The Tasmanian government is hell-bent on removing any power we have over our land and our identity.
The Aboriginal Lands Act was passed in 1995, and the premier of the day, Ray Groom, returned 12 sites – equating to 3800 hectares – to the Aboriginal community.
Ray Groom gave a powerful speech in Parliament about the purpose of the Aboriginal Lands Act. He championed for an Aboriginal Lands Act that:
- Has responsibility for its own board policy decisions.
- Is free to operate at arm’s length from the government.
- Is regarded by the Aboriginal community as its own elected body.
- Has final authority and responsibility for the land returned.
- Can exercise land ownership that is consistent with cultural context.
- Gives Aboriginal community real control.
- Is free to manage the land in a culturally appropriate way.
- Can protect returned land from sectional interests.
- Governed by an elected body providing real control for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community.
Don’t let this government steal our land again! Stand up for the rights of Aboriginal people to have power over our destiny, our community, our culture and our country.
WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN
- ORIC-registered organisations will have the same status as Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
- The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs will be able to grant land rights to ORIC-registered organisations.
- Removes our right to have a say on who is Aboriginal and who can vote in Aboriginal Land Council elections.
- Removes our right of appeal for Aboriginal people.
- Aboriginal people will not have true ownership rights over returned land.
- The Minister will have the power to exclude the Aboriginal community from land management decisions and interfere with who manages returned land.
- The government will be able to interfere with the management of ALCT.
- Inability for Aboriginal people to remove trespassers from Aboriginal land if recognised as Aboriginal by any ORIC-registered organisation.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Write your objections to the amendments to the Aboriginal Lands Act by Tuesday, 19 September to:
- Aboriginallandsact@dpac.tas.gov.au
- Review of the Aboriginal Lands Act 1995 DPAC GPO Box 123 Hobart TAS 7000
Write to the Tasmanian Government:
- Premier Jeremy Rockliff – jeremy.rockliff@parliament.tas.gov.au
- Roger Jaensch MP, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs – roger.jaensch@parliament.tas.gov.au
Write to the following members of parliament for their support:
| NAME | |
| Hon Mike Gaffney MLC Hon Sarah Lovell MLC Hon Luke Edmunds MLC Hon Rob Valentine MLC Hon Meg Webb MLC Hon Josh Willie MLC Lara Alexander MP Vica Bayley MP Dr Shane Broad MP Jen Butler MP Anita Dow MP Janie Finlay MP Ella Haddad MP Kristie Johnston MP David O’Byrne MP Michelle O’Byrne MP John Tucker MP Rebecca White MP Dean Winter MP Rosalie Woodruff MP | michael.gaffney@parliament.tas.gov.au sarah.lovell@parliament.tas.gov.au luke.edmunds@parliament.tas.gov.au rob.valentine@parliament.tas.gov.au megg.webb@parliament.tas.gov.au josh.willie@parliament.tas.gov.au lara.alexander@parliament.tas.gov.au vica.bayley@parliament.tas.gov.au shane.broad@parliament.tas.gov.au jen.butler@parliament.tas.gov.au anita.dow@parliament.tas.gov.au janie.finlay@parliament.tas.gov.au ella.haddad@parliament.tas.gov.au kristie.johnston@parliament.tas.gov.au david.obyrne@parliament.tas.gov.au michelle.obyrne@parliament.tas.gov.au john.tucker@parliament.tas.gov.au rebecca.white@parliament.tas.gov.au dean.winter@parliament.tas.gov.au rosalie.woodruff@parliament.tas.gov.au |
