Rallies call for justice for Indigenous Australians

Thousands of people rallied on July 13 and 14 around Australia during NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week. Around 400 people gathered in Brisbane on July 14. Speakers from as far away as the Torres Strait Islands spoke out against Howard's invasion of the Northern Territory, Aboriginal deaths in custody, inequality in health and housing, and the Beattie government's plans to forcibly amalgamate councils. New Zealand activist Julia Espinoza spoke about Maori solidarity with Aboriginal people.

In Perth, 120 people rallied. The crowd heard from Ray Jackson from the Indigenous Social Justice Association, Mark Newhouse from the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee and Mark Lawrence from Friends of Australian Rock Art.

In Melbourne, 500 people joined a rally chaired by Robbie Thorpe from Black GST (genocide, sovereignty, treaty) and radio station 3CR, and Cheryl Kaulfuss from the Indigenous Social Justice Association. Margarita Windisch, a Socialist Alliance Senate candidate, held up the front of the day's Herald Sun featuring a story on Nick Bracks, son of the Victorian premier. Bracks smashed his dad's car and injured his friend while drink-driving in the wealthy suburb of Williamstown. Windisch asked why troops weren't being sent to well-off white suburbs where alcohol and sexual abuse also occur. On July 13, 700 people attended Melbourne's official NAIDOC rally. Four hundred people rallied in Sydney on July 14, marching from the historic Redfern Block to Sydney Town Hall. Some 1500-2000 people rallied in Adelaide on July 13 (see report page 5).

From GLW issue 717