ISSN 1839-5279 July 2021 VACCINE MYTHBUSTER LIFTOUT READY FOR COVID? END OF WATER WOES? volume 11. 11. number P. 10-13 2. PROTECTING UTYETYE .6 P. NATIVE TITLE EXPLAINED FREE P. 15-18 P. 25 NEWS EDITORIAL Remote vaccine rollout “nowhere near on track” Land Rights News is published by the TERRITORIANS may be three rolling up their sleeves for times a year. COVID-19 vaccines in record numbers, but the official The Central Land Council statistics are hiding how 27 Stuart Hwy slowly vaccinations are going amongst Aboriginal people. NT 0870 By early July, more than a third of all tel: 89516211 residents had received at least www.clc.org.au one dose. email [email protected] More than 17 out of every 100 people had received Contributions are welcome both doses and are protected against getting really sick or dying from the virus when it spreads in the NT. SUBSCRIPTIONS The NT is doing better than Land Rights News Central the rest of the country, but Australia subscriptions are the positive COVID-19 case $22 per year. at the Granites mine that brought lockdowns and mask It is distributed free of wearing to the Territory, has charge to Aboriginal highlighted that too many organisations and Aboriginal Territorians have communities in Central been hesitant to get the life- Australia. saving jabs. To subscribe email Only 11 out of every 100 [email protected] people in remote communities or call 08 8951 6215 had been fully vaccinated, according to Natasha Fyles, the NT Health Minister. ADVERTISING Between April and July 1, the Central Australian Aboriginal Advertise in the only Congress had vaccinated 1306 newspaper to reliably Aboriginal people over the reach Aboriginal people age of 16 in Utju, Mutitjulu, in remote Central , Ltyentye Apurte Congress GP Jessica Johannsen and CEO Donna Ah Chee want everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Australia. and Alice Springs. Almost 400 people, around Next publication date: “If the hospital gets overwhelmed because they don’t five out of every 100 Congress October 2021 clients over the age of 16, had have enough beds it’s the health workers who will have to Rates are at www.clc.org. both doses and were fully vaccinated. make the decisions about who survives and who doesn’t. au/land-rights-news OR “The rollout is nowhere email: [email protected] near on track,” Congress chief What an awful decision to have to make!” OR call 8951 6211 medical officer public health comes to Central Australia,” communities have been so vaccinated as soon as possible Dr John Boffa admitted. Congress chief executive keen. for everybody to be protected COVER This is despite Congress Donna Ah Chee said. “We hear the NT Health from the virus. GPs spending a lot of time Following the Granites mine Department’s rollout has been “We need to have 80 per educating residents before COVID-19 scare in late June, hit and miss,” Dr Boffa said. cent of Central Australians they offer them the vaccine. more Aboriginal people lined “In some remote com- vaccinated and if we don’t “We are going out a week up for vaccinations. munities only three people we’ll be in trouble when before the vaccinations and sit Most Utju residents, for had the vaccine and in COVID comes. It’s not if it down with people to explain example, have now been another, half of the people comes, but when,” she said. the benefits and the risks of vaccinated at least once, got it.” getting vaccinated, and how it but the rollout has been Ms Ah Chee said 80 out of will protect you when the virus patchy and not all remote every 100 people need to get Continued p. 15 Government agrees to land councils’ ABA reform plan THE CENTRAL Land Council decisions about ABA grants has welcomed a government and investments are made by announcement about a new Aboriginal people whose land CLC rangers Tanisha Aboriginal-controlled body generates the fund’s income.” Foster and Tamika to make decisions about the The plan is part of a package Newcastle are educating Aboriginals Benefit Account of reforms of the Aboriginal themselves about the (ABA). Land Rights Act announced Pfizer vaccine. The CLC proposed a by then acting Prime Minister resolution at a combined CLC Michael McCormack during CLC MEETINGS and NLC council meeting in this year’s Barunga Festival. August 2016 to achieve greater NLC chair Sammy Bush- Aboriginal control over the Blanasi told the NT News the 25 - 27 August 2021 ABA. reforms will give Aboriginal Council It then drafted guiding Territorians control over how Kalkaringi principles for ABA reform, the ABA’s so-called ‘royalty which were agreed and equivalent’ funds are spent. 2 - 4 November 2021 endorsed by the Northern, “This will allow Aboriginal Council Anindilyakwa and Tiwi land people to invest in more TBC councils. Aboriginal jobs and support “I am so pleased that years culture and community for our 6 - 7 October 2021 of advocacy by the four grandchildren and beyond,” Executive land councils have finally Mr Bush-Blanasi said. Alice Springs been successful,” CLC chief executive Lesley Turner said. Minister Ken Wyatt will negotiate Aboriginals “It is long overdue that Continued p. 24 Benefit Account reforms with the four NT land councils. 2 July 2021 OUR VOICES What do you think about the government’s decision to approve the 40 billion megalitre Singleton Station water license? Annie Morrison Tennant Creek

“We don’t know what is going to happen to the water, if it will become salty. People need water. Our communities are close to Singleton, so we can get affected by the water if it’s bad. We worry about it. How are they going to supply water to our communities? Is the government going to give us funding for better water? We need water first, before planning for farms around here.” James Glenn Ti Tree

“The issue that the community from Alekarenge raised about their water and what the impact could be where they’re growing their vegies. They’ve got the watermelon farm and it’s so Peter Corbett many litres they’re going to use for that Alekarenge number of years. I think there needs to be more input and consultation, “It should not have given them so much water. The water should especially for those who don’t really benefit communities near Singleton. We have a farm that’s operating understand yet, and give them time.” near our community and it’s going to take most of the water away and it’s wasting the water of other communities. It’s not right.” Jeffrey Foster Tennant Creek

“The government shouldn’t have done it. The people who own that country, that’s their water. The Chinese mob shouldn’t take over. The water belongs to the people of that country and it should stay that way.”

Josephine Grant Ti Tree

“It’s not the right decision. I support the traditional owners telling the government not to take so much water. It’s the traditional owner’s land, it’s their water. It’s not the government’s water. The government is in the big city, they should take the water from there, not on country. They need to do a big review.” Ismael Palmer Roger Tommy Lajamanu Alpurrurulam

“I think that’s just way too much. It definitely would be a problem “We don’t want them to take all that for our future generations because the amount they are requesting is water, we may have no water left for so much water. We need water for the long term for our people that our communities. They can have two live on their country. These people are just going to come, take that bores, but no more than that. If you got much water and then disappear and the people that still remain on a big mob of bores, you’re using up too country will be affected.” much water.” July 2021 3 NEWS Bush voters complain about discrimination THE AUSTRALIAN Electoral the details of enrolled voters, Commission (AEC) is partly for example the change of a to blame for low enrolment postal address. rates of Aboriginal voters in According to the AEC, Northern Territory remote enrolments rose sharply for communities because it is the 2019 federal election in making enrolment difficult. most cities and big towns. That’s the main charge of But in remote communities, a complaint filed by two Top where most Aboriginal End men in the Human Rights Territorians live, the policy Commission. was not applied. West Arnhem Regional As a result, enrolment Council mayor Matthew numbers were lower than 70 Ryan and Yalu Aboriginal out of 100 voters at the 2016 Corporation chair Ross NT election. Mandi, from Galiwin'ku on The AEC claimed that Elcho Island, off the coast without a "reliable postal of Arnhem Land, lodged the address" it could not complaint in June. automatically enrol new They said the AEC breached voters. the Racial Discrimination Act In bush communities, where by using federal voting laws in street signs and letterboxes ways that discriminate against are rare, this is a big hurdle Aboriginal people in remote for voters. communities in both Federal The complainants said not and NT elections. allowing people to use postal

