting victim Troy Taylor, 18, describing it as “pathetic.”

“It’s very wrong - this has to stop,” Mr Mundine said.

The respected Aboriginal community leader watched the dramatic and disturbing video footage in the offices of The Sunday Telegraph yesterday.

“I mean, how are they training them? What’s the training for? Where’s the commonsense?” said an emotional Mr Mundine, who is working with respected Redfern police commander, Superintendent Luke Freudenstein, to calm tensions in the inner-city suburb.

“They never had guns in the car, so why did they even shoot the kids?”

White Australia has this baffling conceit this is not a racist country.

HOLY FUCK

you know the story I heard on Twitter from the mainstream media?

Their line is that these teen’s struck a 29 yr old woman, then was revving the engine with cops telling them to get out, with the woman still under the tyres, and so they were shot at.

Obviously the video shows otherwise.

I hate mainstream media.

Hi everyone,

Via the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on Facebook, more info and rally:

“Via Raul Bassi

THIS TUESDAY 24TH AT 1.30 NSW PARLIAMENT HOUSE

Dear friends:
Indigenous Social Justice Association is calling for an emergency rally this Tuesday, the 24th, at 1.30, at the NSW Parliament House to demand two points: first, stop the police investigating police and second, organize a credible independent investigation to start to give justice to the victims of police violence. The footage of what happened has been publicized in couple of the papers and is graphic enough. (See at the bottom.) The way that these young aboriginal people have been treated by police is anything but human. They were injured people, couple with bullets, incapable of offer any resistance, let alone been of any danger to the officers. Never the less couple of them, already bleeding, one in coma, were thrown from the car as a sack of potatoes, handcuffed and in some cases repeatedly beaten.
The police, even that has presented different versions, is justifying all, the Assistant commissioner said yesterday that the shootings were justified because there were people in danger with the car running on the footpath. The Police Association has said that they will be backing the police offices regardless. The police also, have said that they recognized the suspects. So quick questions arise. Why instead of shooting people 13 and 14 years old, that they knew, they didn’t try to stop the car shooting the tyres?
So, even still none has die and is our heartfelt wish none will, are we confronting another similar situations to TJ or Roberto Laudiscio Curti?
So came on Tuesday to tell the government, the parliament and the police, that we had enough and we demand justice.
Family members of the people involved, have invited to participate of the rally.
More information Raul Bassi 0403037376”

Also these young people are from western Sydney. 

nationaltrustwa:

National Close the Gap Day - 22nd March 2012

This is the Reconciliation Action Plan of the National Trust of Australia (WA).

If Australia is the lucky country, why do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a lower life expectancy than other Australians – and many people in the developing world?

Power through partnership

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are still dying 10 to 17 years younger than other Australians. The only way to close the gap in indigenous health equality within a generation is to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

National Close the Gap Day (NCTGD) is a way for all Australians to join together and remind our political leaders of their commitments to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.  The focus for 2012 is on the need for genuine, meaningful partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations at all stages of health planning and delivery.

fireofspring:

shawnandtherunway:

Rodarte Fall 2012

Oh no, Rodarte. Tell me you didn’t put Aboriginal dot paintings on your ready-to-wear fashion… The worst thing is that, unlike the (rightful) fuss kicked up over appropriation of Native American culture, nobody seems to care enough about this to even raise a peep. This is truly shameful, guys.

“Art is one of the key rituals of Aboriginal culture and was and still is, used to mark territory, record history, and tell stories about the dreamtime. But its importance to traditional Indigenous life is difficult for non-Indigenous people to understand. To quote Morphy (1991):

“Art was, and is, a central component of the traditional Yolngu way of life, of significance in the political domain, in the relationships between clans, and in the relations between men and women. Art was and remains an important component of the system of restricted knowledge, and at a more metaphysical level is the major means of recreating ancestral events, ensuring continuity with the ancestral past, and communicating with the spirit world.”

