Spotlight on Indigenous Australians (Newsworthy Articles Here)

[BarbiStolatVonG]

Many Indigenous too scared to report abuse

Updated Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:03am AEDT

The AIC says many people would prefer to be assaulted again than deal with the consequences of reporting the violence.

A new report has found a majority of people in Indigenous communities are too afraid to report violence to the police.

Matthew Willis from the Australian Institute of Criminology says up to 90 per cent of violent acts in communities go unreported.

Mr Willis says many people in remote communities do not trust police and fear they could be targeted if they go to the authorities.

He says many people would prefer to be assaulted again than deal with the consequences of reporting the violence.

"One of the main things we've found is the fear of reporting violence can be greater than the fear of continuing to experience the violence," he said.

"A large part of the reason is a fear of further violence either against themselves or their family or their communities ... a lack of confidentiality in small communities, a lack of services and a lack of options for people, both to report violence and escape from it."

Mr Willis says court trials and convictions often do not make things better for the victim.

He says there needs to be more police officers and social workers in remote communities and policy makers need to consult more widely with community leaders, before making legislation.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/21/3118796.htm

[BarbiStolatVonG]

Fence aims to protect endangered wallabies

Posted 7 hours 36 minutes ago

An enclosure to keep out predators has been built in the remote APY Lands to help increase the population of black-footed rock wallabies.

It is estimated only 150 of the endangered wallabies remain in the wild in South Australia because of predators such as foxes and cats and the effects of bushfires.

Dr Matthew Ward from the Environment Department says it is hoped to breed the marsupials inside the enclosure and reintroduce them to other outback areas.

He says the program is being run by the warru recovery team.

"Management of the warru in the APY Lands can lead to broader landscape biodiversity benefits, but also a lot of employment and training of Aboriginal rangers in the APY Lands who get involved in the work," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/24/3119978.htm

[BarbiStolatVonG]

Simon McKeon named Australian of the Year

Updated 1 hour 58 minutes ago
Simon McKeon is awarded Australian of the Year

Julia Gillard presented the award to Simon McKeon outside Parliament House in Canberra. (AAP: Alan Porritt)




Victorian businessman and philanthropist Simon McKeon has been named Australian of the Year 2011.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard made the announcement on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra tonight.

Mr McKeon is a successful investment banker but took up a part-time role as an executive chairman at Macquarie Group in 1994 to focus on social causes.

His lifelong efforts to support Australian and international charities has earned him great admiration and respect in the community.

"I am just one of a great army of Australians who are involved in the not-for-profit sector," he said.

Mr McKeon used his acceptance speech to urge Australians to volunteer, particularly in the wake of devastating floods across the country.

"We as individuals and as a community need to nurture the non-for-profit sector, which in turn nurtures our nation," he said.

"It's a sector which willingly tackles the unwanted tasks, the tasks that neither business nor government is able to do."

The 55-year-old from Brighton beat a strong field - including bookies favourite Indigenous rights lawyer Larissa Behrendt - to earn the prestigious title.

Mr McKeon was previously on the board of World Vision Australia and is chairman of the CSIRO and also Business for Millennium Development, which encourages business to engage with the developing world.

The father of four is also involved with the Global Poverty Project and Red Dust Role Models, which works with remote Indigenous communities, and recently retired as founding chairman of MS Research Australia.

Mr McKeon also held the world speed sailing record with crewman Tim Daddo for 11 years.

They set a 500-metre record of 46.52 knots in 1993 which was finally broken by French windsurfer Finian Maynard in 2004.

Also honoured tonight was Jessica Watson, named Young Australian of the Year after she sailed non-stop and unassisted around the world in 210 days.

The Senior Australian of the Year is equal rights campaigner Professor Ron McCallum, while this year's Local Hero is suicide prevention advocate Donald Ritchie from Sydney.

- ABC/AAP

[abaraxas]

Its awfully considerate of you to keep the users here abreast of whats going on in Australia at the moment, but Im not sure if this is your target demographic...you say youre a teacher and thats super, but to quote a little known Pink Floyd song "we dont need no education" 

[BarbiStolatVonG]

 ^ You say that to Slash and see how he responds 

[BarbiStolatVonG]

 

Indigenous music more up your alley then.... some cool Aboriginal bands perhaps?

Try Us Mob or No Fixed Address ....

And do checkout the film 'Wrong Side of the Road'

http://aso.gov.au/titles/features/wrong-side-of-the-road/clip1/

 
 


 
 

[abaraxas]

Well I know the Warumpi Band and Yothu Yindi (brilliant cover of ACDCs jailbreak on a triple j tribute album) and theyre decent, dont make me out to be a clod all Im saying is Im not sure what youre hoping to achieve with this thread, I mean only 2 posts have actually had anything to do with indiginous australians, one about wallabies and another about the god damn strayan of the year, which we all know should have been Shane Warne 

[BarbiStolatVonG]

 

oh..... n' you might want to put the 'Wrong Side of the Road' clip in Media   

[Coma16]

Its awfully considerate of you to keep the users here abreast of whats going on in Australia at the moment, but Im not sure if this is your target demographic...you say youre a teacher and thats super, but to quote a little known Pink Floyd song "we dont need no education" 

Doesn't that actually mean that you do need an education? You know, with the double negative n all 

[abaraxas]

I aint got no irony, alright?

[Peaches]

Cool. Didn't think any people here would give a fuck about people like me. he first post is my life and what I live. Family justice and on going situations.

[abaraxas]

Cool. Didn't think any people here would give a fuck about people like me. he first post is my life and what I live. Family justice and on going situations.

I cant speak for everybody here but Id just like to point out that I dont give a fuck about people like you 

That picture of Julia Gillard and Mr Mckeon is my life and what I live.

Im a man who is trapped in an ugly "ranga (ginger) chicks body with a penchant for holding phallic objects awkwardly.

[Peaches]

Thanks for the sharing your feelings. This is important for healing. Proceed to fuck yourself politely. Nicely. I genuinely mean that!

[abaraxas]

  couldnt resist man