Dear Editor,
A Crushing Blow to Civil Rights in Australia
UPDATE: On 3/12/2009 Hansard records research performed by Ms. Chapman had revealed NIL statistical evidence existed to justify this new legislation. In my and other’s opinion it was only successful because of party numbers.
The APY-Mintabie Amendment bill now needs to signed off by S.A. Governor Scarce. It is now his job to make sure this bill is constitutionally and legally valid and does not double up on existing laws.
Faxes outlining objections have been sent to the SA Governor’s office – 08 82039899, asking him to give careful thought prior to signing off this Wednesday.
PRECEDENT, INTERVENTION STYLE LEGISLATION FOR OUTBACK TOWN
South Australians may be interested to know about recent events relating to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights (Mintabie) Amendment Bill 2009. View here
The APY-Mintabie Amendment Bill has been passed through the Lower House of Assembly. Will this Bill be repealed if it is found to have nil effect?
It was illuminating to see the true colours of some South Australian politicians emerge when reading the record of debate in Hansard, 1/12/2009.
It appears most of the politicians who spoke, refuse to acknowledge that existing powers were already in place to remove unwanted persons from APY Lands. And they ignored the very simple suggestion of placing a police station in Mintabie. There are police stations situated at other APY communities, and if they are operated on a rotational basis, why not add Mintabie to the list?
The following speakers also failed to publicise the other changes afoot. Such as when purchasing a normal SA Precious Stones Permit, that permit will no longer allow the holder automatic access to the Mintabie Precious Stones Field.
And what is Ms. Breuer, Member for Giles doing for her constituents these days? An excerpt from Hansard (1/12/2009) during debate on the APY-Mintabie Legislative Amendments gives us an insight.
Ms. Breuer, Member for Giles not only disparaged residents of the remote Far North of SA with: “I have said and will continue to say that one of the biggest problems which occurred in the past and which will continue into the future is that many people who go onto the lands—and I am not saying all of them because some fantastic people work there in different departments, for the Aboriginal council, etc.—fit into the category of missionary, mercenary or misfit, and they have created a lot of problems in those communities.
People go in with the wrong motives, or with ulterior motives, or they are total misfits who cannot get a job anywhere else so they go up there.”
Then Ms. Breuer went on to say “I cannot understand why the opposition feels so passionately about this because we are not talking about a big community. We are not talking about a community of 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 people who are being affected by this measure. Mintabie is a very small community. I think that something like 93 voters are on the electoral roll, so probably about 150 or 160 people live there, as I am sure the many may not be on the roll. We are not talking about a huge community of people who are being affected by this legislation.”
Is Ms. Breuer saying principles and ethics don’t count if the number of people affected is small?
Bearing in mind constituents equates to voters, Ms. Breuer then further stated proudly “I fully support this legislation. I think it is very important. Yes, I am going against the wishes of my constituents—and I know I am because I have had many emails and contact from the people in Mintabie who feel very strongly about this—but I do not care.”
Ms. Breuer also reassured South Australians that she does not grow dope at her new flat in Fullerton as “it is not her property”. Not because it is, in fact, wrong in the eyes of the law.
Then Mr. Weatherill states “I think the argument really comes down to two fundamental issues.
The first is: whose land is this? The contributions that have been made seem to proceed from the misapprehension that somehow the title that was restored to Aboriginal people through the historic APY lands legislation was when their rights to ownership commenced.
The truth is that it was simply restoring an historical wrong. It was simply recognising that it was always their land. “
Mr. Weatherill I eagerly look forward to you and your Labor party righting further wrongs, by restoring and signing over Adelaide and the whole of South Australia (indeed the whole of Australia), to the rightful Indigenous owners.
But there are people living there, you say? People have built houses and resided there for a long period of time? No matter. Using the example you have made of Mintabie Precious Stones Field and town in the Far North of the State, that small detail should have no utter consequence at all.
I quote the righteous Mr. Graeme Gunn from the same edition of Hansard 1/12/2009 “ I do not normally take a lot of time in the house, but can I say to the house and the minister that I am the only person left here who was involved at the time when the Pitjantjatjara land rights legislation was introduced and debated and went to a select committee, and I think I know all the major players who were involved in it. For example, there was Punch Thompson, Donald Fraser, Ivan Baker, Danny Colson and Yami Lester. I knew them all, and I have sat down and seen this whole process take place.
In relation to this legislation, let me make it very clear that I believe the people at Mintabie are just as entitled as anyone else to have a place in the sun. They were legally there before the AP lands legislation came into effect. It was a part of the Walatina pastoral lease. I have been there many times, and they provided services and facilities and acted legally.
