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Welcome to the STICS website! STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney) is an open collective of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people committed to the repeal of the NT Intervention and the struggle for Aboriginal self-determination.
We meet every first and third Monday of the month to discuss the campaign and plan for actions and awareness-raising. 6pm Monday nights, Federation Conference Centre, Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills (turn off Elizabeth st at Albion St and left onto Mary street) - http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=23-33+Mary+Street,+surry+hills&sll=-24.686952,135.703125&sspn=61.631455,97.207031&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=A. Everyone is welcome. Should you require further information and would like to attend, please call Cathy on 0422385852 (after 3pm) or E-mail: stoptheintervention@gmail.com
Please note:
Note the change of venue and time for tonight, 5 December 2016:
Just for tonight we will meet at the Australian Hall,
150 Elizabeth St, Sydney at 5pm!
Following at 6pm will be ‘Indigenous Rights Night’ forum which we will all attend
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/indigenous-rights-night-tickets-28797565293
As the Federation Conference Centre will be
closed until February 2017, we will meet at
University of Technology Sydney,
15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007
Level 6, next to Jumbunna Student Association
on the first and third Monday at 6pm
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Jason De Santolo (Jumbunna Research at UTS) and Lynda-June Coe
(FISST).
Centre. Hear directly from David Gulpilil the experiences of living in
Northern Territory in the 21st Century.
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Not A Mention of the Intervention
- 9 Years of Racist shame!
NT Intervention - Stronger Futures
Join us for an anniversary march and rally
Saturday, 18th June 2016 - 1pm
Town Hall Sydney
Bring clapsticks, drums, etc.
Confirmed Speakers:
Jenny Munro, Wiradjuri Elder, founder of the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy, and tireless activist.
Uncle Ken Canning, Bidjara Elder, activist, poet, candidate for the Federal Senate.
Nicole Watson, Birri-Gubba woman, Senior Lecturer, The University of Sydney Law School.
Jason De Santolo, Garrwa-Barunggam man, Senior Researcher, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning.
Paddy Gibson, Senior Researcher, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, UTS
For the event on facebook: please click here
For the poster: please click here
For the leaflet: please click here
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TIME FOR TREATIES
STICS Public Forum
“Men speak out for Treaty”
Monday, 14 March 2016 - Redfern Community Centre,
Following on from STICS’ successful 2015 forum, First Nations ‘Women Speak out for Treaty’, this event featured five First Nations Men:
Yingiya Mark Guyula, Djambarrpuyngu Nation, Yolngu Nations Assembly Spokesperson
Terry Mason, Awabakal Man, Chair of NTEU Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee
Tony McAvoy SC, Wiri Man, Barrister
Tauto Sansbury, Narungga Elder and Aboriginal Advocate
Chris Sarra, Gurang Gurang, Founding Chairman, Stronger Smarter Institute
Facilitator: Jeff McMullen, Journalist and Film-maker
For more info about the Forum: please click here
For last year's Forum "Women speak out for Treaty": http://stoptheintervention.org/past-events/20-mar-2015-treaty-forum
For more info, also see: http://www.respectandlisten.org/treaty.html
YINGIYA MARK GUYULA
also spoke on Tuesday, 15 March at the
Trades Hall Auditorium
For more information about Yingiya, please see:
http://www.yingiya.net/english.html and https://www.chuffed.org/project/ymgfortreaty
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Public Forum to mark Human Rights Day
Expansion of NT Intervention and Erosion of Human Rights
Friday 11 Dec 6pm for 6.30 start
Redfern Community Centre, 29-53 Hugo St
Speakers:
Barbara Shaw, Central Australian Aboriginal leader who lives under the Intervention and has continually campaigned against it.
Lex Wotton, an activist from Palm Island, who has recently been released from a government gag order. Monique Wiseman, Senior Aboriginal Project Officer, Wayside Chapel, who works at the frontline in Sydney.
Paddy Gibson, Senior Researcher, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, UTS and long-time opponent of the Intervention.
Contact: Alex on 0449 184 801 or Cathy on 0422 385 852
For the flyer: please click here
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/519354548235419/
Panel Discussion:
The Intervention - An Anthology
Wednesday, 2 Sept. 2015
6.30pm for 7pm start
Redfern Community Centre -
Downstairs, 29-53 Hugo St, Redfern
Speakers:
Larissa Behrendt: Eualeyai/Kamillaroi woman, Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS
Eva Cox: Research Fellow at Jumbunna, UTS
Thalia Anthony: Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UTS
For the leaflet: please click here
For the event on facebook: please click here
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8 YEARS TOO LOOOOONG!!!
NT Intervention - Stronger Futures
Protest
Sunday, 21 June - 3pm
Sydney Town Hall
Speakers:
Uncle Albert Hartnett, a Wangkumurra man with first-hand experience of child removal
Ken Canning, Murri writer and poet from the Kunja Clan of the Bidjira Nation
Kyol Blakeney, a Kamilaroi man and Sydney University SRC president
Eva Cox, Research Fellow at Jumbunna, Indigenous House of Learning at UTS
Gerry Georgatos, human rights and social justice campaigner. Editor of The Stringer.