[x]

“Doesn’t matter what sort of painting we do in this country, it still belongs to the people, all the people. This is worship, work, culture. It’s all Dreaming. The Dreaming is all over Australia. We must teach the whitefellas.”

- Wenten Rubuntja, Aboriginal Australian landscape painter

echeveria:

searchingforknowledge:

thesavagesalad:

thesavagesalad:

TW: talks on genocide, racism, privilege denial, Australians who don’t know history

Namely those who are quite upset by the PM losing her shoe and have now resorted to engaging in hateful rhetoric directed at the Australian Indigenous communities.

I’ve noticed a few trends going on in the racist, ignorant and possibly written-in-an-inebriated-state, rage posts. And it’s only fair to address these things.

1. There is this misunderstanding that the genocide and ill treatment of Indigenous Australians “happened” 200 years ago. Allow me to correct you (Aussie to Aussie of course, because some of you seem rather flustered when a non Aussie attempts to address your racist disposition)- The Genocide and ill treatment of Indigenous Australians STARTED roughly 200 years ago.

The effects of the genocide, the negligence and abuse by the government, the ongoing institutional oppression of them is still happening today. Whilst you were mourning over the PM’s lost shoe, the NTER was (and is) still running. Police brutality against Indigenous Australians is still happening. The rates of infant mortality, sexual abuse and assault are still disproportionately higher in comparison to the general population. If it comforts you in the slightest- the PM will get another pair of shoes. However, these issues will not experience such an instant fix.

2. Many of you seem quite upset by the fact that Indigenous Australians can access a free education. Now this surprises me because we do have government schools where education is free (and if there are certain payments to be made, government subsidies can still be applied for) which is available to all Australians. And even up to a tertiary level (though the HECS is far from perfect) there are still ways of lessening the financial burden- provided by private and public institutions which all Australians can access.

3. Since we’re talking about university, I’ve also observed a lot of anger due to the fact that apparently Indigenous Australians can get a “free ride” into university because they apparently “swim in” scholarships.

Again- if you actually took the time to research our nation’s Universities, you’d notice that despite there being 2-3 max Indigenous focus scholarships per uni, there are plenty more scholarships on top of that which any Australian and apply for if you meet a set of requirements (and fun fact, even the Indigenous focused scholarships have a set of requirements to meet as well). Also, another point to be made- Indigenous Australians are not exempt from HECS.

4. Many of you seem quite bitter about how Indigenous Australians apparently get free-to-access dole. And the fact that you cannot access such magic dole which you seem to blame Indigenous Australians for. In the time that it took for you to write your hate post, if you had done some research- you would have learnt that applications  for the dole are open to all. It doesn’t mean that you will get the dole (because you have to meet certain requirements to qualify for it) but the same way your application will go through a process of assessment- so will an Indigenous Australian’s ( and they must meet a set of requirements as well). And where there will be some application that will be accepted, there will be those which will be rejected- the same applies to Indigenous applicants as well.

I would go into further detail on the numerous ways the Indigenous community here has been abused by the government institutionally and individual wise, or the 5 acts of genocide this community has experienced- but the Prime Minister losing her shoe, or a flag being burnt (because those who wrapped themselves in the flag as they participated in the Cronulla Riots are not offensive at all.), or you not knowing that you can access a lot of these things which you accuse Indigenous Australians for- is clearly more important than all that.

Reblogging again because there is a hate post on how Indigenous Australians Are The Worst because they can get cheap milk in Western Australia.

Fun fact: EVERYONE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA CAN GET CHEAP MILK

$2.00 FOR 2 LITRES WHAT A BARGAIN YOU PEOPLE ARE RUNNING OUT OF EXCUSES GO TO FUCKING COLES BEFORE POSTING THIS SHIT

They steal and kill and murder and take entire countries…and complain when a few drops of what does not belong to them is sparingly and with much backpatting “given” to the original owners and inhabitants. If I could get  a superpower, it would the ability to induce the missing conscience that so many white people appear to lack.

