News

ACT Indigenous body elected today NATIONAL, July 2, 2008: Three years and one day after the abolition of ATSIC, Indigenous Australians - in Canberra at least - are a step closer to self-determination.

Mind the media hype: Inglis SYDNEY, July 1 2008: Coach Mal Meninga has pulled boom centre Greg Inglis aside on the eve of the State of Origin decider to advise him to ignore the media circus that has engulfed him since Origin II.

TSI adoption custom to feature at Qld surrogacy hearing BRISBANE, July 1, 2008: A longtime Torres Strait Islander tradition of adopting children from extended family members will be heard at a Queensland parliamentary inquiry into altruistic surrogacy.

Trevorrow appeal in limbo, court told ADELAIDE, July 1, 2008: A South Australian government appeal against Stolen Generations victim Bruce Trevorrow's $750,000 compensation win is in limbo following his death, a court was told yesterday.

THE BIG READ: Out of the ashes ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: On June 21, 2007 former Prime Minister John Howard and former Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough called a press conference to announce the NT emergency intervention (NTER), purportedly as a response to the Little Children Are Sacred report. Chris Graham, Amy McQuire and Chris Munro bring you an analysis of what Howard promised, and what has since been delivered.

Torres Strait museum takes out top reconciliation award ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The 2008 Queensland Reconciliation Awards for Business were announced in Brisbane recently, with a unique business that promotes the contribution of Torres Strait Islanders to the war effort during WWII taking out the top prize.

Unique exhibition in glass to open in Canberra ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A unique exhibition centred around the 1967 referendum - which combines works in glass, a film and a book - will open in Canberra next week, before being acquired by the National Museum of Australia for its ongoing exhibition about the referendum.

Man charged after outback kidnap, assault ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Members of an Aboriginal community helped hunt down a man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman in the Australian outback.

NT "racist" intervention turns one amid protests ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Racist, draconian and insulting were just some of the words protesters used to describe the federal government's Northern Territory intervention on the first anniversary of the controversial reforms.

Report questions communities ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The future of some Northern Territory Aboriginal communities is in doubt after the intervention task force called on the Rudd government to consider their long-term viability.

Work needed first: Anderson ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Attempting similar intervention to the Northern Territory in another state will be a mistake unless the federal government learns how to better communicate with Indigenous people, Aboriginal advocate Pat Anderson says.

Welfare reform should be adopted: Brough ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A plan to link welfare to school attendance should be adopted Australia-wide "black, white and brindle", former federal Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough says.

NSW govt admits slow response to sexual abuse ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The NSW government admits it has been slow to implement its strategy to deal with child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities.

Aboriginal, rural health stain on Oz: AIHW ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The appalling state of Aboriginal and rural health continues to stain the nation's bill of health, as these groups lag behind their non-Indigenous and city counterparts in life expectancy and quality, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) biennial national snapshot finds.

Boarding schools pass ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Three new boarding colleges will be built in the Northern Territory to cater for 150 Indigenous students from remote areas. The Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment (2008 Budget Measures) Bill 2008, which appropriates extra funding to improve Indigenous education, passed the Senate this week.

Orkopoulos launches appeal ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Former NSW Aboriginal affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos has launched an appeal against his conviction and the severity of his sentence for a string of child sex and drug offences.

Stolen Generation 'victor' passes away ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Bruce Trevorrow, a prominent member of the Stolen Generation who became the first to win compensation, has died after a long illness.

Committee recommends Stolen Gen "healing fund" ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The federal government should establish a "healing fund" to pay for services to members of the Stolen Generations, a Senate committee has recommended.

Dems call for apology to the 'forgotten Austalians' ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The Australian Democrats have called on the federal government to follow up its apology to the Stolen Generations with one to non-Indigenous children who were neglected or abused in institutional care last century.

Expansion of boarding school places in Brisbane ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Queensland's chief justice and a former Wallaby have thrown their weight behind a fund for Indigenous students at one of Brisbane's most prestigious schools.

