Chomsky signs on for justice

Noam Chomsky has signed the Justice for Jack campaign petition which calls on the Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock and Director of Public Prosecutions to "drop any charges reliant on records of interviews conducted under duress without the presence of a lawyer."

In a short statement he said, "The actions of the Australian government in pursuing suggest that they are willing to trample on basic civil and human rights in the name of the 'war on terror'. Australians should be alarmed."

For five months in 2003, Jack Thomas was held in a Pakistan military prison where he was tortured by the CIA and the Pakistan Secret Service. Jack was returned to Australia without being charged. Seventeen months later he was arrested on November 18, 2004 by Australian Federal Police and charged with receiving funds from a terrorist organisation, providing support to a terrorist organisation and traveling on a false passport.

Jack was held for three months in solitary confinement in Barwon Prison, near Gellong Victoria in conditions that Liberty Victoria say were in breach of his human rights. Fortunately, Jack was released on bail on February 15. Since his re-incarceration, Jack has been receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive anxiety.

Jack's family and the justice for Jack campaign believe that the case against Jack is a political exercise of the Australian government who are desperate to set precedents and make examples of people, regardless of whether they pose an actual threat to society, in their so-called "war on terror".

If convicted Jack faces a possible sentence of 55 years and it would set a precedent which may see others deprived of their right a lawyer or charged using evidence obtained under torture.

To protect these rights, we are seeking the broadest possible support for our campaign, so if you are concerned about the erosion of our civil liberties and the political victimisation of people like my brother Jack, download the petition from our website and send them in to:

Justice for Jack Campaign, c/- 1/ 85 Paisley St , Footscray 3011 VIC, Australia.

Court should be told Gov't using 'Jack'!

A Melbourne court should have been told a man accused of working for Al Qaeda is being used by the fascist Australian Government as a pawn in their leverage to win support for their illegal and degrading activities.

By Les Thomas posted 28 April 05

Related:

If he'd been given his passport he'd be a free man
A Sydney man [scapegoat in the Coalition of the Killings resource wars in the Middle East] has been found not guilty of preparing for a terrorist attack on a Commonwealth building [ruling class propaganda.]

Trial by unrelated video clips
Should alleged terrorist suspects [scapegoats for the resource wars in the Middle East] be shown on television side-by side-'terrorist training camp film clips' gathered by the government and media archives to give the wrong impression of accused people facing trial?

Accused Australian Citizen 'denied passport in 2002'?
AN AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN who was refused a passport by DFAT in mid-2002 became frustrated at the government for treating him differently.

Court should be told Gov't using 'Jack'!
A Melbourne court should have been told a man accused of working for Al Qaeda is being used by the fascist Australian Government as a pawn in their leverage to win support for their illegal and degrading activities.

Noble Cause Torture?
AUSTRALIA: The Labor Party has decided not to support a Senate inquiry into new allegations made by Mamdouh Habib that the Australian Government cooperated with Egyptian intelligence authorities who he insists tortured him.

New account adds weight to interrogation claims
Australia/Cuba/Iraq: The fascist Federal Government is under further pressure today because Australians were involved in the interrogation of tortured Iraqi prisoners.

Australian senate accused govt of war crimes
Did you hear the one about David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib having a Barbeque in Afghanistan with Bin Laden? Yeah it was reported on Channel Seven's Sunrise this morning! But they don't know if it was a sheep or a goat, but sources say it was most likely a goat.

DPP to appeal innocent man's bail
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will seek to have an innocent Melbourne man Joseph 'Jack' Thomas, returned to isolation in custody?

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed
The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Innocent witch verballed by federal fascists!
Shame on the federal fascists. The wicked old witch is dead! A Melbourne Magistrates Court has heard that a 31-year-old innocent Victorian man was facing terrorism charges?

Lawyer blames police for Habib break-in
John HoWARd, Alexander Downer, Phillip Ruddock, Robert Hill, to name just a few....HOW DO YOU PLEAD?

No reason for Habib to sell story: Beazley?
Federal Agreement Leader Kim Beazley is a well-paid loser. A loser who supposed to be defending our democratic rights by standing up to the HoWARd Government's fascism.

Australia: a presumption of guilt......
KAREN PERCY: Two of Australia's leading barristers have seized on the return of Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mamdouh Habib, to launch an unprecedented attack on the Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock.

