Portland Aborigines appeal
The Kerrupjmara people of far western Victoria are considering re-establishing a tent embassy in Portland, eight weeks after an earlier tent embassy was ended.
The embassy was set up in Portland's main street in late June. A statement released at the time said, "We will stay until we get some real answers from the federal and state governments about the institutionalised racism and daily neglect faced by our community".
After two weeks, the local council agreed to meet with the Kerrupjmara. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the local police and hospital, which were named in the original list of complaints regarding racism and harassment. The next day, the embassy was packed up, in good faith that the council would keep its promises.
Foremost in the agreements was a promise, still unkept, to give the Koori community an empty council-owned building for a community centre until ATSIC funded a building.
In July, a dispute erupted over a proposal to name a new council area into which Portland will merge after an early European settler who was responsible for massacres of Aboriginal people.
In late August, 18 Kooris working as part of a Community Development and Employment Program were given a week's notice and the program was closed down, throwing 18 families into complete poverty.
The Kerrupjmara people have appealed against this decision, but in the meantime they need food and financial contributions.
Because the community was locked out of its office in April, they have no office or communication facilities, so they ask that contributions be made through Friends of the Earth in Melbourne. Ring (03) 419 8700, mail cheques to Box 222, Fitzroy 3065, or drop in to 312 Smith St, Collingwood. The Freedom Socialist Party is also collecting food; ring (03) 386 5065. Messages of support can be posted to Box 28, Heywood 3304.