“The Australian Electoral West Arnhem Regional Council mayor Matthew Ryan is one of the complainants. Photo: supplied. Commission needs to answer disadvantages Aboriginal electors in the Northern the question: is this a racially Territory", and should be reviewed. driven policy?” By the AEC’s own estimate, more than 16,500 eligible "All forms of discrimination addresses care of a community Aboriginal NT voters out must stop. The AEC needs to post office or mail bag and of almost 53,000 are not take rapid action to enrol the lot numbers instead of street enrolled to vote. third of indigenous people numbers was discriminatory. "The under-representation in the NT who are not able The NT Electoral Com- of enrolment of remote to vote," Mr Ryan said in a mission (NTEC) and several Aboriginal Territorians not statement. unions are supporting the only impacts election results, "I've worked on elections for complaint against the AEC. it also affects electoral years. There's always people "I've witnessed how some boundaries," the NTEC report turning up who are not able Aboriginal people are turned states. to vote,” Mr Mandi said. Mr Ryan and Mr Mandi also “If the AEC did its job properly, this could stop right “We know that at the 2018 now." federal election about half of chair Samuel Bush-Blanasi said the AEC has been failing the NT’s Aboriginal population Aboriginal people “for years” and there was no time to Thomas Mayor said the AEC has questions to answer. Photo: supplied. wait for the outcome of the wasn’t enrolled to vote.” complaint. “The next federal election away at the polls because they raised concerns that remote could be called at any time haven't been enrolled," the communities have access to and the AEC has to act, and Maritime Union of Australia's ballot boxes only for a short act urgently, to restore those Thomas Mayor, a Labor period of time. missing voters to the electoral member, told the ABC. Their complaint said it was roll,” he said. "The policy is to not use discriminatory for the AEC to “We know that at the the powers the electorate only provide a polling booth to 2018 federal election about commission has to directly large Aboriginal communities half of the NT’s Aboriginal enrol people in Aboriginal such as Maningrida, Wadeye population wasn’t enrolled to communities … because peo- and Galiwin’ku for a short vote.” ple do not have a post box. number of days, compared with a longer stretch of days for Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Jabiru. “The next federal election An AEC spokesperson told the ABC the problem of could be called at any time and under-enrolment of remote residents is nothing new and the AEC has to act ... urgently to “an enduring challenge". He said continued in- restore those missing voters.” vestment has achieved In 2012, a change of the "The complaint is about a growth of Aboriginal Commonwealth Electoral Act indirect discrimination and I enrolment from 67.5 per cent allowed the AEC to directly think the Australian Electoral in 2018 to 68.7 per cent in enrol eligible voters who were Commission needs to answer 2020. not on the electoral roll, using the question: is this a racially It is the lowest in the Centrelink records and drivers driven policy?" nation– well behind the licences. An NTEC report in June said national average of 78 per It also allowed it to update the federal policy "particularly cent. 4 July 2021 NEWS Return to country: Jinka and Jervois stations native title determination brings people home THE TRADITIONAL owners groups from the Ankerente; of the Jinka and Jervois cattle Arntinarre, Arraperre, stations have celebrated the Artwele, Atnwarle, Ilparle, recognition of their native title Immarkwe, Ltye and rights. Thipatherre estate groups. Justice Charlesworth The determination allows handed down a non- them to hunt, gather, teach exclusive native title consent and to conduct cultural determination in May, during activities and ceremonies in a Federal Court sitting in the area. Bonya, a community living Native title holder Alan area excised from Jervois Dempsey was pleased about Station near the Northern the determination. Territory/Queensland border. “This is my grandfather’s “It is a proud day today. country, Mr Dempsey said Happy the court is here to “He worked on the station, recognise our native title, but and his father, and his father, also a bit sad because thinking and his father before him. about all those people who “The part we got is Jinka should be here, but not Springs. In the old days it anymore,” Marlene Doolan, didn’t matter about station a member of the Thipatherre boundaries or anything like estate group, said. that. We had our own water. Banjo Madrill with Justice Charlesworth at the celebration. “I think they must be here in We had Rain Dreaming spirit, and always will be here, there,” he said. drive over the border. She for place where parrots get the native title holders the watching over us.” The area became a cattle remembers the stories their green) and the site of the right to negotiate exploration The determination area station in 1909 and early about this country from her Budgerigar Dreaming. and mining agreements. covers almost 5,000 square mining exploration began in grandparents. The Central Land Council “But unlike on Aboriginal kilometres, including the two the 1920s. “My grandfather walked lodged the native title claim land, they have no veto right,” pastoral leases, a stock reserve Both shaped the lives and over that way with my in 2018 in response to she said. and a disused stock route that family structures of the north- grandmother, they took my renewed mining interest on David Blue, a native title cuts the stations in half. eastern as it mum and two uncles. the stations. holder from Bonya, said The stock route crosses did their country. “It took them a whole year KGL Resources acquired the that the determination gives many cultural and historical Many families left their to get there. It was one of Jervois Base Metal Project, a traditional owners a seat at places of significance to traditional homelands due those bull carts, and one of proposed open-cut copper the table with pastoralists and Aboriginal people, including to violent incursions from the uncles nearly drowned and silver mine in the Jervois mining companies. sacred hills which form settlers. Others left to find in Marshall Creek, and his part of the Two Eaglehawks work further east across the brother saved him. He was “In the old days it didn’t matter Dreaming. Queensland border. about four years old then,” The native title holders Christine Doolan was she recalled. about station boundaries belong to nine land holding born in Boulia, a four hour “I’m very pleased, but it’s also a bit sad, too, this determination. It took a long or anything like that. time, and it’s what the old people were fighting for.” We had our own water. From the 1920s onwards, the area was home to copper, We had Rain Dreaming there.” silver and lead mines where Range, in 2011. It negotiated “Something’s better than many of the men worked. an indigenous land use nothing. Now we have a bit They travelled between mines agreement with the native of rights, and a bit of a voice,” and stations, visiting family. title holders in 2016, two he said. Prospector Tom Hanlon years before the CLC lodged The native title holders discovered copper in the area the native title claim. will exercise their rights in 1929 while horses The government approved through their prescribed down the Arthur River. He the proposed $200 million body corporate, the Ingkekure recognised the tell-tale green mine in January. Aboriginal Corporation, stain of copper on the Jervois Francine McCarthy, the which takes its name from Range, which is known as CLC’s manager of native title, the Eastern Arrernte word for Keepers of the cake. atetherre (Eastern Arrernte said the determination gives eagle claw.

July 2021 5 NEWS Rangers restore Utyetye’s THE LTYENTYE Apurte “The old people used to he explained. technique during a visit with Rangers have removed camp here,” Mr Ryder said, “It’s been here The moisture revealed even the group. swallow nests from the gesturing down into the more paintings underneath “My first time was at paintings of their most narrow valley beyond the cave for a long time the wet mud as he gently Docker, where I was doing significant rock art site - with that the rangers have recently swept away the last of it with some training for this kind of a little help from their friends cleared of reeds. and that’s why a soft paint brush. work,” he said. from Kaltukatjara (Docker Bernard Bell, from “We use the brush to clean “Nobody has come out River). Kaltukatjara, clambered down we need to off the rest of the mud, spray here before to clean out the Traditional owner Damian the steep rock face with a it again, brush again, until it swallow nests to look after all Ryder led the convoy of two cardboard box under his arm, look after it.” looks nice and clean. It works the paintings. It’s part of the ranger groups on a trip to ready to show his colleagues Then he pulled a wooden well. It never takes off the rock history for this country, that’s Utyetye, a large open cave at what he learnt at Walka, a stick and a small hammer painting.” why it’s important. the bottom of a cliff on the cave full of rock art his group out of the box and started to “It’s been here for a long “I reckon the traditional Santa Teresa Aboriginal Land is protecting back home. carefully chip away at one of time and that’s why we need owners will be happy with it.” Trust, to watch them restore “I’m teaching them how the dozens of mud nests stuck to look after it.” Mr Gorey agreed. the paintings covering the to look after these paintings to the ochre. Farron Gorey, from Ltyentye “I feel good that we can cave roof to their former glory. and clean off the mud nests,” When only a narrow rim of Apurte, got the hang of it right continue to do this, so the old He stood at the edge of a he said as he inspected mud was left he pulled out a away. people can see it,” he said. cliff that turns into a waterfall the mesmerising design of spray bottle filled with a clear “It’s a bit different from “I want to bring them here after heavy rains, and creates concentric circles in yellow fluid. other ranger work,” he said. to show them what we have a curtain across the cave and orange ochre that covers “We spray it with methylated His colleague Anton learned. When they see this opening while topping up the almost the entire roof of the spirits to make the mud soft,” McMillan already had some they are going to feel happy.” bright green water below. cave. practice, having learned the

Anton McMillan put his training into practice at Utyetye. 6 July 2021 NEWS rock art to its former glory

Enid Long softened the mud with methylated spirits. Bernard Bell (right) showed Farron Gorey how it’s done.

July 2021 7 NEWS Real jobs program ready as CDP bites the dust JOB SEEKERS and employers in remote communities are in for a long wait to find out what will replace the failed work-for-the-dole scheme, which will be scrapped by the Australian Government in 2023. Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt wants to develop and trial a new jobs program in four remote communities before the end of this year. He said one of four trial sites will be “in the tri state area” of the Northern Territory, and South Australia. He said he plans to speak with the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the NT about the changes. The APO NT wants its remote development and employment program to fill the gap the so-called community development program will leave. “We need real jobs,” the CLC’s Dr Josie Douglas said. 12,000 jobs, with ongoing “We have a great model and support for training and “We want the funds they now put into the we are ready and willing to careers. work with the government.” The model would see CDP CDP to go to Aboriginal community-controlled “We want the funds they providers replaced with now put into the CDP to go remote jobs centres case organisations that can create real local jobs.” to Aboriginal community- managing job seekers and controlled organisations their families and enabling the local community. valuable paid work needs to the case,”Dr Douglas said. that can create real local local organisations to Each job would come with a be done for their community This time, “successful” CDP jobs, for example, repairing implement strategies they training account attached to it to make it a good place for providers will be “heavily and maintaining community have found to work well. that would pay for vocational families. involved in the co-design infrastructure, aged care and About a third of the current training as well as literacy and “They know how to help along with people from other community services.” job seekers would get paid, numeracy education. people to skill up for this work communities,” Mr Wyatt said. The APO NT has been part time work, with full An important part would be but they need the government “I want to shape [the pushing for a remote jobs entitlements on services and remote youth projects where to partner with them as equals program] in a way that fund to create an initial projects that are important to young people receive support to make it happen.” is not one template for to do six to nine months of She is glad to see the back every community because “There is no time to lose. We have a generation in desperate need of FAIR WORK work and we don’t want to waste any more AND STRONG time on a model that doesn’t work.”