Aust Community criticises Govt for 'crimes'!
Australia: The Law Council of Australia is warning that the Federal Government must learn from its mistakes over Guantanamo Bay? Now that's a mistake!

Australian Govt Guilty of Crimes: Community
Australia: The community says federal fascists who allowed the torture of its citizenry including Mamdouh Habib may be arrested when the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal address the War Crimes Indictment set out by the community.

What they did to Habib
Mamdouh Habib was the victim of atrocities fit for a concentration camp, including being tied to the ground while a prostitute menstruated on him, his lawyer said yesterday.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

There is no justification for torture
In the weeks since the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison were revealed, evidence continues to seep out of similar mistreatment of prisoners in other US military detention centers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.

Howard rejects spy agency overhaul
Prime Minister John Howard has played down the need for a major overhaul of Australia's spy agencies as a result of an inquiry by former intelligence officer Phillip Flood.

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed
The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Innocent witch verballed by federal fascists!
Shame on the federal fascists. The wicked old witch is dead! A Melbourne Magistrates Court has heard that a 31-year-old innocent Victorian man was facing terrorism charges?

Innocent Victorian man held in custody for Xmas?!
Lawyers have argued the case against Mr Thomas was weak and based on a statement he made in Pakistan without a lawyer present and therefore unlawful.

Innocent Melbourne man makes second bail bid
Rubish, just plain propaganda, fear-mongering, draconian nonsence from the HoWARd goverment's war agenda stink tank.

MPs to review spy agency powers
Australian spy agency ASIO'S controversial powers to detain and question suspected terrorists [scapegoats for HoWARd's resource wars] will be re-examined by a parliamentary committee. Parliament passed the new counter-terrorism powers in July last year.

Goulburn Jail breaches UN standards
NSW: Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has called on Justice Minister John Hatzistergos to bring Goulburn Jail's Maximum Security Wing into line with United Nations standards, after a prison inmate's covert survey of his fellow inmates revealed problems with rehabilitation programs and basic amenities.

Lodhi toilet paper: crap!
He is facing nine charges and is accused of planning a major terrorist attack on Sydney defence sites and the electricity grid using downloads off the internet and having 100 rolls of toilet paper to wipe his arse after low level bombs and farts.

Brain injury for suspicion 'inhumane'
Faheem Khalid Lodhi refused bail by a Sydney court and remanded until June in hell at the (HARM-U) High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn. While he is in there he will receive a brain injury and is likely to self-harm due to the gross violation of living standards.

Ul-Haque 'the man who wants to become a doctor'
The taskforce is investigating French man Willie Brigitte, who was tipped back home for a visa breach. Allegedly the Un-Australian Newspaper claimed he also attended training camps before his six-month stay in Sydney. Police have not alleged Mr Ul-Haque knew Brigitte. The Un-Australian just mentioned it because they are 'you guessed it' up John Howard's butt and they like the USA want 'you guessed it' our Federal Government. Well Yankee go home!

Daily Terror rolled-over for Howard's war games
The DAILY TERROR is suspected of being the source of the news this morning that Willie Brigitte is a terrorist and that Sydney faces a bomb attack.

Ruddock foreshadows new terrorism laws
The new laws will allow police to access emails and mobile phone SMS messages, enable wider use of surveillance devices, and protect sensitive national security information during terrorism trials.

Community seeks more power to interrogate ASIO suspects
Greens Senator Bob Brown does not think increased police powers are necessary. "We have enormous powers for surveillance, apprehension or punishment of people who are engaged in or intending to engage in or thinking about being engaged in terrorist acts in this country," he said.

Greens warn of 'politicised' terror trials
AUSTRALIA/CUBA?: The Australian Greens say they are concerned that new anti-terrorism laws being debated in the Senate allow for the "political black-banning" of defence lawyers at terrorism trials.

Lawyer claims Al Qaeda suspect's evidence tainted!
Before returning to Australia last year, Thomas was arrested and held in custody for five months by Pakistani authorities before being released without charge.

Man terrorised by ASIO remanded in 'AA' isolation!
A Victorian man has been remanded in custody after being charged with terrorism offences, including having links to Al Qaeda?