Three jailed over Aurukun child rape ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Three of the nine males who raped a 10-year-old girl in remote far north Queensland have been handed jail terms and two others given juvenile detention after an appeal against a judge's decision to let them walk free.

Race rapist to be released from jail ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: An Aboriginal man who committed a series of racially motivated rapes is set to be released into the community.

Campbell cleared over McArthur expansion ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The Federal Court last week dismissed legal action against a former Howard government minister over the controversial expansion of the Northern Territory's largest zinc mine.

Legal action considered over sacred site lock-out ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Legal action is being considered by a group of Northern Territory Aboriginal people who were locked out of their sacred site by a Swiss mining company and prevented from performing a ceremony.

Science behind nuke dump: Rudd ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The decision about where to build Australia's first nuclear waste dump will be based on science, says Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Senate to probe petrol sniffing ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A Senate committee will examine the effectiveness of efforts to combat petrol sniffing in central Australia.

WA govt shelved black suicide report: inquiry ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The West Australian government appears to have ignored a seven-year-old report that predicted Aboriginal suicide rates would increase and had proposed solutions, an inquiry has been told.

Slip up in post leaves elders dry ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Elderly residents from a remote Aboriginal community have no money for food or electricity because their pension cheques failed to arrive in the mail, a local store worker says.

Qantas flight makes emergency landing: report ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A Qantas plane bound for Cairns has made an emergency landing after one engine stopped mid-flight, the Cairns Post online has reported.

Milo tin drug bust ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Cannabis hidden inside cans of powdered milk and Milo was allegedly discovered in luggage bound for a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory.

Man charged over assault ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A man has been charged with indecently assaulting three girls aged between six and 11 at a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory.

4Real? US hip hop star could visit Aboriginal community ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A remote Aboriginal community could get a visit from one of the biggest names in hip hop, such as Kanye West or Lauryn Hill, when the television series 4Real shines its spotlight on Australia.

Gurrumul CDs to tap into UK ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Indigenous singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu's star is on the rise, with shows at the Sydney Opera House on the horizon and a UK release for his debut album imminent.

Tiwi women choir to perform ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Fifteen members of the Wangatunga Strong Women's Group from the Northern Territory will unite with five Sydney musicians for one show only in Sydney on July 13.

Little angel finally buried ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: As tiny as her son's coffin was, Donna Thomas struggled to bear its weight, and its meaning, as she carried it to its final resting place last Friday.

Call to action from Malezer ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: An Aboriginal leader is calling for workers' support for a civil disobedience campaign to fight racial discrimination.

Qld police review after fat comments ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Queensland Police will review its use of terms to describe people after an Indigenous health worker objected to being called "fat and black" in court documents.

NSW health boost ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: FAR west New South Wales will receive a team of medical specialists up to five times a year, following the success of recent Indigenous specific health clinics that visited the area earlier this month.

WORLD: Morales govt threatened; state votes on autonomy ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: The government of Bolivia's first Indigenous president Evo Morales has taken another beating, with a fourth state declaring autonomy on Monday.

WORLD: Largest treaty deal safe: Minister ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Treaty Negotiations Minister Michael Cullen says the "Treelord" deal is safe, despite a suggestion that it had fallen over.

Canada celebrates ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: June 21st marks Canada's annual National Aboriginal Day.

WORLD: Fiji may withdraw from talks ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is disappointed Fiji appears set to withdraw from talks with a Pacific Islands Forum working group trying to help it return to democracy.

PRESS CUTS ISSUE 156, June 26, 2008: A fortnightly wrap up of how the media reported Indigenous affairs.

CASA grounds Cairns-based airline due to safety, training SYDNEY, June 30, 2008: The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has grounded a Cairns-based airline in Queensland after it allegedly failed to meet pilot training and safety standards.

Senate to usher in new members but no Democrats NATIONAL, June 26, 2008: The new Senate will usher in 14 members next week, but for the first time in 31 years, it will not house representation from the Australian Democrats.