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BRIEF, AUSTRALIA
More racist hypocrisy

Kerry Smith

4 April 2009

On April 3, in its second major symbolic act in the area of Indigenous affairs, the federal Labor government officially endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Passing the UN General Assembly in September 2007, Australia was one of only four countries — along with New Zealand, Canada and the United States — to vote against it. Along with the apology to the Stolen Generations, its endorsement by the Rudd government fulfils another election promise.

However, Indigenous affairs minister Jenny Macklin was at pains to stress the declaration is not legally binding. Anti-racist campaigners are accusing the government of hypocrisy as it continues the NT intervention, a policy that includes quarantining welfare payments and undermining land rights, at the same time as it attempts to reassure the international community of its commitment to human rights by endorsing the UN document.