Indigenous Rights

Greens vow to fight for indigenous communities as second report highlights policy failures

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 9th August 2011, 6:20pm
in

The Australian Greens have vowed to continue fighting for Aboriginal communities after an Amnesty International report condemned the Federal Government’s abandonment of remote communities in the NT in favour of ‘growth towns’. 


The Amnesty report comes just one day after another highly critical report revealed the expensive gap between policy intent and implementation.


“I welcome the spotlight being returned to examine the state of Aboriginal housing, health, education and disadvantage in this country,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens Spokesperson for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today.


“While these reports highlight major deficiencies in the current delivery of services, the Australian Greens have already been making significant inroads on some of these issues.


Senator Siewert has recently introduced pieces of legislation aimed at reforming the Native Title and re-instating the Racial Discrimination Act in the NT.


“Now that the evidence is beginning to stack up against the past policies of both the Labor Government and the previous Liberal Government, it is impossible for the two old parties to ignore the need for communities to gain control over their own lives.


“The Northern Territory Intervention and compulsory income management was a terrible violation of those principles of self-determination, consultation and partnership, and it is time to unwind these policies and start returning control to communities,” Senator Siewert concluded.

Indigenous spending plan flawed from the beginning: Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Monday 8th August 2011, 2:39pm
in

The Australian Greens have called on the government to fundamentally change its approach to funding policies relating to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, to prevent millions more being wasted on ineffective programs.


The call comes in response to news that the programs being funded in Aboriginal communities are not effective, despite the government spending $3.5 billion dollars annually.


"This should come as no surprise for those that have been involved in these issues. For years there has been concern that funding isn't being spent wisely. There simply isn’t adequate consultation, programs are ineffectively targeted and not based on evidence," Senator Siewert, Greens Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today.


"The Greens have been critical about the intervention ever since its introduction. The program was introduced by John Howard with no consultation with the community and is discriminatory and punitive. The approach was flawed to begin with and was obviously going to result in money being wasted.


"Unfortunately this Government has not learnt from these mistakes and is currently undertaking a quick consultation process about the next phase of the intervention in the NT. However there is concern, as many people believe the outcomes have been predetermined.


“The Greens have been saying for years that the government needs to consult more with people who know what they are talking about, even if it means ripping up well-intentioned plans and starting afresh. The Government needs to significantly change the way it approaches Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander funding," Senator Siewert concluded.


Media contact: Jo Somerville 0418 401 180

Greens secure win for Indigenous Australians on carbon farming

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne, Rachel Siewert
Thursday 7th July 2011, 5:41pm
in

The Australian Greens say their amendments to the Carbon Farming Initiative provides an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to earn carbon credits for activities including improved savannah fire, livestock care, feral animal control, fertiliser, soil or forest management, reforestation and vegetation growth.

JPP arrests a 'sad reflection' on WA - Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert, Scott Ludlam
Tuesday 5th July 2011, 4:13pm
in

The Australian Greens said today the arrest and forcible removal of protesters from James Price Point is an indictment on the process being undertaken to develop a LNG hub in the area.

Discriminatory intervention should be ‘thrown out’ – Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Wednesday 22nd June 2011, 3:12pm
in

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues says she is saddened by the fact it has taken the Government so long to acknowledge the failings of the Northern Territory Intervention.

NT Intervention is Australia’s shame

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 21st June 2011, 11:23am
in

The Australian Greens say the Northern Territory Intervention continues to be a blight on the nation’s human rights record, four years after it was implemented by the Howard Government and should be scrapped.

National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010

Speech | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 14th June 2011, 3:11pm
in

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (12:54):  I rise to make remarks on the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 and particularly the extent to which it targets the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal land. I would also like to note that I know there are people keenly listening to this debate, both in the gallery and back in many communities.

Greens Native Title Bill would lead to simpler, fairer system

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Friday 3rd June 2011, 10:57am
in

The Australian Greens are encouraged by renewed public discussion around Native Title legislation as a Senate Committee prepares to examine important Greens legislation which seeks to make simple and effective changes to our native title system.

Greens back UN criticism of the NT Intervention

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Thursday 26th May 2011, 12:03pm
in

The Australian Greens have strongly endorsed comments made by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay calling on the Federal Government to take a new approach to the NT Intervention.

Greens look for more action on Sorry Day

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Thursday 26th May 2011, 10:00am
in

The Australian Greens have today reaffirmed their commitment to better outcomes for the Stolen Generations, using Sorry Day to focus on taking further steps towards a better Australia.