Greens, socialists contest NT election
In the Northern Territory elections on August 30, one Democratic Socialist and two Greens candidates will challenge the Country-Liberal Party's anti-native title and Labor's "law and order" scare campaigns.
Thomas Maywundjiwuy from the Territory Greens is contesting the seat of Arnhem, which covers the area he comes from, Milingimbi. Maywundjiwuy is a senior figure in his community, speaks several Aboriginal languages and is passionate about preserving and strengthening Aboriginal culture.
Arnhem is adjacent to Kakadu National Park and the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine. The seat has around 4000 voters, 95% of whom are Aboriginal. The sitting member, the ALP's John Ahkit, has taken pro-mining and pro-development positions that have angered many local people.
The Greens' June Mills will contest the seat of Millner in Darwin. Mills is a Larakia woman who has been active in the community. She initiated the successful campaign to save Rapid Creek, one of the only intact fresh waterways in a major city in the world.
In the seat of Casuarina in Darwin, Tim Stewart is standing for the Democratic Socialists. Stewart, an anti-racist and trade union activist, says: "NT Chief Minister Shane Stone supports the Howard government's 10-point plan to legislate away Aboriginal native title entitlements.
"Yet rather than challenge Stone's scare campaign, Labor is running its own version of the politics of fear, whipping up hysteria about robbery and violence and promising more police."
The Democratic Socialist campaign calls for an end to racism ("create jobs, not scapegoats"), defence of native title, repeal of the NT's mandatory sentencing legislation, no Jabiluka uranium mine, the right to voluntary euthanasia, no Timor Gap oil deals with the Indonesian dictatorship and the restoration of funding to the arts faculty at NT University.
To assist the progressive candidates in this election, contact the Democratic Socialists at GPO Box 1943, Darwin 0801, telephone 8981 4741, and the Territory Greens at GPO Box 3818, Darwin 0801, telephone 8941 7689, fax 8981 2454.