Placard outside MAYSAR
The 2nd anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generation saw protests in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Alice Springs against the continuing discrimination against Aboriginal People epitomised by the invasion of the Northern Territory under the name of ‘intervention’. Around 300 turned out in Melbourne for a rally starting at the MAYSAR Sport and Recreation Centre in Gertrude Street before marching through the streets to end on the steps of Parliament House. Earlier in the day there was a protest at the Canadian Consulate against the dispossession of First Nations and the holding of the Winter Olympics on stolen land – see report here – which also has photos from the NT protest. After the rally at Parliament House there was a further event at Federation Square – Woorrbadinda – Sorry… It’s just the first step – see the Songlines website. And to round off the day, there was Liberation Bound, Live Hip Hop and Reggae to raise money for the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective and the Ampilatwatja Walk Off
The placard above sums up the issues and demands, but for extensive background resources see the website of the Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia) – WGAR.
This is how the demands were set out in the callout:
-Reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act
-End Paternalism
-Stop Welfare Quarantining
-Houses and Services for all Aboriginal Communities
-No Strings Attached
This is what we are bringing attention to today, that Aboriginal people are not treated equally like all other Australians ...
MC for the rally was Indigenous activist Sharon Firebrace, who introduced a series of speakers beginning with Uncle Bob Randall, Yankunytjatjara elder from Uluru with firsthand knowledge of the Intervention (and author of the ‘anthem of the Stolen Generations’ “Brown Skin Baby”.
Uncle Bob Randall speaking in Gertrude Street
Videos of the march and some of the speeches have been posted to YouTube (see end of this post) and the remaining speeches are scheduled to appear on EngageMedia shortly.
Other speakers at this part of proceedings were Adam Bandt, Greens Senate candidate:
Adam Bandt speaking at Gertrude Street
Lucy Honan, representing the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective, organisers of the rally:
Lucy Honan speaking at Gertrude Street
and Steve Jolly, Socialist member of Yarra City Council, who spoke about the local version of the Intervention, Local Law 8:
Steve Jolly speaking at the initial rally
As noted above, MP3s of all these speeches should soon be available on Melbourne Indymedia. Video may take a few days more.
There followed a march through part of the CBD, ending with more speakers at Parliament House, including a second chance to hear Uncle Bob Randall, along with well-known local activist Robbie Thorpe and Tim Gooden, just returned from the house building at the Ampilawatja protest camp (see report in Green Left Weekly):
On the march - 1
On the march - 2
On the march - 3
On the march - 4
Robbie and Sharon took turns at the PA on the route
While Uncle Bob, at 82, was surely entitled to a lift
A few more flags and banners on the march:
These speeches are now available on EngageMedia:
Tim Gooden’s speech is still in the pipeline…
Added 23 Feb: Tim Gooden