What is the purpose of this legislation? Will it be the panacea: will it solve the problems of the people in the AP lands? If that was the case, I would vote for it. I want to see the people in the AP lands improve their status in life. I want their children to have a chance, and I want to see them gainfully employed and lead healthy and productive lives and go about their business. This measure will have no effect with respect to improving them. If you shut down Mintabie are you going to shut down Marla and Curtin Springs? Are you going to go across to Western Australia and shut down the place just over the border?”
Mr. Gunn went on to further emphasise the key importance of jobs and education and not allowing isolated, closed communities. “At the end of the day, what do we really want for the people in the AP lands? Well, I think we want to give them an opportunity to go about their business in a productive, well-organised way, so that their children will get a decent education. No matter what we do, if those young people on the AP lands do not get a decent education there will always be problems.
A closed society has the potential to be a bad society. We have to open up the roads and make them the same as the roads anywhere else in South Australia. We have to encourage the community to allow enterprises there.”
Poverty, ill-health and homelessness are to be totally deplored, whether on APY Lands or in cities and towns. A big bravo to Mr. Graeme Gunn, Member for Stuart! Sincere good wishes for your well-earned retirement.
Also via 1/12/2009 Hansard record Ms Chapman, Member for Bragg advised the South Australian voters:
“On 2 October 1980, Mr Pantju Thompson on behalf of the Pitjantjatjara council and the Hon. David Tonkin (the then premier of South Australia) on behalf of the South Australian government signed a document indicating that a Pitjantjatjara land rights bill had been agreed between the parties and subsequently (that month) legislation was introduced.
When it came to consideration of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights (Mintabie) Amendment Bill 2009, I looked back to that legislation, which is now known as the APY Land Rights Act 1981 as a result of the title being amended during the course of the debate.
For the purposes of this exercise, there was acknowledgment of the Mintabie opal field and the development of a proposed township on a Granite Downs property, part of which is the lease which is under consideration in this legislation. That is, an existing settlement and enterprise needed to be taken into account.”
Ms. Chapman then stated how “I turned then to the notes that I had made in relation to the claim that the police were concerned about this; and that seems to be frustrated, I suppose, by the fact that no information has ever been provided to us to confirm that.
However, I did note, in more recent times, that there are a lot of statements about what is happening, including from the minister, but not a lot to go with them.
I read a number of reports in this parliament (including by the minister) in respect of the success in the reduction of petrol sniffing in the APY area and, indeed, in other facilities of a similar governance. The minister reported to the parliament (in response to estimates questions on 26 June 2009) about the APY task force program. He reported that the rate of seizure of illegal substances, including alcohol, coming on the lands has increased dramatically since 2006.
That is interesting, and I note that statement, but we have not had one scintilla of information to support it.” Ms. Chapman also accessed the UnitingCare Wesley’s on-line Paper Tracker but “Regrettably, we did not find the evidence that we were looking for in that regard, “
“I do not doubt it is true, and I will tell members why. It is totally fanciful to me that the APY should be different from any other Aboriginal community on the lands where cannabis use is rife.
So I went to the Nganampa Health Council which, of course, is the body responsible up there. They do not have anything in their annual reports: they just do not report anything any more. I think they spend half a million dollars every year on alcohol and substance abuse matters but they do not tell us anything about cannabis abuse in their report. I think they included one sentence this year.
I rang the people in Alice Springs to see whether I could get any further information, because they did not even publish their financial reports in the actual reports, so we had to go through and get those checked off.
However, leaving that aside, there is nothing to tell us that, yet you would think, with what we are hearing anecdotally, that there would be a number of things. First, we would have something from the police—who are not permanently on the lands—and the women’s council, I hasten to add, make it very clear in their submission that it is not really going to make much difference making any of these rules unless you have a permanent presence in the Mintabie township to supervise whatever the rules are going to be.
So, let us have some of that. Let us have some answers from the government about:
- the placement of someone at the Mintabie township for the supervision of these matters;
- why we have not had arrests and/or prosecutions of people in this area;
- why we are being asked to make a decision on matters without the evidence to support them in respect of this particular location; and
- what the government is going to do in respect of making provision for that. We must have that information to be able to isolate this matter. “
“In 2006 (over three years ago), we debated some of the concerns at length and we said to the government, ‘We are not happy with what is going on up there, but we accept for the moment that there is a trafficking in petrol and illicit substances on the APY lands.’ We supported the government in increasing penalties for these people to a $50,000 fine or imprisonment of up to 10 years, the confiscation of their car, which could be sold off in the event that it was to be forfeited under the rules and that the proceeds of those vehicles could go back to the APY lands.
