NT Indigenous Leaders Call for Federal Oversight, Say Racism, Water Issues Unresolved
The executive committees of the Northern, Central, Tiwi and Anindilyakwa land councils gathered for the first time in five years on July 24, calling on the federal tier of government to 'hold the NT government accountable' over federally allocated funding.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Garma organiser urges action on 'horrors in statistics'
Political leaders have been warned their attendance at one of Australia's largest cultural festivals is not enough to make progress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Speaking at the annual Garma Festival at Gulkula, in northeast Arnhem Land, to a crowd that included several senior ministers and the prime minister, Yothu Yindi Foundation chief executive Denise Bowden said their presence was a powerful signal. "But don't leave Garma and leave things on endless repeat," she said. "Don't be here to think your attendance here is enough." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his time at Garma to announce an economic partnership with Indigenous organisations, which he said built on Closing the Gap commitments and would empower communities to advocate for infrastructure on their lands. In her powerful address to the festival on Saturday, Ms Bowden told the crowd that despite the success of Garma, now in its 25th year, visitors would be leaving behind a "world that remains in crisis mode". "On Tuesday, we will return to a life dominated by the simple fact that Aboriginal people in remote areas of Australia remain the most marginalised people in the country, if not the world," she said. Ms Bowden highlighted high rates of rheumatic heart disease in Arnhem Land, saying the community of Maningrida, in the Northern Territory, has the highest rate of the condition in the world. She also pointed to the over-representation of First Nations people in custody to bring home her point, with the NT second only to El Salvador when it comes to incarceration rates. "We've become numb to this data and immune to the horrors that lie in the statistics," she said. Ms Bowden said the status quo was not acceptable, with recent Closing the Gap statistics showing four targets going backwards - adult incarceration, children in out-of-home care, suicide rates and child development. She said the Yothu Yindi Foundation had long argued the Closing the Gap data reflected a fundamental failure in Australia's governance systems, and that must change to make a real difference. "There are good intentions and what is described as hard work, but without crunching systemic change, there will be no betterment," she said. "People suffer because of these failures of governance that are imposed upon us." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
Hamilton Spectator
18 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton eyes Indigenous interpretive signs for three ‘potentially problematic' monuments
The city is looking at adding interpretive signs reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts at three 'potentially problematic' statue sites — but has not yet decided what to do with a Sir John A. Macdonald statue toppled by protesters in Gore Park. A council subcommittee voted this week to spend $20,000 to install new signs at the statues of Augustus Jones at a Stoney Creek fountain, Queen Victoria in Gore Park and those commemorating United Empire Loyalists in front of the provincial offences courthouse at 50 Main St. E. Separately, councillors endorsed further talks with the Indigenous community over the fate of the city's statue of Canada's first prime minister, which is currently in storage. The city had installed signs installed at four high-priority sites indicating the city is aware these sites are problematic and detailing the need for further action and consultation. Those proposals still need to be ratified at a full council meeting Aug. 6. The monuments were flagged as 'potentially problematic' for Indigenous people as part of a city's review of landmarks, an exercise rooted in reconciliation with First Nations. The four sites were an issue due to 'lack of Indigenous history or the misrepresentation of true history,' according to a 2022 report by the Circle of Experts, a group of elders, historians and leaders from the Indigenous community. Luc Gambacort, an Indigenous outreach project manager, said the city conducted surveys in 2024, offering options for what could be done at each site. The options included keeping statues and existing p laques unchanged, removing the plaques, adding signs that tells the Indigenous story of the sites, moving them to a museum or removing the monuments entirely. The Augustus Jones statue in Stoney Creek is one of three where the city appears set to install interpretive signage reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts. Nearly 1,200 total surveys were completed, and Gambacort said adding signage was the popular answer at the downtown United Empire Loyalist site and the fountain commemorating magistrate and