training and work experience of the CDP, which spent $16.7 communities differ. It’s got to COMMUNITIES: on community projects. million to create only 360 be a local solution and a local Proposal for While the success depends remote CDP jobs. approach.” on whether the government Some of these jobs were, Josie Douglas is not happy a Remote is ready to invest in real jobs in the words of the minister, that the government plans to Development for the long term, there is “busywork” such as “painting take two years to replace the and Employment agreement on one point. rocks white”. CDP. “People from down south Worse than the waste “There is no time to lose. Scheme come to the NT and take of money is the havoc the We have a generation in jobs that we should really, punitive scheme has wreaked desperate need of work and collectively skill up people on communities. we don’t want to waste any to take on locally,” Mr Wyatt “There were 800,000 more time on a model that told the ABC. financial penalties in remote doesn’t work.” He said the new program areas alone,” Dr Douglas said. At least the CDP’s penalty must help job seekers to get “It left young people regime is on its way out. “real training” where they can without any income and of Mr Wyatt said in May that develop the necessary skills, course this leads to a whole job seekers “soon” won’t but that the NT Government lot of problems. It points to be punished any more for is responsible for the how ineffective and poorly breaching the scheme’s positions. designed the program was.” activity requirements. The APO NT wants the Whether its replacement “We will continue to Australian Government to will be any better depends alter those mandatory directly fund the extra jobs on whether Aboriginal people requirements because I know and supports that are needed. and organisations are really the impact,” he said. MAY 2017 Prepared by the “In many communities, going to be in the driver’s seat Dr Douglas said the Aboriginal Peak even if every local job was this time around. requirements should be * Organisations NT taken by a local person, there “The minister said the “no more onerous than the would not be enough jobs to CDP was co-designed requirements that are put on go around,” Dr Douglas said. with communities, but mainstream, urban work-for- The APO NT hopes its proposal will replace the CDP. “The locals know best what unfortunately that was not the-dole participants”. 8 July 2021 NEWS NT legal fight for wages stolen from Aboriginal station workers ABORIGINAL cattlemen and station workers in the Northern Territory are hoping a class action against the Australian Government will win them compensation for wages that were stolen from them over a period of more than 30 years. The law firm that gained a $190 million settlement from the Queensland Government for thousands of Aboriginal workers last year, and is fighting a similar case in Western Australia, launched the class action in the Federal Court in June. Shine Lawyers are acting on behalf of former NT station workers, farm hands and their descendants, who were not paid or were underpaid between 1933 and 1978. They are seeking com- pensation for what they hope will be “tens of thousands” of workers, such as those who Wages were stolen from women as well as men working on stations. Photo: Strehlow Research Centre. walked off Wave Hill Station 55 years ago and sparked the Aboriginal land rights “Rather than sweeping this movement. “We used to have a hard injustice under the rug, we time. Vestey … working us like a slave,” Jimmy Wave must address the mistakes of Hill, one of the strikers, told the ABC. the past if we’re to have any For veterans of the 1966 walk-off and their families the chance of a brighter future.” stolen wages are unfinished to motorised mustering. decades of low or withheld business. Non-payment of wages was wages they never paid their The class action is against widespread in the Territory Aboriginal workers any the Australian Government cattle industry. compensation. because it ran the NT when “We been working for bread As the station bosses the wage theft happened. and beef. We never got money passed their wealth on It used the laws of the day then. We been working for to their descendants, the to move Aboriginal workers’ blanket, boot, hat, shirt and children of their workers wages into trust accounts, to trousers, that’s all,” station inherited something else: be paid to them at a later time, worker Big Mick Kankinang ‘intergenerational poverty’. but they and their families said in an interview in the The term describes never received the money. late 1970s, published in The disadvantage passed on from generation to generation that has impoverished the “We been working for bread descendants of the workers who had their wages stolen. and beef. We never got money What does wage justice mean to the workers and their then. We been working for families? “It’s safe to assume the Soap making on Banka Banka Station near Tennant Creek in the early blanket, boot, hat, shirt and government will want to 1960s. Photo: Jeff Carter, National Library of Austrlia. settle. The only question is for trousers, that’s all.” how much,” The Conversation reported. “Under these discriminatory Conversation. “For a just settlement, laws, the Commonwealth got Ten years later, this is how compensation should be more away with robbing Aboriginal Hobbles Danayarri summed than the money owed.” Australians of their hard- up how Aboriginal workers It also asked whether earned wages, meaning those were treated on the Victoria governments should be who were already separated River Downs Station: “Don’t the only ones paying from their families entered give them good tucker, don’t compensation. a vicious cycle of poverty give them good beef. They can “Should corporations that that was preventable,” Shine work free.” owe their current fortunes Lawyers’ Jan Saddler said. The Victoria River Downs, to past exploitation not “Rather than sweeping this Wave Hill, Cattle Creek, also be expected to redress injustice under the rug, we Helen Springs and Morstone injustices committed in living must address the mistakes of Downs stations all belonged memory?”, the report asked. the past if we’re to have any to the Vestey Group, a British The “British Lord Vestey” chance of a brighter future.” family company that leased (Samuel Vestey) they sing Aboriginal stock workers vast tracts of Aboriginal land about in From little things were not covered by award very cheaply in exchange big things grow, died only in rates until 1966, when a for building an abattoir in February. federal tribunal ruled they Darwin. Anyone who had their wages must be paid equal wages. After selling its leases in the stolen under the laws of the The ruling was not much of 1990s, Vestey today is a big time and their descendants a win for the workers. player in the food industry. can join the class action by Instead of paying them equal Even though cattle visiting www.shine.com.au Cattle near Alice Springs in the late 1950s. Photo: John Tanner, wages, cattle stations turned companies profited from or calling 13 11 99. National Archives of Australia. July 2021 9 NEWS Council votes for review of Singleton Station water licence THE CENTRAL Land Council “The licence decision does decisions in his home state “understand groundwater- is waiting for a review of the nothing to assuage the grave of Western Australia, a environment-cultural linkages unprecedented decision to gift concerns these groups have world leader in groundwater in sufficient detail to develop a private company 40,000 raised,” Mr Turner said. management. strong management criteria”. megalitres of finite water “Our constituents now want He said the government’s Negative environmental reserves each year for three us to pursue all avenues for allocation planning and impacts may not show up decades. objection because too little impact assessment ignores for a decade or more, “but CLC delegates voted unani- is known about how the the most culturally and by then it will be difficult to mously at their April council decision will affect community ecologically important places, restrict/reduce the project’s meeting in Tennant Creek to drinking water for decades to such as wetlands, springs and water allocation as approval ask for a review of the contro- come, including the impact soaks. for the full licence will occur versial decision to let Fortune on native plants, animals and He also questioned whether in a similar timeframe”. Agribusiness grow fruit and sacred sites. the government’s ‘adaptive Mr Turner said the only vegetables an hour south of “There is not enough management’ approach credible response to this the town, largely for export. data to address concerns of will be able to deal with its devastating advice is to seek The CLC is hoping to appear constituents or independent “insufficient understanding an independent peer review and raise its concerns about scientists,” he said. of impact risk”. of Fortune Agribusiness’ the decision during the review CLC interim CEO Lesley Turner. “Frankly, they have no faith “It is fraught with problems ‘adaptive management’ plan. the government now has to in the government’s capacity and there have been serious “This government has hold under the Northern the environmental impact to manage the licence in issues in this context in other promised to be transparent, Territory’s Water Act. assessment,” CLC chief the public interest and are jurisdictions,” he warned. so we expect it to publish all The CLC has also called for executive Lesley Turner said. concerned that its decision “Adaptive management the information independent an independent peer review Before their vote, the is based on little more than needs a really strong scientists need to do their of the company’s ‘adaptive delegates considered guesswork.” understanding of the water job,” he said. management’ plan. independent hydrogeological Dr Vogwill said the resource, biodiversity/cultural Mr Turner said that without It has asked the government advice from Dr Ryan Vogwill, government’s water resource values and ground water an independent review, the to halt all activity on the one of the leading experts in and impact assessment dependent ecosystems impact government would be putting company’s proposal in the the field. was “simplistic, based on potential to be successful, the company in charge of meantime to ensure the Dr Vogwill said neither the inadequate investigations and particularly in the long term. managing a precious and integrity of the review process. government’s water licence very little site-specific data”. “This project does not finite public resource without “We call on the government decision nor its approach to He said the “rushed approval currently have this.” scrutiny and transparency. to immediately stop the managing it come close to process” for the Singleton Dr Vogwill said the “We will not let them put native vegetation clearance addressing the concerns of the allocation fell “well short of” government lacks the five the fox in charge of the hen and non-pastoral use permits area’s native title holders and what would be required for to 10 years’ worth of data house,” he said. for the company, as well as affected community residents. far smaller water allocation that would be required to