However, three years later, we have had no report back to this parliament about what action has occurred with respect to that legislation.
It is important that we deal with this issue. Those groups have been waiting out there in the wilderness for seven years without any clear information. There has been no attempt to give us that information and, until we have it, this (legislation) will not have my support.”
A heart-felt thank you Ms. Chapman, for actually trying to determine the valid statistics in regard to this issue. Ms. Chapman is a shining example to her fellow politicians. She does not follow old goat trails of unfounded anecdotes and innuendo, instead takes the time to search out hard facts, for or against.
And then we come to the Opposition Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, who essentially argued the case FOR the government, while spouting the Liberal party will not be voting for this legislation. Mr. McFetridge, who would like us to “dob in” likely suspects without evidence or training, and return Mintabie to the good old days of Communist East Germany with it’s Stasis inspired dread and fear atmosphere of informants.
While I applaud Mr. McFetridge’s humanitarianism, crushing Mintabie is not the answer, as the future will show. Ms. Chapman noted other indigenous communities were having a tough time with addicts of all natures, as are urban cities and towns. Education, rehabilitation and jobs are the answer.
Again it should be asked. If ultimately passed by SA’s Upper House, will this Bill, and the associated changes to the Opal Mining Act, be repealed if it the statistics show it is not working?
As a rather curious aside, at the same time SA politicians were debating whether to enforce the permit system on Mintabie, the APY executive were issuing a press release that seemed to indicate they would like to lift permits from some APY roads. Go figure!
I would like to both thank and applaud the efforts of Mr. Lawson as shown from this excerpt from the SA Legislative Council Hansard on 3/12/2009.
He is a man who will not be easily swayed by the majority of less informed others. To paraphrase a saying “Just because the majority say a thing is true and right, does not transform the thing into something true and right”.
Existing powers are in place to deal with issues. The principle of the presumption of innocence should never be compromised, neither for large numbers of voters nor small.
The Hon. R.D. LAWSON –
“We understand that many of the provisions we find unacceptable in this legislation are supported by the APY executive and, therefore, we do not demur without considerable hesitation. The trouble with this legislation, as we see it, is that it goes a step too far.
Legislation of this kind has to strike a balance between the interests of those people who have lived at Mintabie for a very long time, have not broken laws, who want to continue to live and have businesses in Mintabie, and they have legitimate expectations which ought be met. At the same time, we acknowledge that the people on the lands and their elected executive also have interests which must be respected, and striking the appropriate balance is important.
However, this legislation, in a couple of minor respects, does not strike the balance correctly. We regret to say that, in our belief, this legislation is relying on a paternalistic view of Aboriginal affairs which we thought, in the current climate, had been abandoned.
We see that the Northern Territory government, the commonwealth government and our own state government are making considerable changes in the way things are done on the APY lands and in Aboriginal communities across the country, yet here we have a return to the philosophy—which is best characterised as a sort of East German philosophy—of putting a wall around the problem and that will solve it.
The experience is that putting a wall around problems of this kind does not solve them: it leads to displacement of problems. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. We understand that there are good intentions on the APY executive in relation to this legislation but we are sure that their solutions will not have the desired effect of improving conditions on the lands. It will simply displace problems which exist already.
If it be the case that Mintabie is the source of so much of the evil on the lands, why has the police presence, which has been put on the lands, not been focused on Mintabie, with all the resources of government being devoted to stamping out this noxious place—if you can believe the detractors of Mintabie?
If people in Mintabie are doing the wrong thing, not only legal things but ripping off Anangu with illegal or unfair trade practices, then there are solutions other than simply seeking to move them on to another corner, moving them on down to Coober Pedy, up to Marla or Alice Springs, Curtin Springs or across the border to Western Australia.
Petrol sniffing, substance abuse generally and cannabis supply to the lands is an ongoing issue. It is interesting to note that in September 2002 the then South Australian coroner published the results of inquests into the death of a number of persons who had been affected by protracted petrol sniffing. In a series of recommendations, the then coroner—a magistrate who was very experienced in affairs on the lands—suggested a number of things, some of which have been adopted.
However, the principal one, the establishment of a secure facility on the lands to address petrol sniffing and other substance abuse, was not adopted. We also note that the one recommendation of the Mullighan commission of inquiry in relation to abuse on the lands—that there be a secure facility on the lands for criminal justice purposes—has not been adopted by this government.
