Assimilation & Oppression

Censorship of the national Aboriginal voice began last year with the unfortunate passing of Gavin Jones after funding for Deadly Vibe had been cancelled by Tony Abbott's "government for the Aborigines".
... After 20 years of focusing upon the achievements of Indigenous Australians across society, Gavin's inspired leadership and good work was stripped of its resources with the strike of a pen upon his passing. It also highlighted that suicide and self-harm is a problem confronted in our communities at all levels. [node:read-more:link]

Hepatitis C is three times higher and rising in Indigenous populations. The worsening problem is mainly due to higher rates of unsafe drug injecting and possibly higher rates of incarceration, where the prevalence of intravenous drug use is much higher among Indigenous prisoners, according to multiple studies. First Nations people need accessible and affordable health care and Community Controlled Health Services have proven time and time again to be the best model for treatment, Lisa Briggs, CEO of Naccho said. [node:read-more:link]

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics last month show a 10 percent jump in the number of people in Australian prisons, bringing the prison population to a 10 year high.

The Human Rights Law Centre’s Senior Lawyer, Ruth Barson, said the trend of locking up more and more people is alarming, particularly given there are cheaper and more effective ways to keep the community safe. [node:read-more:link]

Ghillar Michael Anderson responds to a confrontation with those organising 1965 Freedom Ride re-enactment, in particular Rachel Perkins who took offence at his comments in a recent media release.

Having now spoken with all the parties, which was not done in the first instance, Michael Anderson corrects some matters in his previous statement, including that Noel Pearson will be travelling on the 2015 Re-enactment. [node:read-more:link]

Indigenous health experts gathered at University of Wollongong this week to introduce an Indigenous trauma recovery program developed at Harvard University.

"Evidence shows us that the processes of colonisation, with the loss of land, identity, family, layers into compound trauma - and what we're finding as evidence is compound trauma rolls into physical and psychological problems," said Debra Hocking - [node:read-more:link]

February 2015 is the 50th anniversary of Charles Perkins' and Sydney University's Freedom Ride from Wellington, Walgett, Moree, Gulargambone, Boggabilla, Bowraville and Kempsey etc, but having learnt of Rachel Perkins' proposal to travel with Noel Pearson to commemorate this historic occasion, this commemorative re-enactment of the original Freedom Ride will not be celebrated for what the original Freedom ride stood for. [node:read-more:link]

A federal government Ministers meeting passed a resolution supporting the four broad themes for change outlined in the federal government's initial response, which are reducing the overcrowding in the curriculum, promoting a parent-friendly version of the curriculum, improving accessibility for students with disabilities, and rebalancing the curriculum with the removal of the 'overarching themes' of Australian First Nations, Asia and sustainability issues embedded in curriculum subjects. [node:read-more:link]