Melbourne man charged over ASIO links
ASIO a know Australian terrorist organization is verballing the community again...about allegations that a man, while living overseas, received funds from Al Qaeda and had close association with the members of the terrorist group.

DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD
A court has been told Joseph Thomas is a sleeper? ZZZ! Melbourne Australia: A court has been told that Osama bin Laden asked a Melbourne man to become a "sleeper" in Australia before undertaking activities for the Al Qaeda network? Munchkins: "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead."

AFP: The unlikely CRIMINAL
It was born of a bombing and it made its name after a far more devastating act of terrorism. But for most of the 25 years in between, little was known about the Australian Federal Police force or the work it did.

Mamdouh Habib: Taunted and Tortured!
Four Corners [Walls]: Terrorist - or Taunted by the Australian Defence Force who sacked him as a cleaning contractor? Who is Mamdouh Habib? And why was he harassed by the Australian Federal Police? Then tagged and labelled as a spy? Why was he vilified by the community? When he fled to Pakistan how did he end up being tortured in Egypt? And how did he end up at Guantanamo prison camp reserved for the men America calls "the worst of the worst.

He was an undercover agent for the blues
He was my journalist, he was working undercover. The fellow knew all of the moves.... He really had me romping, bare footing stomping. He just kept igniting my fuse....

Up there Khasali: Innocent man new bail laws
The New South Wales Supreme Court has asked innocent man Bilal Khazal to increase to amount of surety offered, before the bail is formally continued.

HEY! BIG BROTHER? LET INNOCENT PEOPLE GO!
Young men terrorised, tortured, and threatened with charges for no crime by Australia mate the lucky country. Lucky if you're not used for Howard's FEDERAL ELECTION and George Dubya's WAR ON LIBERTY! Who shot liberty? IGNORANCE!

Keelty foresees more terrorism
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty says terrorist groups will continue to find new ways to threaten countries.

Islamic movement denies links to Al Qaeda
The Islamic Youth Movement has denied having any links to Al Qaeda and says it is considering legal action against the Four Corners program. In a statement released early this morning, the group rejects allegations it is helping coordinate any kind of terrorist network inside Australia and says it is being unfairly targeted.

2nd Renaissance -10 The War on Witches [150]
In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued a Papal Bull that became the rationale for establishing the Inquisition in Germany. The following excerpt from the Bull sets out the official view of the danger of witches to the community. The Bull and this this passage provided the sole excuse for the torture and cruel executions that were, ultimately, to be the fate of up to fifty percent of the population of some villages.

Computers - prisoners' petition

NSW: Justice Action has just received a petition signed by nearly 100 prisoners of Goulburn jail. (petition at the end)

They are protesting a policy change introduced statewide by the Commissioner 2 weeks ago.

The new policy states that educational staff must supervise prisoners at all times when they are using the computers in the education classrooms. The petition states that this policy, in practice, means that access to computers will be dramatically reduced because of education staff shortages.

The prisoners say that the new policy is hindering their efforts at rehabilitation and defending their legal cases because much of the material used in these activities is now delivered on CD ROM. They say the policy is disempowering, and education is becoming a lost cause and unachievable.

We have been told that this policy is a direct result of the Middleton case, which successfully challenged the Commissioner's refusal to acknowledge his discretion to give maximum security prisoners access to computers in their cells.

Supreme Court Judge Dowd decided that the Commissioner did have the discretion and must consider it for prisoners of all classifications. The prisoners have asked us to advocate on their behalf. We need your help with gathering information to assist the challenge. Specifically, we need information on the following points:

1) What are the rules in other states? In the Middleton case he was doing two degrees at Uni of Southern Queensland in Information Technology and Engineering. He had a computer in his cell all the time without a problem until he was transferred to NSW.

2) How many years have computers been permitted inside prisons in NSW? Desktop computers in the wings/pods like Lithgow? Laptops in cells in minimum security?

3) What incidents can the Department use to justify this policy? Experiences in other states? For example, in the Middleton case, the Department said that they were a security risk because, "a computer might be used to track movements of warders and of the rosters of warders from a database on that computer."

However Justice Dowd noted that this could be done just as easily with a pen and paper, and that computers can be regularly searched for material other than approved activities.

Please let us know if you are interested in helping with this effort.

