LRQ: May - June 1998

May - June 1998

	Yanner Win in Borbidge/Pasminco Mine Clash MABO DAY saw Traditional Owners in the Gregory River area win a further victory in their fight for protection of their Native Title rights against the giant Pasminco/ Queensland Government alliance.
	Coalition Hammers ATSIC, Indigenous Rights "From the outset, the Coalition Government has systematically attacked Indigenous rights, and treated Indigenous representatives with disrespect and contempt."
	Jabiluka Senior Traditional Owner Arrest Sparks Outrage IN an extraordinary scene on Tuesday 19 May, at Jabiluka Uranium Mine in the World Heritage Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory Police have arrested the Mirrar senior traditional owner of Jabiluka, Yvonne Margarula, on charges of trespass.
	No Compromise on Native Title Extinguishment ANY attempt to extinguish Native Title is an act of racist colonisation which will directly contravene international human rights standards, according to the Director of the Indigenous Law Centre, Mr Mick Dodson.
	First National Sorry Day Honours the Lost Generations MINING company Rio Tinto and ATSIC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines initiatives to develop employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal people. The agreement was signed on National Sorry Day, May 26 1998 and has been praised by Chairman of ATSIC, Mr Gatjil Djerrkura, as a step forward for reconciliation.
	Hemley Agreement a First for South Australia AUSTRALIAN- based US oil company Hemley Exploration Ltd will begin a $15 million exploration for petroleum on two adjoining Native Title claims on South Australia's far north.
	Time Out for Wik Warriors THE untimely death of Wik woman Norma Chevathun symbolises more than the culmination of a lifetime in the Cape York town of Aurukun with its shockingly poor facilities and limited educational and job chances.
	Celebrate Mabo Day: Spirit of Reconciliation and Pride In early June each year, Australians celebrate the birthday of the Queen of England with a public holiday. It is ironic that this holiday is celebrated only a few days after an event of real importance in Australia's history - the day that Eddie Mabo won Native Title, and land rights, for his people on Murray Island.
	Reconciliation - Local Solutions The first of three public forums addressing race relations in Queensland was held in Morayfield, north of Brisbane, on Monday, 1 June.
	Farmers Feel Moral Pressure WHEN pastoralist Linsday MacDonald talks about Native Title on pastoral leases, she talks about morality and honesty.
	SE Qld Traditional Owners Sponsor CDEP Ranger Program In an innovative use of the Community Development Employment Programs (CDEP), Traditional Owners of the SEQ area are offering new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gain training and employment as Community Rangers in the areas of cultural heritage and Native Title land management.
	Traditional Owners Have Their Say in Logan TRADITIONAL owners recently attended a workshop facilitated by FAIRA and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to draw out the concerns of the wider Traditional Owner Community affected by the Logan Catchment WAMP (Water Allocation Management Planning process).
	Regional Forest Agreement Projects Now Underway IN the heat of a State Election, some of the South East Queensland RFA processes have come to a halt. No State government comment on the RFA is allowed during the caretaker government period, so planned RFA information newsletters and pamphlets have been put on hold.
	Federal Attorney-General's Silence Raises Justice Concerns THE Prime Minister has been called "racist" on a number of occasions, and whilst he has denied this, his lack of action on a number of racially sensitive issues, rather than his actions, have tended to support the allegations.
	Native Title Rights Hold Key to Reconciliation Interim Chair of the National Indigenous Working Group, Aden Ridgeway, introduces himself and briefly touches on his solution to the recognition of Land Rights.
	Regional Agreements with Pastoralists Gather Momentum WHILE the Federal Government debates Native Title, regional groups have begun to cut their way through the swathe of political and legal confusion to reach amicable agreements.
	Rio Tinto, ATSIC Sign Historica Deal on National Sorry Day MINING company Rio Tinto and ATSIC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines initiatives to develop employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal people.
	Historical Notes Land Rights Queensland starts a new series this month called "Historical Notes". It will look at some of the players and their observations which influenced the way the Queensland governments of the day dealt with indigenous people.
	Politicians Must Show Leadership in Reconciliation Process POLITICIANS should show more leadership in ensuring that local communities have a greater say in the reconciliation debate, the Morayfield forum was told on Monday, June 1.
	The Queensland Election - The Last Week The 1998 Queensland election was always going to be a noteworthy electoral contest. The legacy of 1995 has loomed large over the current Parliament with the Coalition squeaking into Government with the assistance of the sole Independent Member (Liz Cunningham - Gladstone) in a House otherwise evenly balanced with 44 Government and 44 Opposition Members.
	Native Title Symposium - Countering Myths A recent conference on Native Title held at the University of NSW brought together many of Australia's most prominent experts in an bid to overcome the myths and misinformation which have surrounded the Native Title debate.
	Reading Too Much Into Wik? Recent debate about the issue of native title on pastoral leases has been highly emotive, confused with a range of other issues, and generally conducted in relative ignorance of what the Wik and Mabo judgements actually said.
	What They Said ... The words from the people who made the headlines in the last month.

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FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation
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