The issue that means that this legislation is a bridge too far for us is that it imposes undue restrictions on those existing residents of Marla who will no longer be able to enjoy a right enjoyed by every other South Australian, even where dry zones apply, to consume alcohol in their own house. We believe that is unfair.
We believe that the proposal to restrict businesses at Mintabie is wrong, improper and unfair—for example, to ban the sale of a second-hand car in Mintabie because there are some dodgy dealers there. There are dodgy dealers all around metropolitan Adelaide. What you do is close them down by exercising the powers that already exist in relation to the sale of second-hand vehicles. Having a blanket ban on the sale of dodgy cars in Mintabie is not going to make any difference at all: it will simply move the dealers off to Coober Pedy or some other location.
Many Anangu buy vehicles in metropolitan Adelaide. There is one particular dealer who specialises in selling dodgy vehicles to Aboriginal people. The way to address that is not to simply say, ‘Well, you can’t have one of those people operating in Mintabie’, and banning the sale of all second-hand vehicles there.
It is also proposed, by the lease conditions, to limit the way in which businesses can operate in Mintabie. It is true that one of the problems on the lands for years has been the fact that key cards, issued to social service recipients, are held by businesses for credit to be extended. That has been going on for years on the lands. Many of the stores operated by communities were engaged in this particular practice. It simply meets a need of Aboriginal people. They want their money. They want to borrow money like anybody else in the community but here it is decided that will not happen in Mintabie; you will have to go further to hock your key card to get credit. We simply do not believe that will work.
We do not believe that these measures will have the desired effect of improving conditions: they will simply move the problem elsewhere. These provisions, well-intentioned as they are, will ultimately be ineffective. Yet another measure that the APY executive and many people are trying to encourage is that the stores only stock nutritious food rather than the fast food that Aboriginal people actually like buying. This highly paternalistic view that you can prevent people buying Coke and chips and get them to—
The Hon. A. Bressington interjecting:
The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: Indeed. The Hon. Ann Bressington says that that leads to obesity and diabetes—sure, and the way to overcome that is by better education and better facilities; it is not simply by banning people from running a business. We know that Aboriginal people go to the road houses along the Stuart Highway and buy these goods if that is what they want to do. It is for all those reasons that we think this package of measures should not be supported. We note that the Mintabie Miners Progress Association has made representations and that it has been involved in the negotiations, as the Hon. Robert Brokenshire said, and made its position clear.
The final restriction we regard as over the top is the one that relates to criminal history checks for Mintabie residents if they are Anangu, so it is a discriminatory provision. Provisions of this kind do not apply in other places, and we think it is unnecessary and, ultimately, counterproductive.
So, it is for these reasons—and with great reluctance, I might say—that we are unable to support the passage of this bill. We note that it will be supported by the government and by crossbenchers and other members, so it will undoubtedly pass, and that is not a matter for great teeth-gnashing on our part. However, we think it is important to make statements of principle and to take a principled position.
E. Hooper, MINTABIE
Categories: MINTABIE/MARLA News
Coober Pedy Regional Times 
Before you vote for these colourful ‘party poopers’, read this and wake up to it all.
Australia: The Concealed Colony
The submission was presented to all member nations of the UN in 1999 and not one refuted its claims, and several commenced independent investigations that proved the substance of the submission.
Australia is an independent sovereign nation that continues to be inappropriately governed under British colonial law.
The following is from the forward of the latest reprint of AUSTRALIA: The Concealed Colony;
President of the Human Rights Committee OHCHR-UNOG, CH 1211, Geneva 10 Switzerland
Subject: The Institute for Constitutional Education and Research Inc..
Dear Ambassador,
The Institute was founded by a group of informed and concerned Australians after inputs from thousands of citizens. The common denominator to all complainants was easily identifiable. They had all been subjugated to British colonial law and they had no access to recourse by way of civil rights. On examination it becomes clear that this was occurring because the Politicians and the Courts choose to uphold colonial law, even though it is contrary to all aspects of domestic and international law, so as to preserve their own power base.
Being aware of certain facts of history individuals have, on the basis of a collection of original documents of history, entered into a concerted exercise to cause those assuming the power to govern and adjudicate over the people to bring about the adjustments necessary to correct the situation. However, Politicians continue to make false statements while the Courts refuse to argue the position.
The only recourse now available to the people is through the international community by way of an appeal for the upholding of the Charter of the United Nations with regard to the principle of self determination of all peoples.
