Strong support for native title
By Margaret Perrott
WOLLONGONG — A 50-strong meeting of the Illawarra Residents for Native Title decided on August 13 to organise local actions in support of the national day of action on native title on September 21.
Peter O'Brien from Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation reported that there are now 39 groups in NSW associated with ANTaR, which is taking its direction from the National Indigenous Working Group on Native Title.
ANTaR is coordinating the national day of action, the Women for Wik groups and the Citizen Statement campaign. Eighteen thousand citizen's statements have been received, and a further 1000 are arriving each day.
Participants were encouraged to write to John Howard and ALP deputy leader Gareth Evans. O'Brien warned against Evans' apparent wooing of farmers, saying: "There is a lot of discontent in the ALP about this issue. Many backbenchers support the Wik decision but their views are being ignored by the party's leaders."
"We are not worried about farmers", he continued. "It's the big pastoralists and agribusinesses that worry us."
If Howard's 10-point plan goes ahead, "There will be bucket loads of extinguishment", O'Brien said. "For the first time states will find it easy to extinguish native title, and the states will be reimbursed by the Commonwealth for any compensation pay-outs."
In an emotional speech Roy Kennedy, from the local Aboriginal Land Council, condemned the Howard government for taking "$400 million in one swoop".
We have lost 25,000 jobs because of the cuts, he said. "Our people are overwhelmed by all these attacks of the federal government."
Mary Davis, a local elder, said "Indigenous Australians are second-class citizens in our own country. Now is the time for people to walk with the Aboriginal people, side by side with us."
Reuben Brown reported that there will be an Aboriginal community service march and rally on September 6 at 10am from the Trade Union Centre.
The meeting unanimously agreed to support this action and to build a large march and rally on September 20. Illawarra residents will also travel to the Sydney Domain on September 21.
Illawarra Residents for Native Title can be contacted on 682 340 (Bruce) or 672 608 (Ian).