Here’s the event that the original post references. This Aussie wants to print out the OP and hand it out to everyone.

More FACTS here:

Mythbusters (debunking myths about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

Some questions and answers about Indigenous peoples, migrants and refugees and asylum seekers

str-crssd:

One Morning Indigenous man Cameron Doomadgee swore at a police officer and 45 minutes later he was found dead in a police cell.

Watch this documentary here.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this film contains images and voices of deceased people.

katkatmadkat:

Respect to all Australian Indigenous peoples on this Invasion Day.

Terra Nullius was bullshit.

Check this awesome interactive map of Indigenous languages

ourcatastrophe:

siriuslydeep:

I don’t really drink alcohol. For heaps of reasons. But I definately won’t be drinking on Invasion/Survival Day this year. I guess I hope to be one less Anglo/white persyn putting money into/supporting this booze-fueled day of false nationalism. Getting drunk can make people less aware of their behaviour, and more prone to aggression and violence. Energetically and literally speaking, I don’t want to participate in getting wasted or celebrating this day as it represents the beginning and perpetuation of genocide, rape, colonisation and assimilation in this country by white people towards Indigenous people. And more recently, a growing sense of “white pride”/patriotism, violence and hatred directed towards people of colour/people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in this country.

Maybe this could be something other white people could do to take the “celebration” of invasion out of this day. To focus more on remembering and continued recognition of Australia’s first people’s, and acknowledging what it means to be a white persyn in this country and the effect our morals and behaviour has on everyone around us who is not profiting from white supremacy. By taking steps to create positive actions both mentally and physically, maybe we could make some real changes. Or at least I hope so.

if there was just one day where I support a complete ban on intoxicants for white people, it would be invasion/survival/sovereignty day.  the amount of drunken nationalist aggression is often frightening.  if you’re white, even if you personally aren’t particularly racist or nationalistic, if you’re on the streets drunk on this day, think about how that affects people around you, especially people of colour and especially Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.  fuck, I would definitely cross to the other side of the street if I saw some drunken fool in flag face paint, how do you think people who are actually targeted by racism are gonna feel? 

while I’m on the topic, some other things to do on this thurs jan 26th:

it is the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, an amazing achievement.  the Embassy is having a huge gathering. 

if you’re in melbourne there is an afternoon Survival Day concert in Belgrave.  later that evening it is POC the Mic.  do.  yourself. a favour.  you will not regret going to either of these events, it won’t be an act of dutiful penitence or anything like that.  I mean, let it be noted that I am not opposed to dutiful penitence.  but I am also in favour of seeing really accomplished feminist musicians like Lou Bennett for free, or for consistently getting my socks knocked off by the amazing array of multidisciplinary talent at POC the Mic. 

one other thing that is worth doing is donating to the Ruby Hunter Foundation.  Ruby Hunter was a renowned Ngarrindjeri musician who died last year aged just 55.  the Foundation needs $40,000 for the production of an album of songs Ruby wrote for and about Aboriginal children called “Butcher Paper, Texta, Blackboard and Chalk” and an accompanying picture book and dvd.  considering the appalling pay gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, making a donation to a grassroots Aboriginal organisation is probably a better use of my semi-hard-earned money (I had to really sweet-talk that Matchworks lady, ok!) than fancier pillows.  I still really want new pillows though. 

ourcatastrophe:

A FEDERAL government program that stopped welfare payments to Aboriginal parents whose children missed too much school has failed to produce sustained improvement in school attendance.

omg no way

my fave is this bit:

The federal government has a bill pending to introduce a third version, to begin in mid-2012, that gives parents more help before benefits are suspended or cancelled.

SERIOUSLY.  SERIOUSLY.  it didn’t occur to ANYONE first time around that that more support might be more useful than punishment in helping parents get their kids to school?