Apart from that, all that is left is the application of civil unrest under section 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. Such is the unrest across the nation that it is believed, in some quarters, that this will lead to civil war.
In short, it is known that in 1917 Britain promised Australia independence and that this was effected without fanfare in 1919. Australia became a member of the International Labour Organisation in 1919, membership only being open to sovereign nations. In 1920 Australia became a Member State of the League of Nations, while in 1921 the British Government again declared Australia to be an independent nation. As such, in 1922 Australia refused a request from the United Kingdom for armed assistance with regard to Kemal Ataturk. While in 1923 the British Government again confirmed that, as an independent nation, Australia had the power to make international treaties. In 1926, it was declared that Australia was an independent nation state of the British Commonwealth of Nations and in 1931 the United Kingdom legislated that it no longer had legislative power over Australia. In 1945, Australia became a Member State of the United Nations.
Yet in 1999 we still have the same colonial system that we had in 1900 with the Politicians and judiciary providing verbal and signed allegiance to the Westminster Parliament.
Hundreds of people across Australia have, in their own way, attempted to correct this long standing anomaly using every measure available to them short of actual civil war. For their troubles many of the have had their lives and livelihoods destroyed. It is fair to say they are all angry.
The Institute is about assembling a documented record of both the historical facts and the contemporary attempts of the people to bring about a facility which will permit them to exercise their right to self determination.
It is from this data that the founders of the Institute have chosen to compile and advance an appeal to the international community by way of the United Nations. We present and commend to you the document ‘AUSTRALIA, the Concealed colony’
F.J. Coningham Ph.D.
For the founders and on behalf of all Australians. 25th August 1999
On the 3rd Dec 1854, the Eureka Stockade flag was torn down by trooper King.
Who do these pollies think they are, we pay there salaries offer them cushy positions and this is how they deal with pioneers of this country. Absolutely sucks to coin a phase.
Better go anonymous, because if this is the way a Labor party deals with it’s people it won’t be getting my vote, and my vote does count
This situation is beyond belief.
Are you sure you haven’t just sustained an INTERVENTION. Are there mineral leases nearby? If so you’ve just suffered the hugest rort and we’ll all be next.
This would have to be the biggest state of emergency this country has ever seen. Didn’t realise we were just pawns on the monopoly board. Must send this around.
We must get rid of these ********
Quote:
Then Mr. Weatherill states “I think the argument really comes down to two fundamental issues.
The first is: whose land is this? The contributions that have been made seem to proceed from the misapprehension that somehow the title that was restored to Aboriginal people through the historic APY lands legislation was when their rights to ownership commenced.
The truth is that it was simply restoring an historical wrong. It was simply recognising that it was always their land. “
E. Hooper says: “Mr. Weatherill I eagerly look forward to you and your Labor party righting further wrongs, by restoring and signing over Adelaide and the whole of South Australia (indeed the whole of Australia), to the rightful Indigenous owners”.
THIS is a little confusing. Did the British own Australia before they actually got here?? Who is Wetherill and what’s he on? How does he allocate rights for the Pintenjara to own their own land when those people were already there?
Was there some sort of contract? How can he sign it back when it’s unlikely there was amy contract in the first place, from how things were? We aren’t aware that the aboriginal people were classed as any more than fauna from the start so what contract would an “animal” make with these people?
Also if it was “always THEIR land”, then why are these politicians justifying convenient changes.
This could definitely roll across the country!!
What a wonderful insight into how our parliament operates. Maybe the only way of getting true democracy is to start a Northern S.A .Area party. We all need protection and representation. It is refreshing to read E..Hooper’s letters from time to time, they are always informative and sensible, probably because they appear to be well researched, with no hidden agendas.
With Ms Breuer , saying we are all either missionaries, mercenary or misfits, I rather think the shoe is on the other foot dear. It will surprise you to know there is a lot of talent in the outback from tradies to painters, writers, musos, in fact all facets of educated people are up here to work, noodle, mine or relax. Something you misunderstand is that we love the lifestyle, the desert, and the people all around us.
Perhaps your misfit etc, comment should have been directed towards the Labour party because, we the people have been brought up with the old adage – “ What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong”
Now you and your mates have a good Xmas, while you leave us in this ridiculous situation. Perhaps do some external training to pick up some research and people skills. You will need extra skills after your government is thrown out on its ear
We had thought there would be protection of tenure in living in a town that existed prior to the original hand-over. Like Adelaide seems to think.