For the flyer to print in A5: please click here
For the flyer in A4: please click here
More details: please click here
Terrific report back from Paddy Gibson on the effects of current government policies on First Nations Peoples communities on
Monday, 20 April: please click here
More info, page 8: please click here
Special Forum:
Friday, 27 March 2015 at 7.30pm,
NITV aired a one hour program titled
'Opinion Piece - Women Speak Out For Treaty'
Recorded at the Redfern Community Centre discussing the merits of Treaty. First Nations Speakers include Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, Brenda Croft, Natalie Cromb and Amala Groom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sT3Dn4U8tk&feature=youtu.be
To watch it again: please click here (50mins, expiry 26 Apr.)
For more info about the Forum:
http://stoptheintervention.org/past-events/20-mar-2015-treaty-forum
For more info on Treaty: http://www.respectandlisten.org/treaty.html
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Forum: Can our First Nations Peoples celebrate
UN Human Rights Day?
For Media Coverage by NITV: please click here
9 December 2014 - 5.30pm for 6pm start
Trades Hall Auditorium,
Entry via Unions NSW,
377 Sussex Street St
Sydney 2000
Can First Nations’ Peoples celebrate UN Human Rights Day?
Speakers
Aunty Debra Swan, Grandmothers Against Removals
Chris Graham, Editor New Matilda and Associate Producer of John Pilger's ‘Utopia’
Jeff McMullen, CEO (honorary) of Ian Thorpe’s Fountain for Youth
For the leaflet: please click here
For the poster: please click here
Sponsored by:
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney, Grandmothers Against Removals,
Indigenous Social Justice Association and APHEDA
State Government’s threat to close remote communities:
Article and background info about WA Government’s move and its far-reaching implications: please click here
The Northern Territory Intervention 7 Years On -
Rally
1 PM Saturday 21 st June -
Meet Sydney Town Hall and
March to Redfern Tent Embassy
Repeal Stolen Futures Legislation – Stop Income Management – Stop Stealing Children – Reinvest In Community Controlled Services and Jobs Now
Speakers:
Ray Jackson, ISJA President
Jenny Munro, Redfern Tent Embassy
Kyol Blakeney, National Union of Students
David Shoebridge, Greens NSW MP
For the poster: please click here
For the flyer: please click here
June 21 will mark seven years since John Howard announced the NT Intervention and sent the military into Aboriginal communities. This was one of the most shameful days in the history of Australia's brutal and racist treatment of Aboriginal people and has set the struggle for Aboriginal rights back many decades.
Government statistics show that since 2007 in the NT incarceration has increased 80%, reported rates of attempted suicide and self-harm are up almost 600%, child removal rates increased 80% and there is more alcohol related domestic violence. Almost $1 billion has been wasted on bureaucrats and punishment.
In 2012, the Labor government passed the Stronger Futures legislation that extends the main measures of the NT Intervention for another 10 years. Aboriginal people will continue to be treated as second class citizens: police can enter their homes without a warrant, courts are unable to consider cultural circumstances when sentencing, alcohol and R18+ material are restricted regardless of community wishes and more than 10,000 Aboriginal people are held on income management against their will.
Stronger Futures legislation also extended income management and the BasicsCard to new "trial sites" around Australia, including Bankstown in Sydney. But a strong campaign uniting Aboriginal people, community organisations, migrants and trade unions has helped hold this back.
The Public Service Association (PSA), who represent Child Protection workers are refusing to be part of the expansion of the racist NT Intervention. Of all the "trial sites", Bankstown has the lowest number of people on income management out of all "trial sites". The Labour Federal government increased the categories for Compulsory Income Management and the Abott government is signalling more draconian measures. Join us for a protest to demand an end to Apartheid-style policies in Australia!
For more information please call Cathy on 0422385852
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SPECIAL EVENT
Say NO to continuing Stolen Generations
STOP the DOCS Friday snatch
STOP Goward's new laws
Support and opportunity for families NOT child removal
Rally Friday April 11 - 12pm Tamworth DOCS office
14 - 16 Bourke st Tamworth
Speakers include:
+ Aunty Hazel, Grand-mothers Against Removals, Gunnedah
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/502744536496524/?context=create&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&source=49#
For the flyer: please click here
For the double-sided-leaflet: please click here
For the Media release: please click here
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STICS Forum
21 March 2014 - 6.30pm for 7pm start
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS - REBUILD THE FIGHT
Marking the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
REDFERN Town Hall, 73 Pitt St, Redfern
Speakers include:
John Pilger, Utopia filmmaker
Marianne McKay, Nyoongar activist
Dianne Stokes, Muckaty Traditional Owner
Aunty Hazel, Grand Mothers Against Removals Gunnedah
STICS Forum on 21 March 2014: please click here
For the Poster: please click here
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Speakers on Child Removal
Monday, 3 March at 6 pm,
Federation Conference Centre
Speakers:
Olivia Nigro, who played a central role organising the Child removal rally outside parliament on 13 Feb, will speak on developments in Gunnedah, as a way of starting some collective discussion about how we can take the struggle forward.
