By Mark Cronin
BRISBANE — About 50 people attended a picket against racism outside the office of the federal minister for Aboriginal Affairs on April 16.
The picket was called by members of the Community and Public Sector Union and endorsed by 20 CPSU delegates and officials, including Claire Moore, the Queensland branch secretary and the assistant secretary. It was also endorsed by Murrandoo Yanner, Carpentaria Land Council coordinator, and Aboriginal activist Cec Fischer.
Moore said it was important for unionists and the community to unite to defend the public sector and minority groups. "Too many people are just accepting the sensational headlines pumped out by the mainstream media", she said.
Picket organiser and CPSU delegate Greg Brown said that if the Queensland police were subject to the same scrutiny as ATSIC and Aboriginal Legal Services, it would be clear which should be closed down.
Mike Trudgian, CPSU Queensland branch education officer, said the underlying racist agenda of the federal government created a climate in which Aboriginal people were seen as not being able to be trusted with public money or able to run their own organisations.
Cec Fischer spoke of the Cape York land case. Fischer said his mother was originally from Cape York but his family had been forcibly removed to a mission in south-east Queensland. This served as a reminder that the federal government's attacks on Aborigines and their organisations are a continuation of past injustices.
In Cairns, at a rally organised by the Cairns and District Regional Council, chairperson Narell Nicol called on Aboriginal affairs minister Senator John Herron to resign. Speakers included Lloyd Fourmile from the Aboriginal Coordinating Council and Noel Pearson, executive director of the Cape York Land Council.