Justice Action 65 Bellevue St, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia P.O. Box 386, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia ja@justiceaction.org.au voice: 612-9660 9111 fax: 612-9660 9100

Please log into the Justice Action Web site, designed and sponsored by Breakout Design & Print, exercising good corporate citizenship.

PETITION

Justice Action
P.O. Box, 386
HAYMARKET

Prisoners of Goulburn Gaol
P.O. Box, 264 GOULBURN, 2580

Re: NEW COMPUTER POLICY

Dear Friends,

We the undersigned would like to protest a recent policy change introduced by the Commissioner of the Corrective Services Department.

The latest obstruction to the prisoner education program is the new policy that the educational use of computers must at all times be supervised by educational staff.

The policy, at least at Goulburn is unworkable due to the structure of the routine which only allows access to education to a minimum number of full time students for about 2.5 to 4 hours per day for a maximum 4 days per week.

Most of the full time students find this situation barely workable as it is. The changes in the policy now mean that teachers will not be able to supervise the students during the periods mentioned above because they have other duties to attend. This includes the needs of various yards of protection, mainstream, and races that are segregated from one another. The role of the education staff servicing the needs of all the different sections simply means that prisoners' access to the educational classrooms and computer facilities will be dramatically reduced.

Those students studying TAFE are expressing concerns. Those students studying University courses are in greater need for access to computers because most university lectures these days are on CD ROMs likewise unrepresented prisoners' (usually those refused Legal Aid) with outstanding court cases need access to computers especially those in the Supreme and High Courts where judges and Justices often refuse to accept hand written submissions.

There is also a further policy clash in that prisoners these days are supplied briefs of evidence on CD ROMs instead of the (expensive to produce) documented ones. Prisoners need reductions in the present obstacles to access educational services. The latest policy does the complete opposite by reducing access to computers and a follow on effect in not being able to access classrooms. The new policy is disempowering to prisoners who are already feeling that education and rehabilitation are a lost cause or otherwise an unachievable goal to reach.

We the undersigned students at Goulburn Gaol would appreciate it if your office could advocate on our behalf with the view that Goulburn Gaol is not the only gaol affected by the new policy. Otherwise education for prisoners will be to difficult to access and discourage inmate participation to those already experiencing obstructions to services and extreme lack of motivation.

Society would prefer that its prisoners' be released with some kind of hope and skills instead of disempowered, unskilled persons with little option, other than to re offend or otherwise be unemployable.

The under Signed (nearly a hundred signatures)

We the undersigned prisoners need to access education for use of computers to complete assignments (for part time study) or to access computers for legal purposes.

Ed: It sounds like in spite of the Middleton case the Commissioner of Corrective Services has acted with malice towards the prisoners and in direct contravention of his honour's decision about education and rehabilitation in prison, to ensure that no matter what these prisoners will not get any help, even if they want to help themselves.

I thought God always helps those that are prepared to help themselves? How could I get it so wrong? I must ask my school teacher.

Is this really how Corrective Services works? No wonder they get it so wrong and people who have no hope re-offend! At the moment 64 per cent return to prison in NSW.

COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIVE SERVICES AND MR MIDDLETON

Justice Dowd discussed the role of education in rehabilitation and stated that "it is hard to imagine a better rehabilitation tool than the gaining of tertiary qualifications of a sophisticated nature".

By Justice Action 22 April 05

Related:

Justice Action V NSW
The feud between these two is legendary, and is hindering an effective dialogue between the justice advocates of Justice Action and the Prison Administration who need some help from this community group in making our prisons more humane and effective in letting go of prisoners so they don't keep offending and returning to gaol.

Ex-Prisoner Locked Out of Prison
The NSW Department of Corrective Services (DCS) has revealed a policy which bans ex-prisoners from entering prisons.

Justice Action: Access to our community
NSW: Justice Action went to the NSW Supreme Court before the last Federal election on the constitutional right for prisoners to receive information for their vote. The government avoided the hearing by bringing prisoners' mobile polling booths forward. We pursued it after the election. This is the report.

COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIVE SERVICES AND MR MIDDLETON
Justice Dowd discussed the role of education in rehabilitation and stated that "it is hard to imagine a better rehabilitation tool than the gaining of tertiary qualifications of a sophisticated nature".

MORE PRISONERS LOCKDOWNS HAVE OFFICERS ON EDGE
NSW: Staff shortages are continuing to cripple the day to day running of the state's prisons, with correctional officers worried about their safety from constant prisoner lockdowns.