Yours, in anticipation of an early election,
Very Grumpy Old Man
Remote Far North SA
People of Mintabie and other Far northern towns. Perhaps you could persuade Mr Gunn to be your retired savoury , like in the movie The Castle, you are suffering bully tactics from non lateral thinking bureaucrats. His speech in Hansard was excellent he understands the history of this land and Mintabie.
The younger so called politicians, should take heed regards his speech relating to APY and realise the majority of people on the ground up here probably agree totally with his sentiments (education, open the lands to allow enterprise etc).
Thanks to E Hooper for posting this article it is a very interesting read.
Interested party
Far North
Is it the first of April? please tell me this is all a big joke.
I’ve taken some interest in this legislation because I’ve visited Mintabie about five times, probably five times more than the politicians that allowed these changes through parlliment.
Mintabie is a great little town and the people are so nice, certainly not misfits Ms. Breuer.
I’ve visited many other towns in central Australia that do not make me feel safe at all, but I’ve always felt safe in Mintabie.
This town is being made to sound like it has a higher crime rate than Mount Thomas, time to send in the Blue Heelers.
But seriously,
Does anyone know the current crime rate?
Do the pollititions know?
How will they know if their assumption making policy has been a success?
How will stopping the good people of Mintabie drinking a beer in there homes change anything?
How will police checks stop the illegal sale of alcohol when that law already exists thoughout Australia?
Sounds no different than any other town, give more funding to our police so they can enforce the laws that already exist.
Mintabie has had it’s civil liberties removed overnight, so other small towns with little political pull or voter numbers should be very nervous.
Merry Christmas good Mintabie folk, remember no brandy in the plum pudding.
As Judith Durhum sung ” I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE AUSTRALIAN”
The politicians sing “I AM, YOU ARN’T, YOU MIGHT BE, THEY ARE, WE ONCE WERE ALL AUSTRALIAN’
You know, they let BHP peg us out at Andamooka. I’d say we’ve got a 4 year life if that sh*t can goes ahead.
We read where AHAVA pegged out the township of Mintabie as well. They want that oil. I daresay that wouldn’t have anything to do with it. You’ll all be marching donw to the Wet Mess together no doubt.
Where are those blighters going to live? Oh, I get it…at your place!!!!?
I just hope the wind start blowig from the North so they they get the full force of it in Adealiade for a change. You never know when el nino and la Nina do a shift which way that waste is going to blow. We get pretty hot north winds in the summer.
This Whetherall character, he is minister for mines and engery isn’t he? I guess he’s gotta play his game out. I wonder how green his joint is eh?
Once they get the lease of the aborignes in Coober pedy, they won’t know what hit em too. I reckon its a general intervention for the outback. Its been cooking for a while now.
We’ll make some room for you in CP mates. That lease might never happen here for a few reasns. It was stuffed before it started.
They might think we aren’t paying attention but we are. Were just watchin the wheels turning mate. As for there constituants – they won’t have too many aftr this. Your not kidding about this being the start of something much bigger. later….
Have a happy christmas!
Are you serious Ms Breuer, that you dont care about your constituents wishes ??? I hope nobody votes for BREUER next election. You would have to be pretty stupid to after reading that comment. What else is she willing to sell out her constituents for? Which of her constituents are next ? After this I am wondering why we refer to politicians as “HONORABLE”, Ms Breuer. Thats not what I thought honorable was. Back to the classroom for me !!!!!!
Just to inform Mintabie’s well wishers, the APY-Mintabie Amendment bill was passed in Parliament on the 3d Dec 09.
3/12/2009 Hansard records research performed by Ms. Chapman had revealed nil statistical evidence existed to justify this legislation. In my and other’s opinion it was only successful because of party numbers.
The APY-Mintabie Amendment bill now needs to signed off by S.A. Governor Scarce. It is now his job to make sure this bill is constitutionally and legally valid and does not double up on existing laws.
We, and others, have sent faxes to his office – 08 82039899 outlining our objections, and asking him to give careful thought prior to signing off.
Wish us luck,
S. James
South Australina Voters Beware: Are you really informed? (Dunno)
Be aware SA voters exactly which party and politician holds your rights precious, and which of them do not. After a protracted battle this Labor government has finally succeeded in stripping, wholesale, the “presumption of innocence” concept from an entire town. Mintabie, a town in existence prior to indigenous land grants of the 1980s, must now undergo presumptive criminal history checks to reside. Doesn’t any-one see anything wrong with that?
