By Claudine Holt

MELBOURNE -- More than 400 people attended a meeting organised by Justice for Indigenous Australians at the Assembly Hall on July 23. The meeting was called to highlight the increasingly racist climate allowed and encouraged under the Howard government.

Lawyer and Jesuit priest Father Frank Brennan spoke of the need to defend the gains of the Aboriginal movement. He pointed out that, despite all the former federal Labor government's talk of reconciliation and the Mabo decision, the Native Title Act actually took away the right of Aboriginals to veto developments on Aboriginal land and forced them to negotiate with mining companies. Now, even that right to negotiate is under threat, he said.

Queensland ALP Senator Margaret Reynolds challenged the racist myth of "Aboriginal privileges", but glossed over 13 years of the ALP's lack of real progress on land rights, commenting that she hoped that indigenous Australians would have justice by the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Mick Dodson, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner, condemned the increasingly racist culture of disrespect, disregard and vilification.

The meeting adopted resolutions calling on the federal government to recognise and protect the rights of indigenous Australians; support the Native Title Act and the right to negotiate; and to consider a bill of rights.

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