Beazley's back flip on Hindmarsh Island condemned

By Carla Gorton

ADELAIDE -- The Kumarangk Coalition, which has been campaigning against the Hindmarsh Island bridge proposal since 1993, says that the federal ALP's decision to support the government's bridge bill will not end the issue.

The coalition expressed its disappointment with Labor's back flip, announced by Kim Beazley on March 8, but said that there remained legal questions over the validity of the proposed bill and that the campaign against the bridge would continue.

Spokesperson Jen Lindon said: "We believe the bill discriminates against the Ngarrindjeri people by denying them the chance to have their heritage claim heard. We believe [it] ... contravenes the Racial Discrimination Act and may be invalid."

The coalition points out that the original Ngarrindjeri claim under the Heritage Protection Act has never been legally heard. Until that happens, there will always be legal and moral questions about the issue.

According to Lindon, reconciliation between Aboriginal and other Australians cannot occur until the Ngarrindjeri women's claim has been heard and due respect shown to their spiritual and cultural beliefs.

The Kumarangk Coalition's strong base of Ngarrindjeri people, church groups, unionists and individual activists will continue to fight for justice for Ngarrindjeri people and for the protection of Kumarangk (Hindmarsh Island).

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
For further details regarding subscriptions and
correspondence please contact glw@greenleft.org.au

Tools

• Bookmark This Page
• Print This Page