Labor exposed at native title rally
By Martin Iltis
CANBERRA — Around 100 people attended a rally and march on September 21 protesting against the Liberal government's attacks on native title. The rally, organised by the Campaign Against Racism, started at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy opposite old Parliament House, before moving off to Parliament House.
All speakers at the rally, except Daryl Melham, opposition spokesperson for Aboriginal affairs, condemned Howard's planned amendments to the Native Title Act in their entirety.
Greens Senator Bob Brown stated that Labor had a "historic responsibility" to ensure that the "10-point plan" was not passed by the Senate. Brown pointed out that Labor in effect held the balance of power over this issue because the Greens, Democrats and independent Senator Harradine had all stated that they would oppose the plan.
Melham failed to take up Brown's challenge to give a commitment that Labor would block the amendments, only undertaking that Labor "will not be supporting the bill in its present form", as many parts were "totally repugnant".
Sue Bull, from the Campaign Against Racism, spoke for many in the crowd when she voiced her disappointment that Labor would not condemn the bill in its entirety. She stated that native title legislation should in fact be extended to afford indigenous Australians some kind of meaningful justice.
Melham's assertion that the current native title legislation (passed under Labor) and the Wik decision had represented a "win/win situation for this nation" were disputed by Bull. She pointed out that while they were an advance, they gave land rights only to some indigenous people, and the title gave them fewer rights than freehold landowners.
Les Malezer, from the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, illustrated the obstacles indigenous people face in making native title claims by turning the tables on current reality, and reading out what he called the "Australia is Still White Title Bill" under which pastoralists had to make claims for land from the indigenous owners.
Terry O'Shane, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission representative from north Queensland, described the Howard government as "the most mean-spirited government ever".
He said that attacks on the indigenous population were linked to the generalised attacks on all disadvantaged sections of society such as the aged and students. O'Shane, who is also in the Maritime Union of Australia, used the recent victory by the wharfies in Cairns as an example of how an organised fight back can yield positive results.