Do you believe in Magic? I don’t. But I do believe in People–and I’m proud to say that Australia’s Voters did a fine job in the election, by voting against Aboriginal Affairs Minister Mal Brough and long-time Prime Minister John Howard. That’s right, They’re done!
These two gentlemen were of course the principle driving force of the Miraculous Australian Intervention, which continues to be pursued against Indigenous People in the Northern Territory. It’s doubtful the new government will stop the intervention, but they are likely going to lighten it significantly. Hopefully that means restoring the land title system, getting rid of the military, ceasing the assimilation effort, resolving the welfare situation, and supporting community efforts to protect children and generally improve everyone’s quality of life.
With a new government, there’s also a possibility the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples will get approved in Australia.. Les Malezer sent out the following email explaining how you can help make that happen…
Australia’s racist government is ousted
From: Les Malezer
Sat Nov 24, 2007
I am pleased to inform you of good news in Australia.
There has been a change of government with the incoming government pledging to support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We are devising a proposal for the most effective way for government to announce the change in position at the national and international level. We hope to have action on 10 December, the International Day for Human Rights.
I will update you on developments as soon as concrete plans are made.
In the meantime please consider these two matters:
(1) Writing to the Prime Minister of Australia, urging that the government play a leadership role in promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at the international level. The address would be:
The Rt Hon Kevin Rudd
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
[If you send copies of your correspondence to me, via email, we will be able to keep account of the representations, and take follow-up action.]
(2) Seeking support from the Australian Ambassadors to UN, by sponsoring and otherwise supporting resolutions on Indigenous Rights.
I will keep you informed of developments in the policies of the Australian Government. We have our own plans at the domestic level to raise the levels of understanding and commitment to Indigenous rights.
In the meantime we are celebrating the end of 11 years of extreme racist and facist government. The historical element of this election is that the former Prime Minister, John Howard, is likely to lose his seat in the parliament, thus making him only the second Prime Minister in Australia to lose his seat whilst in office. The first was Stanley Bruce in 1929.
regards,
Les Malezer
http://homepage.mac.com/les.malezer/
———————-
Les Malezer
Chairman
FAIRA
PO Box 8402
Woolloongabba Qld 4102
AUSTRALIA
Mobile: +61 419 710 720
Tel: +61 7 33914677
Skype: +61 7 31030383
Fax: +61 7 33914551
John Ahniwanika Schertow is an indigenous rights activist of Mohawk (Kanienkehaka) and mixed-European descent. For the past 8 years, he has served as the e... 
I am pleased to hear of the ouster of the Howard Administration in Australia. This will give some breathing room to working folks there as well as the Aboriginies. The Australian government has a debt to the Aboriginals and if the new administration has any integrety, it will assist Aboriginal people to achieve a large measure of political, cultural and economic independence, something similar to the newly formed Aboriginal province in Canada. To avert any such aboriginal land from becomming like the native homelands in South Africa, Native Australians would need full control of their land, water, natural resources and culture with political status equivelent to state government.
Unfortunately I don’t think it’s all just as simple as kicking security forces out and letting people control their own resources, especially when that would result in a skills shortage in the region. Maybe a new state/administrative region needs to be formed in the centre of Australia?