Tough line on crime fills jails
The tough law-and-order policies of governments around the nation are behind an explosion in the prison population by almost 80 per cent in the past two decades.

LEGAL VISITS AT PARKLEA PRISON
I am a prisoner in NSW and I am currently held in Parklea Prison. I am concerned about what is going on in NSW prisons and this is my story.

Parklea Prison: No calls for six days
The last calls that were made out of Parklea Correctional Complex by my partner, an inmate in remand at Parklea, was on Wednesday 2 February. The phone lines for the inmates have been out of service to this date.

Prison visits in crisis in NSW
The reason I am writing today is to address a difficult situation that my husband and my family are going through. My husband is currently serving a sentence at Lithgow Correctional Centre in NSW.

Prison boom will prove a social bust
Hardened criminals are not filling NSW's prisons - the mentally ill and socially disadvantaged are, writes Eileen Baldry.

The prison system requires assiduous oversight
As NSW Attorney General Bob Debus noted in 1996: "The kinds of complaints which occur in the system may seem trivial to outsiders but in the superheated world of the prison, such issues can produce explosive results."

Crime and Punishment
Mark Findlay argues that the present psychological approach to prison programs is increasing the likelihood of re-offending and the threat to community safety.

Justice Denied In NSW Corrective Services
There used to be a (VJ) or Visiting Justice who would go into the prison and judge any claim or accusation that was made by any prisoner or prison guard. If it were found that a prisoner had offended then punishment was metered out.

Prison guards test positive for drugs
NSW prison visitors banned from using the toilet The visit is only for about one hour and any thing less than that is an insult. If it's proved that a visitor has broken the rules the punishment should apply to them. But collective punishment on all visitors should not be made general when others haven't broken the rules especially if it restricts all visitors from normal human needs like using a toilet.

NSW prison visitors banned from using the toilet
The New South Wales Government has introduced several initiatives to stop contraband getting into prisons they said last Friday. But under the guise of "stricter rules" the department had also introduced banning all visitors including children from using the toilet unless they terminate their visit at any NSW prison after using the toilet.

Watchdogs slaughtered in NSW
On Tuesday the Carr Government reduced transparency and accountability yet again and New South Wales is in danger of becoming entrenched with cronyism and intimidations with the Carr Labor Government that continues to slaughter the watchdogs.

OUR STORIES MUST BE TOLD. THEY HAVE TO BE

This is for all the children, now, and those to be............

On Sunday 13th February, a Community gathering will be held to enable all people to remember the death of one of our young Community members, 'TJ' Hickey.

The gathering will be at the site of the fence where he was impaled arising from a police pursuit.

The gathering will start at 10.30am at the fence site behind the Taurunga building in Phillip Street, Waterloo Letters of support will be read and a two minute silence will also occur.

During the gathering a Petition will be available to be signed to demand a new Coronial Inquest. The call is based on Community demands following the abject failure of the police/white legal system to act in a fair and just manner.

This Petition is also demanding:

*a new Coronial Inquest following the evidence given by the two Police Community Liason officers during the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Inquiry, and

*The Coroner's decision to allow (then) Constable Michael Hollingsworth to not have to give evidence on a legally false double-jeopardy argument.

Both of the above points, we believe, have solid legal arguments to support them in a Court of Law. If we get a proper and unbiased hearing, of course.

The Petitions will be given to the NSW Attorney-General, Bob Debus, who has agreed to accept the handover, on the 15 February, being the FIRST ANNIVERSARY, of an event that will never be forgotten by the entire Community, and one that has brought us together.

Following the gathering there will be a further minutes silence held at one of Australia's oldest police station, Redfern, to remember all those, black and white, that have died arising from police operations.

Also those who have died in the penal systems of this country. Adult and juvenile, male and female. All those Deaths-in-Custody due to negligence or an absolute failure of Duty of Care by the NSW, so-called, Justice and Legal Systems.

Since 1980, there has been over 400 Indigenous Deaths. There are in excess of 400 Families still grieving, still in 'Sorry Business.' Those 400+ Families still ask the unanswered questions.

Photo: TJ's Mother Mrs Gail Hickey

Contact Ray Jackson on (02) 9318 0947 or 0418 436 572 for further comment.