Council members unanimously called for a review of the controversial Singleton Station water licence decision. BasicsCard or Cashless Debit Card? LABOR says it will scrap the any automatic bill payments as online gambling . cashless debit card (CDC) if it or direct debits (such as for Cigarettes and tobacco are wins the next federal election, rent) for which you use your blocked with the BasicsCard but in the meantime there BasicsCard. but not with the CDC. are some important things to The CDC may not be around CAN THE GOVERNMENT CHANGE know about the CDC and the forever but is available for two HOW MUCH OF MY INCOME the BasicsCard. years. GOES ON THE CARDS? The cards are similar, but DO I HAVE A CHOICE? Yes. With the BasicsCard the there are some important Yes. Centrelink cannot force government could decide to differences. you to switch to the CDC. You put 70 per cent or even all of If you are thinking about will only get a CDC if you ask your money on the card. switching, you should talk for one. With the CDC they can put to a lawyer before deciding Once you ask to switch over up to 80 per cent of your whether to make the switch. to a CDC, you cannot go back money on the card without Between March and May to the BasicsCard – even if you giving a reason. this year, only 24 Territorians stop income management for WHO CAN HELP ME? on income support chose to do a while and start again later. If you want more advice so. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE about the BasicsCard or the WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN? BETWEEN THE CARDS? CDC, or stopping income You may get a call or a Only some stores accept the management, you should talk letter from Centrelink about BasicsCard. It doesn’t work to 1800 636 079 anytime. switching to the CDC. for online shopping or for For help with the If you say no you can keep paying bills online through BasicsCard, you can visit using your BasicsCard. BPay. Centrelink or call 1800 132 If you say yes the Most stores that have Eftpos 594 (always open). to 4.30 pm ACST) and can Saturday, 7.30am – 12.30pm. government will open up a (electronic funds transfer) You can contact Centrelink also help with applying to They can help with: new bank account for you accept the CDC, but not bottle first to ask for help with the stop income management and • Activating and fixing with Indue and send you a shops. CDC but they may ask you to urgent requests to transfer problems with the card, CDC. Your BasicsCard stops You can use the CDC to pay contact Indue instead. money. • Declined transactions, working. bills online through BPay, and Centrelink’s CDC inquiry Indue’s number is 1800 • Balance checks, If you say yes to the CDC for some online shopping, but line is 1800 252 604 710 265 (Monday to Friday, • Lost or stolen cards. you will need to again set up not for blocked websites, such (Monday to Friday 8:00 am 7.30am – 7.30pm and 10 July 2021 NEWS Communities in dark about remote water plan CENTRAL Land Council executive member Ron Hagan travelled to the April council meeting in Tennant Creek MINISTER FOR with a list of questions for Indigenous Essential Services INDIGENOUS Minister Chansey Paech. “My people tell me ‘Ask him about that water’. That’s why ESSENTIAL SERVICES I came along. We’re asking the same questions over and over,” the resident of Laramba, whose community is drinking water contaminated Indigenous with uranium, said. Essential Services The delegates were expecting to quiz the minister about his plan to fix the water problems in their communities. What they got was a “sorry I can’t be with you” video, a two page handout with the map below and a public servant who was unable to provide any detail. Earlier that day, Minister Paech had given a press conference in Darwin about a $28 million funding package to address remote community Executive member Ron Hagan was frustrated by the minister’s no-show. Indigenous Essential Services Minister Chansey Paech. water security over four years. He announced that among Neither the journalists nor no-show left them frustrated. council meeting. Mr Hagan asks again: ‘What’s 10 remote communities across the CLC delegates received “He said they are trying “He forgot about his going on and when is the the Northern Territory six in any information about what something but I don’t know promise. We voted for him, government going to fix it?’ Central Australia will get a filtration systems would what they are putting in he’s supposed to be here, and [the public servant] has share of the money for new be trialled, and how many there,” Mr Hagan said. telling us about the water got no answer. That makes bores, water treatment trials households would receive “The minister is able to quality, proper full detail, and us look bad as delegates. Mr and water meters. ‘dual reticulation’, the make a press statement he never turned up. Hagan asked a question and Laramba, where uranium meaning of which is itself in Darwin about water “He sent us a video, he was knocked back. It’s not in the water is almost three uncertain but presumably security, but he is unable to nothing at all about water, good at all, it’s wrong!” times the level considered safe refers to separate taps for attend and contribute to the about Laramba. I reckon Minister Paech said for drinking, is earmarked for drinking and washing water. conversation,” CLC executive he’s stepping down a bit. He the CLC meeting clashed a water treatment trial and an should have turned up.” with a cabinet meeting. “allowance for installation of Mr Hagan had hoped to be “That was unfortunate and dual reticulation”. able to tell his neighbours unavoidable,” he said. Imanpa, Epenarra, “I gotta go back with no how much longer they will “A program of tailored Engawala and Atitjere were have to pay for $12 boxes of solutions and works, designed promised new bores, while answer. I feel really bad.” water that each “last a couple to meet the unique needs of Yuendumu is in the running of billies, then it’s all gone each community is currently for bore upgrades, as well as The delegates did not find member Michael Liddle told again”. being scoped. More detailed a water treatment trial. out when the filtration trials the ABC. “I gotta go back with no information will be available The trials would be would start, how long they “What they say today, will it answer. I feel really bad,” he at a later date.” “looking at good filtration would last, when new bores happen tomorrow? We don’t said. When Land Rights News services to reduce the levels would be drilled, or how the know.” Executive member Robert put some of the delegates’ of high naturally occurring funding would be divided Mr Hagan said the minister Hoosan, whose in-laws also questions to him his minerals”, the minister between their communities. should have presented the live in Laramba, agreed. spokesperson responded: told the press conference. As a result, the minister’s plan to the delegates at the “It’s bad when someone like “The questions you have asked will be detailed in the program of works”. Standing next to Mr Paech at the Darwin press conference, NT Water Security Minister Eva Lawler promised to release a “directions paper” at the end of May that would allow people to comment on the government’s plans for remote water quality. At the time of printing the CLC has not been able to obtain a copy of the paper. Minister Paech, however, said he would send a public servant to the next CLC meeting in August who would be able to answer delegates’ questions about the planned works. “There may have been an oversight about who attended that [April] meeting from my department and I’ll make sure we’ve got someone there who is an expert in water,” he said.

July 2021 11 NEWS Alpurrurulam’s water ALPURRURULAM’S epic and a six kilometre pipeline, never gave up hope. struggle for drinkable water the Central Land Council last “Only in remote com- “Only in remote communities is headed for a happy end at year applied for a $4.4 million munties must Aboriginal last, almost a decade since the Aboriginals Benefits Account people fund essential ser- must Aboriginal people fund community decided to take grant. vices themselves that other matters into its own hands. Then COVID-19 struck and Australians take for granted.” essential services themselves Nine years ago, residents it wasn’t until a year later Mr Turner said without of the Northern Territory that federal Minister for the CLC’s community community near the Ken development program the that other Australians Queensland border put Wyatt approved the grant. Alpurrurulam water project $110,000 of their community “Negotiations around the would have never seen the take for granted.” lease money aside for a better detailed design and project light of day. Until the pipeline is built, pipes and appliances, but water supply. management of those works Alpurrurulam was not part possibly at the end of next it continues to fall short of They soon realised that was have commenced,” the of the NT Government’s $28 year, Alpurrurulam residents Australian drinking water nowhere near enough to cover minister said. million announcement for will continue to spend up on guidelines. the cost of piping good quality CLC chief executive Lesley remote water upgrades, but bottled water and unhealthy Its levels of potassium, water from Lake Nash Station Turner congratulated PowerWater told the CLC that soft drinks rather than drink calcium, magnesium, to the community. Alpurrurulam on its since the project started they the tap water, which they chloride, sulphate, After unsuccessfully determination. have already spent close to believe is making them sick. bicarbonate, carbonate, silica, lobbying the NT Government “This is a great outcome,” $1 million dollars on finding The milky fluid that comes organic matter, fluoride, iron, to help pay for additional he said. “You drove your own new bores, scoping and out of their taps doesn’t man-ganese, nitrate and bores on the pastoral lease solution and in all those years administration. only taste foul and wrecks phosphate are well above the Mutitjulu life guards make a splash MUTITJULU has its very first home-grown life guards to patrol the community’s popular swimming pool. Five young men undertook lifeguard training in January, and two have qualified as lifeguards. Clem Taylor and David Cooley completed the course, and Daniel Breaden, Terrence Rice and Christopher Dixon are expected to qualify later in the year. “I like helping look after the kids and learning about the pool.”