surveyor Augustus Jones, who is noted on a current plaque as having been 'actively involved' with Indigenous peoples. While nearly half of respondents suggested keeping the Queen Victoria monument and its 'model wife and mother' inscription unchanged, city staff still recommend adding new signage. The statue of Queen Victoria in Gore Park is one of three where the city appears set to install interpretive signage reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts. Grace Mater, the city's general manager of healthy and safe communities, said more consultation with Indigenous groups will take place before new signs are installed, likely in 2026. The future of a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald that formerly stood in Gore Park — but was torn down by protesters in 2021 — was 'purposefully' not part of the latest report, Coun. Cameron Kroetsch told the committee Thursday. Instead, councillors voted to provide $30,000 to engage with the Indigenous community over the statue of Macdonald, who played a prominent role in establishing Canada's residential school system. Thousands of children were abused and died in the government-funded, church-run schools, which have since been labelled a 'systematic, government-sponsored attempt to destroy Aboriginal cultures and languages' by the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The city confirmed the statue is in storage and 'extensive restoration and repair would be required before it could be placed on display again.' Protesters tore down the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in Gore Park in 2021 after city council's refusal to remove the monument. Beth Dockstator, the city's manager of Indigenous relations, said in an email 'no decision' has been made on the future of the Macdonald statue. She added the monument would be addressed in a future phase of the city's review of landmarks 'after dedicated engagement with Indigenous communities and the broader public.' Mater also acknowledged the Macdonald statue is a 'hot-button' issue, but said there is no timeline yet for consultation on the fate of the monument. The 2022 Circle of Experts report recommended the city not relocate or reinstall the bronze statue. It suggested removing the remaining pedestal and cannons to create an opportunity to 're-vision' the prominent Gore Park site. Reinstallation, it said, would be a 'step in the wrong direction.' The city installed temporary signs at all four sites in 2023, reminding observers 'there is more than one story here.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trial for Maine man accused of illegally fishing lobster set for 2026
A Maine lobster fisher claiming Indigenous fishing rights after his 2022 arrest off the coast of Deer Island will face a two-week trial next year. Erik D. Francis, 55, of Perry, Maine, appeared by phone Thursday and confirmed court dates in April and May 2026. He faces Coastal Fisheries Protection Act charges related to allegations of fishing from a foreign vessel in New Brunswick waters. According to court documents, he was stopped on Nov. 15, 2022, off the coast of Deer Island by fisheries officials, who seized 36 lobster traps owned by Francis. Francis, who is self-represented, has claimed Indigenous fishing rights as a part of the Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy) Nation, which has communities in Maine and Charlotte County. The Peskotomuhkati people, part of the Peace and Friendship Treaties of 1725, have not been federally recognized in Canada as a First Nation since 1951. In February, lawyer Paul Williams was granted intervenor status on behalf of the three Peskotomuhkati chiefs in order to protect and promote their treaty rights. In June, he had suggested they may need as many as four weeks, given four court days a week and a maximum of eight witnesses. Last week on Thursday, Williams as well as Crown prosecutors Scott Millar and Len McKay appeared by video, with Francis unreachable by phone. Williams said that they were 'trying to simplify the matter' in discussion with the Crown. McKay said they needed to see full reports from experts to decide what they did or did not want to challenge, and suggested setting a few weeks aside. Judge Kelly Ann Winchester said that two weeks had been selected from April 27 to May 1 and May 4 to May 8 in 2026, with a pre-trial conference in February. Williams and the Crown agreed, with Francis needing to confirm the dates. On Thursday this week, Francis apologized for missing the earlier hearing, saying there was a family emergency and he was out of cellphone service. He confirmed that the trial dates worked for him, and Winchester said he would have to appear in person. Francis is also facing a trial in December on Coastal Fisheries Protection Act charges related to a second incident Sept. 20, 2023, of unlawfully fishing for lobster in a foreign vessel and obstructing a fisheries officer along with Erik S. Francis, 28, of Perry, Maine, and Tyler Francis, 26, of Herrington, Maine. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
