Outside Parliament House about 11.30am

(First posted to Melbourne Indymedia)

About 500 people rallied on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne yesterday, 10 May, to protest at the Howard Government’s decision to abolish ATSIC and replace it with a an appointed body of ‘advisors’. The rally also served as the launch of a new political party, Your Voice, while veterans of past campaigns called passionately for a reinvigoration of the struggle for justice for indigenous people in Australia.
Democrats and the Greens were represented, and invited to speak, but the strking absence of the ALP provoked some scathing comments, including a warning to Mark Latham that it is now too late for him to get on the bandwagon -“Marky, you should have just kept your bloody Liberal shirt on.”

Organisers issued the following call to action before the rally:

Join the Aboriginal Community of Victoria in a Rally to ‘Fight Racism and Oppression’
A Time for Treaty
The Struggle Continues

Sovereignty
Our Rights, Our Responsibility

Monday 10th May 2000

Everyone arrive on the steps of Parliament at 11am

Protest against:

• The Silencing of Our National Voice
• Mainstreaming of Our services
• The Disrespect and Disregard of Our Culture
• The Erosion of Our Human Rights
• Assimilation
• Continued Genocide

See also a report in Green Left Weekly

One of many banners

Martin Kingham pledging support

Gary Foley – “Until we get justice, you won’t get peace”