Mr Taylor and Mr Cooley are now working at the pool as fully qualified lifeguards, alongside the trainees. “I like helping look after the kids and learning about the pool,” Mr Taylor said. While locals have worked as casual pool attendants and helped to run events, the lifeguards are a first. The lifeguards know how to help someone after a heart attack, provide emergency care and rescue people from the water. They had to show they could swim at least 200 metres, tow people, and get them out of the water safely. Christopher Dixon is proud to help look after kids at the pool. They learnt how to make the whole pool area safe, communication skills through the pool, is funded by the qualifications and work brought the community how to prevent problems and role plays and practised how community’s rent income experience, the young men one step closer to its goal of accidents and how to report to prevent and deal with from the -Kata Tjuta can also apply for work at the managing the pool all by itself. them. problems and conflict. National Park. Yulara pool. They also worked on their The training course, like Now, using their new The new lifeguards have 12 July 2021 NEWS woes coming to an end guidelines. when everyone started to get A member of the commu- dialysis”. nity’s lease money working The concerns of remote group and the CLC, Jackie community residents about Mahoney, blames it for the their drinking water are high rates of kidney disease driving a new research project among the approximately 500 by the Menzies School of residents. Health Research. He believes the health Kidney specialist Paul problems started after people Lawton is looking at whether were forced off the station there is a relationship between land where good quality water the water quality in remote is plentiful. communities and high rates “I grew up on it and all the of end-stage kidney disease. old people that I know, they “Heavy metals, we never got sick and were never know, are poisonous to on dialysis or anything like parts of the kidney in high that,” Mr Mahoney told the concentrations,” he told the ABC. ABC. He said when residents “It is plausible that their had to drink from bores concerns are reasonable, but Pam Corbett and Jackie Mahoney with Shernice Turner and granddaughter Sherika Mahoney never stopped near the community, “that is we don’t have a lot of data.” fighting for better water for Alpurrurulam, with Mr Mahoney personally lobbying Minister Ken Wyatt for support. Directors learn the money story the right way A UNIQUE training pro- gram helping two Tanami Aboriginal corporations to understand good governance and make better decisions about their money has earned high praise from the participants. “I learned a lot about the money story. It was hard for me at the first. But now when I continue to keep coming back and having this training it is really opening up my eyes to using money wisely,” Jean Brown, a Granites Mine Affected Area Aboriginal Corporation director, said. Throughout the three years of the program, the directors of GMAAAC and the Kurra Aboriginal Corporation told an independent evaluator how they prefer to learn. The trainers and Central Land Council staff used this feedback to change how the training was delivered. The directors translated the training materials into Warlpiri, plain English and symbols that made cultural sense to Yapa. They told the trainers they wanted to work more in small groups, use activities such as role play to practice what Directors Valerie Martin and Jenny Timms gave feedback about the workshops to the CLC and the trainers. they were learning and have enough time to discuss new constant training to know ideas in Warlpiri. “We should be having constant training more about how corporations The directors also asked run and how the money for practical help with their to know more about how corporations run is divided up, to know official business, for example, it’s secured for the future with holding a practice annual and how the money is divided up, to know generations,” she said. general meeting the day Participants were pleased before the official AGM. it’s secured for the future generations.” about getting a handle on the Visuals were used to explain difficult subject matter, and Corporation director Jenny bilingual and bicultural It made them hungry for unfamiliar ideas, such as learning at their own pace. Timms said. approach to training purda- more. trading shares. “You can’t learn everything “It’s learning hard English, nyanyi, wangkami, pina- “It’s opening my mind “The share market graph in one day. We went step by putting money in investment nyanyi manu milya-pinyi [about] where the money is good to know for future step, bit by bit,” Kurra director and other buckets. (listening carefully, talking, goes, how it’s invested. It’s so planning. We need to know Jungarrayi Collins said. “For me, I just want to keep looking back and around good,” Kurra director Valerie more about if it’s going up “The money story was really on learning.” to understand and gain Martin said. or down,” Kurra Aboriginal hard for me, but by the end of The directors called their knowledge). “We should be having the week I got it,” he said. July 2021 13 NEWS Lesley Turner takes reins as interim CLC chief executive FORMER Martin-Jard introduced Mr the land council in 2013. organisation with a focus on with constituents and Aboriginal Land Council CEO Turner to the CLC delegates During his time there economic development and governments. Lesley Turner has led the during their April council he restructured the strengthening relationships Mr Turner led the NSW Central Land Council since meeting in Tennant Creek. Aboriginal Legal Service April and is looking forward Mr Turner was a between 2017 and 2019. to his second council meeting senior executive in the “The executive of the CLC The executive of the CLC at Kalkaringi. Commonwealth public has formed a subcommittee The CLC executive service for many years before has formed a subcommittee to manage the next steps in appointed Mr Turner, an joining the New South Wales the recruitment process. Arrernte man from Alice Aboriginal Land Council in to manage the next steps Mr Martin-Jard joined the Springs, until October 2021. 2007. Northern Land Council in Former chief executive Joe He was appointed CEO of in the recruitment process.” April.

Lesley Turner checks out one of the new features of the redesigned, mobile-friendly CLC web site, clc.org.au. “Click on the Toyota” - new CLC web site is live A NEW-LOOK web site is lets them check the dates making it easier for remote of council and executive community residents to get meetings and can be used to help from the Central Land give the council feedback. Council. The illustrations on the page “We’ve just finished were designed by local talent redesigning our old site which Charlee-Anne Ah Chee. had become a bit cluttered,” Other new features of the CLC chief executive Lesley web site are timelines about Turner said. the history of the CLC and the “It was almost 10 years land and native title claims it old and very hard for mobile has lodged and (mostly) won phone users to navigate.” over the past four decades. The new site, clc.org.au, Mr Turner said the CLC will went live in May. It is mobile keep working on the new site friendly and has lots of new to make it even better. features. “Next, we will add an “It was almost 10 years old and very hard for mobile phone users to navigate.”

One of them is ‘community interactive map that can be business’, a one-stop-shop for used to find the locations of anyone out bush who wants all regional offices, ranger help to apply for Aboriginals groups, protected areas and Benefit Account (ABA) grants, community and economic get support from the CLC’s development projects,” he employment unit, or help said. meet the cost of funerals and “I’d love to hear your ceremonies. feedback on the new site.” “Just click on the Toyota you can see driving along under the slide show of the home page. It takes you straight to all the forms and contact ONLINE details you need if you want to use these services,” Mr Turner DIGITAL ARCHIVE WEBSITE FACEBOOK said. h� p://keepingculture.com www.clc.org.au @CentralLandCouncil Community business also links visitors of the site to the CLC’s digital archive, You can also contact us : FREECALL 1800 003 640 14 July 2021 NEWS COVID misunderstandings cleared up The positive COVID-19 case at the Granites and the Alice Springs lockdown in June show how important it is that everyone gets vaccinated quickly. Land Rights News asked the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress before the lockdown to respond to the most common misunderstandings about the vaccination.

Misunderstanding : “The vaccine can give me blood clots” The vaccine that can very, very More than two million everyone over the age of 16 rarely cause blood clots is the people in Australia have had can get Pfizer. We are really “Aboriginal people in the Territory are all Astra Zeneca vaccine, but you the Pfizer and none of them privileged. We’ve got this getting the Pfizer vaccine. More than two won’t get that vaccine. developed blood clots. chance now and we’ve got to Aboriginal people in the The Aboriginal community grab it with both hands. million people in Australia have had the Pfizer Territory are all getting the in Central Australia is the first Pfizer vaccine. place in the country where and none of them developed blood clots.” Misunderstanding : “The vaccines won’t protect me against new variants of the virus” Yes they do. Despite all the protecting as well against likely to need to go to hospital 96 out of 100. vaccinated, because even variants, the vaccine protects getting infected with a new and extremely unlikely to die. The first dose of the if everyone in the world is you against severe disease and variant. Still, if you get One in every 20 un- Pfizer gives you 34 per cent vaccinated this virus will still death. infected you will only get a vaccinated people infected protection against the Indian be spreading and if you are Some vaccines are not cold, but you are much less with COVID are likely to Delta variant. With your unvaccinated you’re a sitting die and many more will be second dose protection goes duck! “The first dose of the Pfizer gives you 34 per hospitalised and suffer long up to 89 per cent. It won’t Particularly in a country term illnesses. completely stop vaccinated where most other people cent protection against the Indian Delta variant. The first dose of the Pfizer people from spreading the are vaccinated. If you’re also With your second dose protection goes up to prevents 95 out of 100 people virus, but it’s very good at it. overweight and unwell that’s being hospitalised from It’s more reason why not a risk worth taking. You’re 89 per cent.” COVID and the second dose everyone needs to be rolling the dice. Misunderstanding : “I have time to wait for an outbreak before I get vaccinated” No you don’t. You need two if there is an outbreak. If we That’s a really serious problem doses of the Pfizer vaccine to had an outbreak and everyone “If you leave it too late, and there is an outbreak, when there is an outbreak. be fully protected. It takes four expects to get it – it’s not going it’s highly likely that not everyone who wants to be Also, lining up for the vaccine to five weeks for the two doses to happen. There are logistical in the middle of an outbreak to work, so you need to start issues and there could be vaccinated will be able to get it.” is dangerous, because as we’ve your first dose well before an other outbreaks elsewhere. seen in Melbourne, one of outbreak. It is possible that You can’t assume that if there there is an outbreak, it’s highly health workers to do mass those COVID-positive primary the time between doses will be is an outbreak we’ll have likely that not everyone who vaccinations. They have fewer contacts was in one of those extended, and then it will take enough vaccine to do everyone wants to be vaccinated will be nurses now than they had queues and could have easily even longer for full protection. in the space of a week or two. able to get it. before COVID and had to close exposed others to the virus. There will not be enough It needs to be done over time. The health department four remote clinics for the first vaccine to do everyone at once If you leave it too late, and doesn’t have enough time, in the middle of winter!

From p. 2 have to make the decisions about who survives and A community outbreak can who doesn’t. What an awful happen here at any time, but decision to have to make!” Ms Ah Chee thinks the virus Around 10-15 of every 100 is most likely to spread here people are still suffering with “when things relax, when the virus six months later most people on the east coast and that could have serious are vaccinated and the borders consequences. start to open between states “Having brain fog, not and internationally”. thinking straight, being tired, Those who are still lacking in energy and being unvaccinated when this depressed, not your normal happens will be “sitting self,” Dr Boffa explained. ducks”, according to Dr Boffa. “We know that depression “Those most likely to get is more common after virus sick and die from COVID are infections and depression can old people,” he said. lead to suicide.” Many Utju residents decided to get vaccinated after a worker brought COVID-19 to the Granites mine. “Age is by far the biggest risk Although Aboriginal people said. factor, and then people with have been first in line for “Those who are still “The federal government underlying health conditions, vaccinations for months, has said it has set up a unit for example overweight they are lagging behind non- unvaccinated when this to do this work, but we’re people, those with diabetes Aboriginal people around the not hearing or seeing these and kidney disease. They are country. happens will be sitting ducks.” messages in languages. The incredibly vulnerable because “We were told around government needs to get out Misinformation and fear to educate Aboriginal people there has been a very poor 68,000 Aboriginal people there and not leave it to us.” are often to blame where the about the vaccines. uptake of the vaccine among have been vaccinated Ms Ah Chee said while rollout is going too slowly. “Where are the radio and TV renal clients.” nationally,” Ms Ah Chee said. there is little that can be “We are all scared about the ads in Aboriginal languages?” If large numbers of “That is about 8.7 per cent, done about that “we are able vaccine”, a Warlpiri elder told Congress and other unvaccinated people are compared with 15 per cent of to take control now and get Land Rights News, echoing a Aboriginal organisations and getting sick the Alice Springs non-Aboriginal people, so it’s vaccinated”. sentiment many Central Land politicians have called on hospital will quickly become way under.” “We’ve got this chance now Council members and staff the federal government to overwhelmed. Dr Boffa said the vaccine and we’ve got to grab it with have been reporting. urgently invest in a nationwide “We only have a limited uptake in Aboriginal both hands,” she said. “People are confused and awareness campaign in number of hospital beds and communities is patchy. “There are so many it’s easy to get confused when Aboriginal languages. respirators,” Ms Ah Chee “Tiwi went well, parts of uncertainties, we can’t control you are bombarded with Despite asking for this very explained. the Torres Strait is going well them, but what we can do is misinformation,” Dr Boffa early on, “there is no concerted “If the hospital gets and some remote Central protect ourselves by getting said. attempt by the government to overwhelmed because they Australian communities. In vaccinated. That’s within our He said the federal counter the misinformation don’t have enough beds it’s other places only a couple of control: to protect ourselves government needs to do more that’s out there”, Ms Ah Chee the health workers who will people want the vaccine.” and protect our families.” July 2021 15 WE’RE READY FOR COVID-19

ARE YOU? DIONE KELLY AND SHERLYNE NGALMI-DANIELS “We must get vaccinated because it is the greatest protection we can give to our elders and loved ones. COVID is a killer, the vaccine is a lifesaver.”

