<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">Hi everyone,</font>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">perhaps some of you have already
seen this - i'm forwarding it on in the light of that discussion we were
having about things we might do in response to the "intervention"
- this site has some suggestions. </font>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">I'm feeling very despairing about
the whole thing today.</font>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">Bring on the election! </font>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">Maggie</font>
<p>
<p><a href=http://www.womenforwik.org/><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>http://www.womenforwik.org/</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">
is the webpage for Women for wik which has<br>
issued the media release below. If you are angry and want to do something<br>
about what is happening to indigenous people, please make contact, they
need<br>
endorsements, assistance and other resources.<br>
<br>
thanks eva cox<br>
<br>
Women Re-Unite To Monitor Government Intervention
In Aboriginal<br>
Communities<br>
Women for Wik, a group of prominent Australian women,
has been<br>
reignited to independently monitor the implementation of the Federal<br>
Government's intervention in Aboriginal communities.<br>
<br>
"Women for Wik" was formed in 1997 and was
endorsed by 130 women's<br>
organisations, representing hundreds of thousands of Australian women.
Its<br>
original members included Ruth Cracknell, Jane Campion and Justice Elizabeth<br>
Evatt. It received overwhelming mainstream support.<br>
<br>
The group was inspired by a speech by Lady Deane,
the wife of the then<br>
Governor-General, Sir William Deane, who said women had to take the lead
on<br>
the issue of reconciliation. This week Lady Deane reaffirmed this view<br>
stating "It is up to the women of Australia to get our country back
on the<br>
path of reconciliation."<br>
<br>
"Women for Wik" intends to independently
monitor the implementation of<br>
the Federal Government plan, both now and in the future.<br>
<br>
A co-founder of the original group, writer Rosie Scott,
said "10 years<br>
ago we raised issues that had been effectively hidden, and helped to<br>
disprove the fear campaign that Indigenous people would take over our<br>
backyards. We now intend to go through the same process with the Federal<br>
Government intervention in the Northern Territory. We intend to provide
a<br>
voice for the women of the Northern Territory whose lives are being directly<br>
affected."<br>
<br>
Lowitja O'Donoghue, a member of the original group
and former<br>
Chairperson of ATSIC stated "The Northern Territory intervention is<br>
patronising and unworkable. We need policies that will take us forward,
not<br>
backwards."<br>
<br>
Christine Olsen, writer-producer of the film Rabbit-Proof
Fence, said<br>
"The answer to the problem is the support of Aboriginal culture. Not
the<br>
destruction of it."<br>
<br>
Statements Of Support<br>
This wouldn't be accepted by any other section of
the Australian<br>
society. If they tried to implement this against women, or Jews,
or gays,<br>
the country would be in an uproar. Why do we accept it for Aboriginal<br>
people? Olga Havnen, Indigenous leader and CEO, Combined Aboriginal<br>
Organisations of the NT (and founder of the original Women for Wik group).<br>
<br>
In 1931 Molly walked home with her two sisters, following
the rabbit<br>
proof fence. Mr Neville, the Government Protector, was outwitted and<br>
defeated. Now, 76 years later, John Howard is subjecting Aboriginal<br>
communities to the kinds of laws and the kind of thinking which Mr Neville<br>
used. Mr Howard says that "Unless the Indigenous people of this country<br>
become part of the mainstream of the nation, their future is bleak."<br>
Aboriginal culture lies at the very heart of this country. What will we
do<br>
if that is destroyed. Christine Olsen, writer & producer of the film<br>
Rabbit-Proof Fence.<br>
<br>
"The quality of justice in a democracy is measured
by the quality of<br>
rights the weakest and most vulnerable enjoy. Women know this. Indigenous<br>
Australians know this. But does the Federal Government?" Diane Bell,
Emerita<br>
Professor of Anthropology, George Washington University, DC; Professor
of<br>
Anthropology, University of Adelaide.<br>
<br>
Available For Media Interviews:<br>
Christine Olsen<br>
(writer & producer, Rabbit-Proof Fence)<br>
Phone: 02 9810 2138<br>
Mobile: 0414 627 712<br>
Email: olsenlevy@telpacific.com.au<br>
<br>
Rosie Scott<br>
(writer & co-founder of original "Women for
Wik")<br>
Phone: 02 9552 1427<br>
Mobile: 0405 608 707<br>
Email: rosie@amaze.net.au<br>
<br>
Associate Professor Claire Smith<br>
(President, World Archaeological Congress)<br>
Phone: 08 8278 1934<br>
Mobile: 0424 388 925<br>
Email: claire.smith@flinders.edu.au<br>
<br>
Further Info/Images/Interviews:<br>
Jo Smith<br>
Mobile: 0411 888 664<br>
Phone: 02 9557 4253<br>
Email: agsc@cia.com.au</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Dr Marguerite Nolan<br>
Lecturer in Australian Studies<br>
School of Arts and Sciences<br>
Brisbane Campus<br>
Australian Catholic University<br>
PO Box 456<br>
Virginia Q 4014<br>
<br>
Ph: (07) 3623 7182<br>
Fax: (07) 3623 7245<br>
Email: M.Nolan@mcauley.acu.edu.au<br>
<br>
Australian Catholic University Limited<br>
ABN 15 050 192 660<br>
</font>