In a major coincidence the Mintabie Miner’s presumption of innocence was ripped away on the very anniversary that Trooper King, near Ballarat, ripped the flag down from the Eureka Stockade Miner’s Rebellion. Their cries may indeed still echo in the ears of Mintabie Miners today, “No taxation without representation!” For indeed, where is/was Mintabie’s representation?
Who has heard the small jimminy cricket voice of Mintabie crying out to ordianry Australians, FOR ordinary Australian standards to apply in their remote desert wilderness? Town too small for ethics to count? Too few in number for principles to apply?
Mintabie, the town which valiantly tried to save for all Australians, free and open access to it’s State government designated Precious Stones Field.
I mourn the isolated fate to which un-informed, fact-less politicians have consigned you without proof. Mintabie, town of colour and the colourful. Now separated from Australia whole, divided off behind the red, sandy curtain, into a hidden, inner country…….
Australian Soul
Quote E. Hooper: “If it be the case that Mintabie is the source of so much of the evil on the lands, why has the police presence, which has been put on the lands,
not been focused on Mintabie, with all the resources of government being devoted to stamping out this noxious place—if you can believe the detractors of Mintabie?”
Maybe they are just easing the police in gently. After all, what real crime is there that tribal law couldn’t always handle? That’s been fixed up nicely! So there must be a motive for such a blatant and ludicrous decision to violate Mintabie’s civil rights, that innocent and caring politicians like Vickie Chapman haven’t been let in on!
Australian civil right when weighed up against the massive mineral dollar can’t be much different to the rest of the villages in the world. At the moment, out of sight out of mind.
When a country is running out of water and it’s being preserved for the mining partners, then precautions may need to taken in case people get thirsty and sick.
This is happening in most countries overseas right now. Why would be imagine we are special?
“Sesa Goa mining company has been given Police protection to carry on with mining activity in Advalpal village. Protection is in the wake of stiff opposition from the Advalpal villagers in this village of North Goa’s Bicholim Taluka.
“Mining is ruining Goa’s villages and it is shame that Goa Police is providing protection to this industry that is threatening to transform Goa into a desert
by drying up its water bodies. And all this is possible due to huge amounts of donations to “ruling and opposition” political parties in Goa.
Goa, its environment – water bodies and land is being slaughtered to benefit British Vedanta owned Sesa Goa. Once India was ruled by another British company known as East India Company and people of India revolted against it.
Today we have another british company in league with several Indian companies exploiting this State of Goa on the west coast of India. And it has our Goa Police as its loyal ally.
Disgusting state of affairs indeed! ”
Sebastian Rodrigues.
http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg46519.html
Governor Scarce does have an interesting task ahead of him, although it’s unlikely the decision is his.
It will be very telling to see if his/their allegiance is to the British Crown, or to the people of South Australia!
Make sure you post the response you get from the Gov. That’s if you get one. The political silence on this is deafening. Silence is also a form of abuse to make you feel unimportant, unnecessary and helpless.
The people of Mintabie are important and the reasons given appear have no foundation according to the good research done by many intelligent people. So it simply became a numbers game..
It’s quite sad when fellow born Australians turn on their own kind. I suppose they could be called sellouts.
It makes you wonder what will happen when they need a hand or even a vote? Look at Turnbull for example. One day aspiring for the top job. Next day the dream is over. And dare we mention the parliamentary waitress?
It seems they are popping off one by one as the grubby dust creeps out from under their rugs.
I bet you can find more evidence to ban drinking in the SA Labour party, and we could use this very policy as the first example.
Watch out Adelaide you have just had 122 more alcohol related arrests than our small town has had in over 20 years. Yet the SA Labor Government just took away the right of my whole town, Mintabie, to have a ‘coldie’ after work.
Our opal mining town existed prior to indigenous land grants in the 1980’s, but the then government handed it over too, and the SA designated Precious Stones Field.
Now our town with it’s 99.9% non-indigenous, but multi-cultural residents have been legally banned from drinking at home, just in case delinquent passer-byers pinch our grog and exacerbate their existing alcohol problem.
Oh and Labor will force us (and our visitors), to have yearly criminal checks to live in our own homes.
Given the recent news will Adelaide be next?
it was very disappointing to see the political parties who didn’t come to the party on mintabie and speak out. it shows you that once another party gets into power they won’t be needing the votes of anyone who expects civil rights to be maintained in this state once the party room changes hands. it looks like us orphaned british subjects are doomed on this far away continent
Mintabie seems to be a victim of the greater land grab. The royalties the govement get for being the middleman is worth cannibalising it’s ownfor it seems. There all behaving like prositutes over these minerals.