REGGIE ULURU

CHANSEY PAECH

“Getting vaccinated is important to protect myself, my family and the elders – especially in remote NYANU WATSON communities.” THOMAS MAYOR

“I got the first shot and waited for a while and got the second one. I’m right. I’m still here! It’s palya! I love it because I can work with the visitors.”

“Don’t shy away from getting vaccinated! It is coming and if it gets inside you it will really knock you out. Please family! Get vaccinated to stay strong and healthy.”

SAMMY WILSON DEBORAH WALKABOUT

16 July 2021 “We need to keep the virus from infecting people, and getting vaccinated is how we do this. We wanna go in a good direction and listen to the rules about how to keep us safe.”

CASSIDY ULURU

MICHAEL LIDDLE

“I want to keep my family and community safe.”

UKA (JUDY) TRIGGER

KUNMANARA

CRAIG WOODS “I want to be safe because of my age and health, I wanted to get it and will see how I go. “I’ve seen traditional I feel fine now.” owners in Tennant Creek get the jab, and the news of the positive COVID-19 cases in the NT helped me make up my mind to also get vaccinated.”

ROBERT HOOSAN

“If you don’t have the vaccine then when that virus comes here, what I’ve seen on TV about what’s happening in India, Brazil and England GLADYS BROWN – all those hospitals overwhelmed, people “COVID-19 is a very scary dying in the streets, and dangerous virus, and people lying on the floors although we have been of hospitals, dying from lucky so far, it is only a COVID. That’s what this matter of time before vaccine can stop. This is it spreads to Central now up to you. It’s your Australia.” SABELLA TURNER AND DONNA AH CHEE decision.”

July 2021 17 NEWS

Misunderstanding : “The virus is only a danger to old people” That’s not correct. with diabetes and kidney still got symptoms after two It’s true that those most disease are also at great risk. Overweight people, those with diabetes and months. likely to get sick and die from Between two and three of kidney disease are also at great risk. We also don’t yet know COVID are old people, but it every 100 children under what the long-term effects of is very dangerous for many 10 with COVID end up in COVID are. We don’t know yet young people. hospital. It may not kill them to overwhelm the hospital if Around 40 out of 100 young how sick it is going to make Overweight people, those but that number alone is going there is an outbreak. people with COVID have people in 10, 20 years’ time. Misunderstanding : “The vaccine can cause long-term health problems” It’s almost certain that the happen if you get COVID. Your body can’t put the vaccines do not cause any There is no way the vaccines genetic material in the It’s almost certain that the vaccines do not long- term health problems. are going to cause long-term vaccines into your own It’s true there is some problems by changing the genetic material in the cells cause any long-term health problems. uncertainty, but there is no building blocks of your body, of your body. It’s scientifically uncertainty about what can your genes. impossible because there is no known way this could happen. Misunderstanding : “Lockdowns and contact tracing will protect us” An outbreak here would the big states. What protected us was not spread more quickly than Going to a lockdown quickly the lockdown, but that we had in Melbourne. There people may not protect us either. no community transmission. When we get community transmission and were using QR codes, social When we had the biosecurity When we get community distancing and got used to lockdown last year some transmission and many of us many of us are not vaccinated we’ll be in big wearing masks. Here we’ve people laughed at it. They are not vaccinated we’ll be in trouble if the lockdown ends up not working. got none of that. Our contact came and went as if there big trouble if the lockdown tracing is also not what it is in were no roadblocks. ends up not working. Misunderstanding : “Border closures will protect us” We can’t rely on border not, the rest of the country is The opportunity to get closures and quarantine to not going to wait. vaccinated and protect They will open all the borders. They’ll say we protect us much longer. They will open all the ourselves from this virus is When the rest of the country borders. They’ll say we had now. had our chance to be vaccinated. is vaccinated, and this place is our chance to be vaccinated. Misunderstanding : “Our hospitals can handle an outbreak” The Alice Springs Hospital is who gets them. They will many of them are vaccinated likely to become overwhelmed decide who gets to live or die. against the virus, so they The Alice Springs Hospital is likely to become very quickly if many people It is also likely that we won’t could get sick and the hospital are still unvaccinated when have enough health workers won’t be at full capacity at the overwhelmed very quickly if many people are an outbreak happens. to look after all the sick during very time it will need to be at still unvaccinated when an outbreak happens. When there are more sick an outbreak because there is double capacity. people than there are beds, already a shortage of health If you haven’t had the TV about outbreaks in India, hospitals, dying from COVID respirators and oxygen tanks, workers. vaccine when the virus comes Brazil and England – all – could happen here. health workers will decide We also don’t know how here, what you have seen on those hospitals overwhelmed, That’s what this vaccine can people dying in the streets, stop. This is now up to you. people lying on the floors of It’s your decision.

NO FOOTY No big AFL games like the Melbourne game that went to NO FESTIVALS Garma Festival cancelled and NAIDOC Ball cancelled NO FUN Gathering limits, travel restrictions and other disruptions to our way of life

…that’s life without COVID-19 vaccines.

Want things back to normal? Get vaccinated. Call 1800 570 688 to book. CAAC Remote mob ask at the clinic.

CLC ranger Tanisha Foster. 18 July 2021 NEWS Women unite for healthy country and climate BANATJARL, one hour south a ranger support officer, and of Katherine, is known to the this is my fifth year as a ranger Jawoyn people as healing coordinator,” Ms Grant said. women’s country. “I’m slowly going up the It was a fitting place to host ladder. CLC is there to help more than 250 women from you go up to leading ranger across the Northern Territory and finish all your certificates for a three day forum. in conservation and land The Central Land Council management with Batchelor helped 28 female rangers, College. traditional owners and elders Lucky for me, I had two from 12 communities to mentors, Chris Jackson join Top End women for the and Mike Carmody, who second meeting of Strong encouraged me,” she said. Women for Healthy Country Lajamanu ranger Helen - a women-only network Wilson plans to design a fighting to protect country. poster about the forum for her “It’s important for us to come together, to make us strong.” “This network of strong community. women who are traditional “We talked about weeds, owners, or women who care for fire, working with school, or speak for country, provides taking traditional owners out a sacred space designed to on country, working two-ways, Selina Kulitja added to an artwork about the network’s goals. privilege Aboriginal women’s training and certificates,” she voices and knowledge,” forum said. come together, to make us facilitator Antonia Burke said. Pandanus dying and strong together, share our CLC rangers presented weaving and bush medicine voice and support all women about their work and what it workshops were held each caring for country and is like to grow into leadership day, and the hosts took families. This is important roles. visitors to a favourite fishing work,” she said. The coordinator of the spot where the central desert “This is really good and Anmatyerr Ranger group in women were treated to local important to be meeting Ti Tree, Josephine Grant, fresh bream and turtle for women from everywhere. told the women about her dinner. We are sharing our culture 10-year journey in the ranger Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun and women are sharing their program. Grup chair and Jawoyn culture with us.” “I was a normal ranger first, traditional owner, Chiyo As Selina Kulitja, from then two years later I became Andrews, was proud to host Kaltukatjara (Docker River) a senior leading ranger, then the event. said, “When we go out bush, two years after that I became “It’s important for us to all our worries go down”. Christine Ellis and Tanita Gallagher learnt to strip pandanus leaves. Wilora and Atitjere get the Works WORSHIPPERS at Wilora’s $22,000 to remove the old lease money to pay for the Lutheran Church can now fence and install the new materials and employ locals enjoy donkey-free services, cyclone mesh fence with on the project. and Atitjere residents have a separate gates for vehicles and David Rankin, Adrian Webb new fence that protects the people. and Albert Kunoth, each put graves of their loved ones, It chose Ranger Works in four weeks’ worth of work thanks to a new Central Land for the job because of the under the watchful eye of Council initiative. community’s relationship Ranger Works supervisor The rangers built the fences with the rangers from nearby Craig LeRossignol. as part of Ranger Works, the Ti Tree. They pulled down the old CLC ranger program’s new “The Ti Tree rangers did a stock fence, and installed a fee-for service initiative, and good and fast job,” working sturdy mesh fence and new the communities invested group member Rebecca entry gates to the cemetery. their lease income to pay for Numina said. “It was a good project and them. The cemetery fence on gave us something to do,” Mr “The new fence is a really big Mount Riddock Station, near Rankin said. change for the church, it made Atitjere, is also dealing with Mr LeRossignol said the it really tidy,” ranger Dan stray animals. experience brought a great Pepperill, from the Anmatyerr “We had to build a new deal of satisfaction to the group. Adrian Webb and Albert Kunoth worked on the Atitjere fence. “The feeling from the “The Ti Tree rangers did a workers was achievement and pride, and they can’t wait to good and fast job.” be involved in any upcoming projects,” he said. Rangers, said. fence to keep the cattle and Communities, pastoralists, The old fence was not only dogs out,” David Rankin, one mining companies and an eyesore, it was downright of three local workers who government agencies can dangerous. erected the fence, said. hire the CLC rangers for jobs “It was rusty steel sticking “When we had the old fence, ranging from cool season out which was dangerous, the cattle and dogs would burning, revegetation and especially for kids. We didn’t get in and knock around the weed management to erosion want them to trip over it,” Mr flowers and desecrate the control and many other tasks. Pepperill said. graves.” They can go to www.clc.org. Wilora’s lease money Atitjere residents committed au/ranger-works for a list of working group invested $51,500 of the community’s services and a quote. Gerry Price and Seamus Price with the new Wilora church fence. July 2021 19 NEWS Ranger camp back and better than ever

