En Passant

Every year Rugby League has its state of Origin. Queensland plays New South Wales for 3 games over the mid-season. They are intensively competitive games, watched by millions. They are often the best rugby league contests locally or internationally. The first game this year is on Wednesday 5 June. So what? many of my readers […]

Changing the date will not resolve anything without a Treaty, recognition of sovereignty and paying the rent, I write in Independent Australia.

These are my very rough, to be edited, revised and added to before cutting in half, talking notes for a talk on income tax and Indigenocide in Australia to various PhD students I am giving in a few days time.

I write in Independent Australia on Monday that ‘Turnbull’s snap decision to call a Royal Commission into juvenile detention is now looking like a complete whitewash.’ I say among other things: ‘Is there a solution? Yes, I believe there is. Our mass actions can change the world. United, we can fight back. The history of the fight for civil rights in the U.S., for basic democratic rights in South Africa, for freedom from colonialism in much of the world, shows that negotiating with the oppressor will not win change. We have to defeat those who oppress us or make the costs for them too great to go on with the old ways.’

The Don Dale abuse, while horrific, is just another atrocity to add to a long list of systemic oppression endured by Indigenous Australians, I write in Independent Australia. Let’s ask Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people what their solutions are. In among their specific suggestions will be solutions for the overall, systemic problems. A treaty. Sovereignty. Paying the rent.’ To read the whole article in Independent Australia click here. NT Detention: Just another atrocity

Up to 500 people attended the Invasion Day Protest in Garema Place in Canberra on 26 January to highlight the genocide then and now against Aboriginal people. There was not one mention, not one photo of the protest in The Canberra Times.

Australia Day perpetuates the country’s ‘founding’ racist myths and is part of the system that enslaves our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters and, as a consequence, all of us. In the spirit of true reconciliation let’s abolish this celebration of genocide. Let’s instead celebrate the 65000 years of indigenous history and stewardship of this land. Recognise Aboriginal sovereignty, negotiate a treaty and pay the rent. It is time to fight for justice. It is time for justice.

Stan Grant tells us about the genocide and racism against Aborigines. IQ2 Racism Debate: Stan Grant

Let’s unite and fight to stop the brutal war against Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders now. Let’s start by stopping the genocidal closure of 150 Aboriginal communities in Western Australia. Let’s resist.

Meriki Onus, protest organiser from the youth group Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, spoke to Solidarity about the need to resist these community closures and the broader agenda of assimilation.