It’s a shame that true culture doesn’t exist amongst the tribes anymore. With so much white governance and mixed blood I feel sorry for the anangu who believe they are dependent on this phoney goverment. I read somewhere they were self determined, but judging by who does the negotiating it’s a bit hard to believe. If these were real tribesmen they wouldn’t need to meet with these british ministers for permission to be normal. They’d have a chief and a proper system to keep them in line. It seems they’ve lost the plot and got used to staying in their mission or prison, while the goverment and there minders pretend they like them since Mabo won that big court case.
Since when did a real traditional man need white dollars? And since when did traditional people have European leaders? There all dancing to the tune of loose change.
It’s pretty stiff when the multi-nationals can come into your taylor made town and ease you out with the help of the goverment of the day. Despite Labor did it and we too won’t be voting for them, the Libs would do it too.
This plot for Officer Oil Basin has been on the drawing board for quite some time, so if it’s any consolation Mintabie, you really haven’t done anything that if evidence could have been found, couldn’t have been handled by a simple call to the appropriate authorities as anywhere else in this country.
Usually in instances like this, naughty people are simply expelled, so you are the mere victims of the multinationals coming in here to push out the locals, purely for government greed and the same government using the signature friendly neighbours to hide behind, although they weren’t all signature friendly. There are a few traditional ones left.
The below website appears to have scraped and stolen this story and not even given you a credit. Disgusting and dishonest practice.
http://mossiebeginbest.vox.com/library/post/will-apy-mintabie-bill-be-repealed-if-found-to-have-nil-effect.html?_c=feed-atom
http://mossiebeginbest.vox.com
These websites pop up all time. They’re usually gone in a week or so as someone undoubtedly reports them for theft. They’re looking for ad-clicks no doubt. They probably don’t realise Mintabie is in Australia. Same web scraping happens closer to home too. lol Ed
MINTABIE: “..town water not only not drinkable but nearly out”
well its xmas 2010 and we’re still all here!!, as a long old resident of 30 years ,we came to what we belived it to be outback Australia only to now realise that once you pass the grid on the Mintabie Marla road to Mintabie you enter a ‘virtual country’ , a land that once was free where every man was rewarded for civilising the bush and blessed by the sweat of his brow as is the rest of this God given country, where a man/woman had the same rights as any other Australian, but it fell ,… to whom we still are unsure but we have no tenure we have not the same civil liberties infact this part of ‘Australia even has its own flag and it aint the union jack. What happennned? why? and by whom? who sold us out ?, small we are in number but aren’t we all Australian no matter where we choose to live or what colour race or religion we are?, apparently not!
Don’t like it… legislate it…. still don’t like it … kill it ………legally within the new law, that is always changing to suit those in power. Robin Hood where are you??
We love this place we’re not budgin even if higher powers try to legislate us out of existence. we were here before land rights and we are very happy to coexist with the original Australians… can’t we work together for a better more prosperous future for all.
I mean legislate, rule , controll the town and buissnesses what will that achieve, Are the Anangu not free to shop where they please? Mintabie runs 5 stores all profitable with no government subsidies, and ‘The lands’, whinge and say they struggle to run a profit with one store in a community with massive government assistance …And now we’re going to blame Mintabie for that. Has it ever occurred to anyone that we do it better and where there’s competition there’s better service. Regardless of race ,people are automatically driven to where they recieve better cheaper things.
Mintabie stores pay lease fees, taxes etc as any other buissiness in Australia if they can’t make it they shut and go ,but thats somehow different on the APY lands have they forgotton whose tax dollars support their stores and many other failed enterprises.
Nobody mentions MIMILi Comm PTY LTD who recently wrote out tens of thousands possiblty hundreds of thousands of unbacked coommunity orders once good as gold but through mismanagement passed on tens of thousands of illegitamate fraudulant orders which nearly bankrupted Mintabie stores , we had to wear it. adminatrators took over Mimil PTY LTD, dissolved it but Mimili Comm. and those whose names appeared on the signed orders those responsible ,kept trading there community kept expanding with new housing and infrastructure as if nothing ever happened and thats fine.
It’s not easy living in the most remotest part of Australia exactly 450km sw of the geological centre of Australia with town water not only not drinkable but nearly out as we approach the hottest January and February summer months and whose going to drill us a new well for water we have small children and 90 year olds here…… noone cares……we run our own power and build our own infrastructure we have never asked nor been given any government grants for buisness yet we manage…… just… and we have to wear it all the time every time, cmon give us a break lets work together ………….cmon!!