A HIGHLIGHT in every "It's about health checks, eye ranger’s calendar, the Central checks, ear checks, diabetes Land Council’s ranger camp checks - just to make sure that was back in 2021 after missing they are okay to do their job," out last year due to COVID-19, ranger mentor Richard Hayes the first cancellation in the told SBS News. camp’s 14-year history. The camp also aims Held at Hamilton Downs to develop the rangers’ Youth Camp, an hour outside teamwork, leadership, Alice Springs, it brought presentation and public together more than 100 speaking skills with rangers from all 13 CLC ranger workshops and presentations groups, as well as six groups in front of more than 100 from beyond the region. participants. They came from as far away Phillip Jimmy, from as Warburton in Western Daguragu, reckons he would Australia. “not really” have been game Many rangers travelled for to present to a large crowd several days to attend the before he became a ranger five event, despite heavy rainfall years ago. and flood delays. Flat tyres “It has given me confidence and bogged vehicles were no about my speaking. To put deterrent for rangers wanting my shyness away and be who to upskill through training I am,” he said. and knowledge sharing. Mr Jimmy even represented Rangers who completed his colleagues at the World certificates in conservation Ranger Conference in Nepal and ecosystem management in 2019. graduated in yellow Batchelor “I saw poor people going Institute gowns. through what my people went The rangers completed a through in their struggle, range of qualifications needed pushing for funding from their Ranger Phillip Jimmy graduated with a certificate in land management and ecosystem management. to do their jobs out bush, such government, like we do here,” as side-by-side vehicle and he recalled. He mentored his colleague chainsaw operations, tracking “Our elder, , Helma Bernard, and she is and first aid, chemicals and with his struggle with land now educating the Kunpulu snake handling. rights and trying to be heard, Junior Rangers at the Kalkaringi school. “We show them saw fish “It’s about sharing our culture. rock art up Kalkaringi way. Mr Jimmy found it when he We haven’t got long to live and was a boy, maybe they took him there to show him, then this is the time to get our voice he passed it on to us and we pass it on to the kids,” she out there and be heard.” explained. The Murnkurrumurnkurru “Snake handling is that gave me an idea of coming Rangers presented to their a big thing out bush,” up myself and speak both colleagues about a new Jeffrey Foster and Helen Wilson at the all-terrain-vehicle training. Murnkurrumurnkurru Ranger ways, being confident and get crocodile safety program and workshop at the camp because feedback. How they feel about Group coordinator Clifford the word out to people. explained how they use ‘croc she wants to capture stories swimming and they can learn McGuiness told ABC News. “I’m pushing my younger floats’ to check water holes about caring for country. from elders, us rangers and Catching a snake safely is rangers as well. I reckon [Mr before swimming lessons. “I want to use [video] for the the traditional owners.” much harder than killing one, Lingiari] would be really “It’s a little floating ball with kids, take them out bush and For Mr Jimmy, knowledge and rangers are often called happy with it. He would be a rope that you tie up in a tree help them to be croc-wise,” sharing is what makes him out to capture and release speechless to know that we above the water. You leave it Helma Bernard said. proud to be a ranger. venomous species. are the generation trying to there for a few days and you “I want to record them doing “It’s about sharing our “We’re trying to conserve be just like him. check it for teeth marks. the actions – holding the croc culture. We haven’t got long the animals and just remove “I’m halfway there now. I’m “Crocs play with it and we float and throwing the float in to live and this is the time to them to a safer place,” Mr trying to give my people the can see if it’s a freshwater the water. get our voice out there and McGuiness said. confidence. Without speaking or a saltwater crocodile,” Ms I want to show them what be heard. And showing that The camp also has a focus on you would get nowhere,” Mr Bernard explained. freshies and salties look like, we can do it as Aboriginal ranger health and wellbeing. Jimmy said. She took part in a video and they can give us their people.”

20 July 2021 NEWS Gladys means business GLADYS Brown may be softly encouragement paid off. spoken, but you can’t mistake “They kept coming and we her sense of purpose. had our ‘toolbox meeting’ The lead ranger of the in the morning to see what Muru-warinyi Ankkul ranger work they would do each day, team has long had her eye on every aim for the week. The a ranger coordinator position. next day we would touch base A six-month stint acting again and then they just go off in the job in Tennant Creek and do the work themselves,” has left her with a quiet she said. confidence that may well see “I enjoy being there for her become only the second the other rangers. I like to female Aboriginal ranger see rangers doing their work coordinator in the Central instead of being told.” Land Council’s history. Computer work was Ms The position had been Brown’s least favourite part of vacant for months when Ms the job, but not only has she Brown stepped into the role proved to herself that she can and she said at first being the do it, it has also become part boss felt a little daunting. of her passion for training. “It was a bit challenging, “At first it was hard, but trying to keep the rangers I was good at it for the last Gladys Brown mentors new rangers Tanisha Foster and Tamika Newcastle. together for six months. months I was acting,” she “She teaches us when we reckons “ranger work is better fire management) committee Some of them didn’t come said. go out bush around Tennant because you get to explore meeting. to work and there was no “I still work the computer, Creek - sacred sites, their sacred sites and learn their She has since handed the communication,” she said. teaching the fellas especially, names, whose country it’s in. stories and how they connect”. Muru-warinyi Ankkul reins “I’d call them and they’d say when they are doing She told us where we came over and showed the ropes they would be back the next newsletters. I set it up for from, where our country is. to new ranger coordinator day.” them and they decide what Skin-way she’s my auntie and Ujwal Minocha, but Ms Brown Then as now, her day starts to write about the work they “She looks Tanisha’s nana.” continues to work fulltime early. have done. They choose the It was the first ranger with the group. She opens the gates to the photos for the stories they after us camp for both young women, “I taught Ujwal about the ranger workshop, also known have written. and the large numbers of toolbox meetings and the as the shed, before eight in the “I teach them how to do car like her their colleagues graduating work tracker – what work has morning. bookings on the computer. in bright yellow Batchelor been done and what hasn’t “The reason we do it is to We’ve got two new young Institute robes left an daughters.” been done. It’s good working open for breakfast, if rangers girls. They are really, really impression. as a team,” she said. don’t have time for breakfast good.” “I’d like to get to that level, At the camp she signed up When it comes to dividing at home,” she said. Tamika Newcastle, who earning certificates and for first aid and chemicals up the work between them, Her persistence and travelled with Ms Brown and knowing that I can be that handling workshops “in case Ms Brown feels she drew the fellow ranger Tanisha Foster good,” Ms Newcastle said. we go to kill rubber bush”. long straw, and it doesn’t to the ranger camp, returned She is thinking of following The Murnkurrumurnkurru involve the computer. the compliment. in the footsteps of her mentor, ranger group’s presentation “Mostly, he’s on the “Gladys is a really nice who has a certificate four in made her want to visit her computer and I’m at the shed, lady. She looks after us like conservation and ecosystem colleagues in Daguragu. supervising. I enjoy whatever her daughters,” she said management. Ms Brown is hinting that her work needs to be done out of during a Ms Foster previously worked wish may come true, perhaps town and sometimes I take the break. at the Tennant Creek school when the Daguragu team ladies. I’m teaching the young and in disability services, but hosts the next warlu (regional ones too.”

How long have you been working for the What have been your personal highlights? Muru-Warinyi Ankkul Rangers? Presenting with my ranger group on climate I have been working for the Muru-Warinyi change and how it has changed the country Ankkul Rangers for the past seven months. around Tennant Creek. We presented at the I used to work with Anmatyerr Rangers in Ti Indigenous Desert Alliance conference via Tree for around three years. Zoom. I have gained confidence from giving What projects have your ranger group been presentations and getting to talk to different working on? traditional owners. Most of our rangers are involved in warlu (fire) work around Tennant Creek. We assist Bushfires NT in maintaining the town firebreak. Late last year we were busy looking after gravesites just out of town, using a bobcat.