Bear, is a First Nations man from Canada taken and adopted out in Australia. He is currently working to change national and international adoption practices and laws, so that the abuses of the past are not repeated.
For the flyer: please click here
Plus discussion about an upcoming forum on 21 March 2014.
STICS Forum on 21 March 2014: please click here
Background Info:
Respect and Listen - Excerpt from the Q&A session where John Pilger talks about the present child removals and the planned new adoption legislation - 20 Feb 2014
http://vimeo.com/87180724
The Guardian - Tony Abbott’s cuts directly hurt Aboriginal children - 20 Feb 2014
Indigenous specialist services have been slashed by a tidal wave of cuts. This has a direct impact on the health and safety of thousands of Aboriginal children ...
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/20/tony-abbotts-cuts-directly-hurt-aboriginal-children#start-of-comments
The Stringer - Stolen Generations continues but worse than ever - 15 Feb 2014
Grandmothers Against Removals was formed by NSW regional Gunnedah grandmothers who
have been broken by the record number of removals by our State Governments - yes by
Governments - of their grandchildren from their Mothers. According to grandmother Hazel
Collins, the Stolen Generations continues and in numbers never-before-known. Ms Collins
travelled from regional Gunnedah, with affected families from across the State and from interstate
to NSW Parliament to raise awareness of the record number of children being removed, and the
cycle of devastation this is causing to the communities of First Nations peoples....
http://thestringer.com.au/stolen-generations-continues-but-worse-than-ever/#.UwEyWznPy_4
NITV - Gunnedah grandmothers rally against removal of Indigenous kids - 13 Feb 2014
On the sixth anniversary of the Australian government's apology to the Stolen Generations, grandmothers from Gunnedah have protested against what they say is a new generation of stolen children. ...
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/13/gunnedah-grandmothers-rally-against-removal-indigenous-kids
Canberra Times - Fears over rise in Canberra's indigenous children in care - 13 Feb 2014
Canberra's indigenous children risk becoming part of another ''stolen generation'', the head of Australia's peak Aboriginal childcare body says.
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care is demanding answers from the ACT government about large numbers of local indigenous children who have been taken from their families by social services.
Secretariat CEO Frank Hytten said unconscious prejudice and a lack of support for families could be contributing to the large numbers of indigenous children in care across Australia.
The latest report on government services published by the Productivity Commission found that on June 30 last year at least 140 of the 559 children in out-of-home care in Canberra were indigenous. ...
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/fears-over-rise-in-canberras-indigenous-children-in-care-20140212-32io4.html
Media Release: Grandmothers demand DOCS return stolen children on anniversary of apology - 13 Feb 2014: please click here
Related flyer: please click here
ABC - Too many Aboriginal children in state care in NSW admits Family Services Minister Pru Goward - 13 Feb 2014
The New South Wales Minister for Family and Community Services has conceded the number of Aboriginal children in care around the state is too high.
Pru Goward has made the admission ahead of a rally of Aboriginal grandmothers at State Parliament today.
It is six years since the Federal Parliament's apology to the Stolen Generations, but for Aunty Hazel it has meant nothing.
She says her grandmother and aunt were forcibly removed from their families and now four of her grandchildren are in care. ...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-13/too-many-aboriginal-children-in-state-care-in-nsw/5256906
The Guardian - Aboriginal mothers like me still fear that our children could be taken away - 21 Jan 2014
Indigenous women have been told for the better part of two centuries that we're not fit to raise children. Time and time again, we have borne the brunt of racist and cruel policies ...
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/21/aboriginal-mothers-like-me-still-fear-that-our-children-could-be-taken-away
WGAR News - Background to 'Keeping Them Home': Campaign against Forced Aboriginal Adoption in the NT, Australia
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/07/03/background-to-keeping-them-home-campaign-against-forced-aboriginal-adoption-in-the-nt-aus
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Keeping Them Home
The most recent data shows that the number of children being moved into out-of-home care in the Northern Territory has just about doubled since 2007. Two-thirds of these children are being placed with non-Indigenous families away from their communities.
Elder Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra, as spokesperson for Yolngu Makarr Dhuni calls for this trend to be reversed by increasing family support services in communities. He has written to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Adam Giles, asking him for his support. If you would like to support Dr Gondarra, please read the campaign letter below.
Letter from Dr Djiniyini Gondarra to Adam Giles: please click here
Campaign Letter: please click here
Background document: please click here
Petition: KEEPING THEM HOME -
Stop the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families: please click here
Media Releases
STICS: please click here
'concerned Australians': please click here
Further Background Info/Articles:
NITV newsclip of 20 May 13 - about 6 mins into the video: please click here
WGAR Newsletter of 18 May 2013: please click here
SMH - Jeff McMullen - 15 March 2013: please click here