Our stories must be TOLD, THEY MUST BE.

This is for the children, now and those to be.........

Lets look at where divide and conquer starts they want let anything to be free that includes the Land, the trees, the waterways, mountains, etc and the animals, birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, etc, we need then to SURVIVE.

White is like a piece of paper, you are not white you are need, red when you laugh, red when you are hot and red when we burn. But you can also go purple from the cold, blue when your sick, and green with envy. This is the first division. You are not white you are RED. The Yellow have always been Yellow they stand as one mob.

Aboriginals have always been BLACK.

The Land before INVASION was always Black

But as you can see, we are all red, yellow and black. The colour's of the Land. We need to now, walk as one, behind one flag as ONE, but bring your own cultures, if we don't this Land which is OURS will belong to BOB and JOHN. We hunt with blunt spears, and broken boomerangs which fly while Nuclear weapons are pointed at us.

This Land belongs to us not the police, not the government but us.

We need to walk as one community, one voice, one peaceful mob.

It all depends on how you see you, but remember.

WE ALL BLEED RED BLOOD
(Indigenous Social Justice Association, Inc.)

By ISJA posted 11 February 05

Related:

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Govt accused of isolating Indigenous public servants
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Vanstone defends asking Aborigines to wash for fuel
The Federal Government has defended its offer to provide a remote Indigenous community with petrol bowsers and new health programs, if it meets conditions including ensuring children shower every day.

Clark crashes Indigenous affairs ministers' meeting
Aboriginal leader Geoff Clark says he gatecrashed a meeting of federal and state Aboriginal affairs ministers today to highlight the plight of Aboriginal people.

Long says journey far from over
Michael Long has emerged from a meeting with the Prime Minister in Canberra saying it is still the beginning of his journey.

Second autopsy to delay Palm Island funeral
A spokesman for the Palm Island community in north Queensland says the funeral for a man who died in police custody may be another two weeks away.

Indigenous welfare plan breach race act!!!!
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has issued a warning about the Federal Government's plan to link Aboriginal welfare to behavioural change.

HoWARd's 'attitude' to Aboriginal welfare racist
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UN rates Indigenous health poorly
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Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.

Whitewash over Hickey's death
The New South Wales coroner has cleared police of any responsibility for the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas 'TJ' Hickey.

"MESSAGE STICK" NEWSLETTER:
1. ATSIC abolition: the story so far. The last few months have seen both major parties buying into Indigenous Affairs in destructive and politically opportunistic ways. First the ALP and then the Government announced they would abolish ATSIC, but now the decision has been referred to a Senate Committee so the full implications of the Government's proposal can be examined. For more information on the Senate Inquiry into Indigenous Administration call 02 6277 3419 or go to:

AMA calls for extra health funding for Aborigines
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is asking for an extra $450 million a year to be spent on the health needs of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

Labor to request Senate inquiry into ATSIC's future
The Federal Opposition has announced it will call for a Senate inquiry into the Government's plan to abolish the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).

Reconciliation dreaming
Djerrkura had witnessed the collapse of ATSIC, which he led from 1996 to 1999, with sadness. Despite the peak indigenous organisation's flaws, which he did not deny, its abolition, he said, had been done in "the classic imperial fashion, without negotiation, without understanding and with little empathy". He noted that as early as December 2001 he had called on his successor Geoff Clark to resign for the good of the organisation. But he reserved his harshest words for John Howard.

Amnesty sees lack of progress on reconciliation
Amnesty International says the Federal Government must be held accountable for its commitments to Indigenous services.

The bone has been pointed at Howard
A Queensland Indigenous leader says an ancient Aboriginal curse placed on Prime Minister John Howard is no laughing matter and could even have deadly consequences.

Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1

Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research: Aboriginal Crime
In 2001 more than forty percent of the Aboriginal male population aged 20-24 in NSW appeared before a NSW court charged with a criminal offence. One in ten Aboriginal males in NSW aged 20-24 received a prison sentence.

Inquiry told reforms will decimate Indigenous education
A Senate inquiry has been told the Federal Government's proposed higher education reforms will decimate education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The National Indigenous Postgraduate Association Aboriginal Corporation says Indigenous students will be the hardest hit by increases in student fees, interest on postgraduate loans and attacks on student representation.