BY KIM BULLIMORE
SYDNEY — Citing noise complaints, damage to the park and disruption to park users, but denying accusations of racism or Olympics-inspired paranoia, the mayor of South Sydney John Fowler has sought and received a court injunction to remove the Aboriginal Tent Embassy from Victoria Park. The injunction has been temporarily suspended until August 23, to allow further negotiations between Fowler and the embassy, which has been in the park since July 14.
Fowler's move took a number of South Sydney councillors by surprise, as the councillors had not instructed the mayor or the council general manager to approach the court to have the embassy removed. The council had instead resolved that negotiations with the embassy should continue and that the mayor and general manager would be given the power to pursue them to "a satisfactory resolution".
Fowler attempted to pit Aboriginal groups against each other to justify his attempt to restrict Aboriginal protest. He pointed to the Metropolitan Land Council's lack of endorsement of the embassy and claimed that the local Aboriginal community did not support the embassy.
Many local indigenous organisations in and around Redfern, inner-city Sydney and throughout NSW support the Tent Embassy, including the Redfern Aboriginal Medical Centre, the Aboriginal Education Centre at nearby Sydney University, Aboriginal elder Kevin Buzzacott and the Walking the Land for Peace walk, the Indigenous Students' Network and the Indigenous Social Justice Association. Numerous other groups and individuals who have signed the embassy's visitors book.
Other organisations who have offered solidarity to the embassy include the Sydney University Students Representative Council, the Democratic Socialist Party, the Anti-Olympic Alliance, S11 Sydney, the Campaign Against Corporate Tyranny United in Solidarity, the International Socialist Organisation, Students for Land Justice and Reconciliation and Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor.
Embassy supporters are organising to protect it in the event of a police raid to dismantle it. In a show of solidarity, 40 embassy supporters carrying placards stating "Let the Embassy Stay" and "No Attacks on Aboriginal Sovereignty" staged a silent protest at the council's land and development planning meeting on August 16, the evening before the council's application was due to be heard in the Land and Environment Court.
While the council successfully obtained the court injunction, ordering embassy elder Isobel Coe to cease occupying Victoria Park without first obtaining South Sydney City Council's permission, Justice Cowdroy suspended its application for five days to allow for the embassy and the council to reopen negotiations.
However, the injunction can be reactivated within 24 hours by the council if it considers that the embassy is not negotiating in good faith or if the embassy withdraws from negotiations.
The decision on whether to implement the injunction will be made by the court on August 23. That evening, a meeting of the South Sydney City Council will consider a motion by Greens councillor Amanda Lennon to instruct the mayor and the general manager to take no further steps to remove the Aboriginal Tent Embassy from Victoria Park and to refrain from enforcing the court order unless directed by a full council meeting.
To add your name to the emergency phone list to support the embassy, email: <isn_nsw@hotmail.com> or phone 9690 1977.