What is the best thing about being a ranger? Meeting new traditional owners and other ranger groups and sharing our experiences, also mentoring younger rangers and learning new skills from my colleagues. I’m proud to be a ranger so that I can look after the country and connect traditional owners Josie Napaljarri Haines with their country. July 2021 21 NEWS Jinkaji turns burn-offs into carbon credits ABORIGINAL business Jinkaji has sold $245,000 worth of carbon credits from savannah burning near Elliott to the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation and is working on a new agreement. Carbon credits are a great way for traditional owners to both protect their country and the climate through controlled burns and to earn money for their efforts. Every wildfire their cool season burns prevents helps to delay dangerous global heating. Jinkaji (also known as the Karlantijpa North Kurrawarra Nyura Mala Aboriginal Corporation) has just finished a five-year contract to sell the credits it earns for burning country to the Australian Government’s clean energy regulator. Each year, the contract has earned Jinkaji more than $48,000 – income it has Belinda Manfong said Jinkaji will build a base camp from which they plan to do “burning, bilby tracking and rubber bush killing”. used to turn a carbon burning Wilhemina Johnston during aerial burning. project into a business. credits and all the directors The foundation also puts a with a workshop in August three-year agreement about Its directors, traditional agreed to sell it to Rowan dollar value on the social and that will include Central Land future credits. owners from the Karlantijpa [from the foundation].” environmental benefits that Council rangers. This means Jinkaji can North Aboriginal Land Trust, The foundation connects carbon projects on Aboriginal During Jinkaji’s first five afford better firebreaks, are negotiating directly with Aboriginal businesses that land create, and adds that years the directors funded training and a base camp on buyers of carbon credits, such supply carbon credits to to the price of the carbon country visits and burning the land trust. as the Aboriginal Carbon businesses wanting to pay credits. activities with CLC support. “We’ll use it to build our Foundation. a price (also known as an Jinkaji directors and the Their new agreement shed and a kitchen, toilet and “It’s really exciting,” deputy offset) for the pollution they foundation will work out includes a one-off sale of showers at the Jinkaji camp,” chair Belinda Manfong said. cause by burning fossil fuels which of these benefits will carbon credits they have Ms Manfong said. “We had over 250,000 such as coal, gas and diesel. be counted each year, starting already generated and a Gruesome ranger task makes Alkwertneme fit for families THE TJUWANPA Rangers Sue Ellison said. with clean water. and traditional owners have When the rangers showed “The rangers did a really removed the remains of horses the traditional owners the good job of cleaning up and cattle from Alkwertneme damage they were saddened Number Four Spring and on the Roulpmaulpma and disgusted. I’m really happy with that,” Aboriginal Land Trust, They also worried that traditional owner Craig making the popular camping native animals would not be Ebatarinja said. and swimming spot fit for able to drink the foul water. The rangers also welded families once again. Over the course of 10 visits, a new, strong fence out of An estimated 35 animals rangers and traditional mustering panels that will had perished at the site, owners in rubber gloves, withstand pressure from also known as Number Four face masks and gum boots horses, cattle and flood water, Spring, during the recent removed the carcasses from but won’t damage the rocky long and were not the spring and burned them. outcrops around the site. discovered until early 2019. The rangers welded a A second fence they welded “The stench of the rotting steel rake and a steel hook based on this design will be carcasses was so bad it extension to drag them out used to protect Waimena could be smelt more than a and flushed out the remaining Spring from feral horses. kilometre away,” the CLC’s sludge so the spring could fill

It was all worth it: Raphael Impu, Byron Ratara, Carl Pareroulja, Ryan Emron Campbell, Ryan Clarke and Raphael Impu were among the rangers who cleaned up Alkwertneme. Clarke, Colin Joseph and Dean Inkamala with the new fence. 22 July 2021 ARTS Rangers happier and healthier than other workers

IF you’re an Aboriginal participants over many years ranger, chances are you’re to measure their health and both happier and healthier wellbeing at different times. compared with non-rangers. “The Mayi Kuwayu study is a That’s the finding of data resource that is governed new research comparing by Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal rangers and non- Aboriginal people. It is not rangers across Australia and a study for government, but involving almost 10,000 for us,” senior Tangentyere participants. researcher Vanessa Davis “If you’re a ranger you’re told rangers at the CLC ranger more likely to have higher camp at Hamilton Downs. wellbeing outcomes, in “The ranger groups we’re particular life satisfaction working with are very and family wellbeing,” different across the country, Alyson Wright, a researcher in terms of education and from the Australian National family income, but ranger University, said. work still has a positive “The good thing is that we’re impact on wellbeing. So not just finding this in Central there’s something else going Australia, we’re seeing it in on,” Ms Wright said. Aboriginal rangers from all So what is this ‘X factor’ across Australia.” that makes ranger work so Ms Wright and Aboriginal beneficial? researchers from the Researchers already knew “I’d like to see people taking the findings of the survey, and then improve their lifestyles.”

Tangentyere Research Hub culture had something to do and the Australian National with it. University have worked with The first ranger wellbeing the Central Land Council study in 2018 looked just since 2016 to discover the at central desert Aboriginal benefits of ranger work. rangers and non-rangers. The ranger wellbeing study A recent follow-up study comes out of the largest looked at this more closely Researcher Vanessa Davis watches Cleveland Kantawarra fill in the Mayi Kuwayu survey form. body of long-term research in central desert rangers and of Aboriginal and Torres then again in many other Protecting sacred sites, communities. Now we’re not looked at data from almost Strait Islander culture and Aboriginal rangers across the learning Aboriginal names living a traditional way of life, 10,000 Aboriginal adults. well-being ever conducted in country. for plants, tracking animals, always getting takeaway food, It is the first time Australia. It found that spending time as well as caring for their for example,” she said. researchers have had national Known as Mayi Kuwayu on country and speaking country, is what being a “It generates renal failure evidence specific to Aboriginal (Ngiyampaa-Wongaibon for Aboriginal languages had ranger is all about. and all these health problems. people and links between following people over time), a positive effect on ranger The research also shows I’d like to see people taking discrimination and a broad the research aims to follow wellbeing. that these activities are the findings of the survey, and range of health and wellbeing good for the wellbeing of all then improve their lifestyles.” outcomes. Aboriginal people, not just Ms Davis also wants to see “Experiencing discrimi- rangers. more research jobs for young nation is linked to negative “Being on country should be people. outcomes ranging from low a public health priority, even “My goal is for future happiness to heart disease,” if you’re not a ranger,” Ms research in Aboriginal lead researcher, Associate Wright said. communities to be done by Professor Raymond Lovett, said. Six in every ten Aboriginal “So what is this ‘X factor’ people who did the survey said they had experienced that makes ranger work discrimination in their everyday life. so beneficial?” One in every six Aboriginal people reported they were “We saw that in the researchers already living in unfairly treated by the police. COVID-19 response, when that community, so we don’t The researchers found that country was the safest place have to bring anyone in,” she experiencing discrimination for everyone to be.” said. was linked to every negative While Aboriginal people Follow-up research will look health and wellbeing outcome, have always known about the at how ranger work benefits including depression, pain, strong connection between the community, including the anxiety, heart disease, high culture and better health and families of the rangers. blood pressure and diabetes. wellbeing, there hasn’t been The more discrimination much research at the national RACISM IS MAKING experienced, the more level. common these poor health A researcher for 21 years, US SICK and wellbeing outcomes Vanessa Davis hopes that become. the ranger wellbeing survey Aboriginal people “Aboriginal and Torres results in more long-term who experience racial Strait Islander peoples have funding for ranger programs, discrimination are more been saying for a very long and also a broader positive likely to have poor health and time that racism is bad change for all Aboriginal wellbeing. for health. Now we have people. In the first nationwide robust data to back up those “For me it’s really about the study of its kind, researchers experiences,” Associate health and wellbeing of our from the Mayi Kuwayu study Professor Lovett said.

July 2021 23 NEWS

From p.2 economic future of their The centrepiece of the families and communities reforms is a new ABA- beyond mining. funded Aboriginal-controlled “Mining royalties will one corporate federal entity to day run out and what will you decide on and administer ABA have to show for it? That’s the grants and investments in the challenge the land councils NT. discussed in detail,” he told “It is long overdue that decisions about ABA grants are made by Aboriginal people whose land generates the fund’s income.”

The NT land councils the ABC. want the body to secure a “The body will be established sustainable economic future with land councils or for generations of Aboriginal representatives from the The chairs and executive members of the four NT land councils discussed the ABA reforms last July in Territorians. Northern Territory Aboriginal Darwin. Until it is up and running, community but there will the Minister for Indigenous be two senior officials from Australians, Ken Wyatt, will government, one from the but have yet to see a draft of “This will allow Aboriginal keep the final say about how Minister of Finance and one the legislation he plans to pass ABA funds are spent. from my agency, and on top of this year. people to invest in more He said the new body that two independent people “We look forward to working “will consult widely across who will provide financial through the detail of the plan Aboriginal jobs and support the Northern Territory to advice.” with the other land councils set funding priorities” and The land councils expect to and the federal government,” culture and community for our empower Aboriginal people work together to co-design the Mr Turner said. in the NT to maximise the new body with the minister, grandchildren and beyond.”

LOOKING FOR WORK? The CLC’s employment support team helps job seekers to write resumes and job applications and to prepare for interviews. We support employers to develop strategies to find and keep Aboriginal workers. We also talk to schools and community groups about job opportunities. Contact the CLC on 8951 6211 or employmentunitclc.org.au

24 July 2021 NEWS Audio translations cut through native title legal jargon ONE of the most complex pieces of Australian legislation has been stripped of legal jargon and made accessible in six Aboriginal languages to empower native title holders across Central Australia. The Central Land Council workshopped the six translated audio recordings with around 80 directors of native title holder corporations from across its region and beyond in June. Hosted by the CLC at the Ross River Resort near Alice Springs, the Prescribed Body Corporation Camp, better known as PBC Camp, is the largest gathering of its kind. The CLC’s Native Title Story booklet, a plain English explanation of the Native Title Act, was road-tested with native title holders who speak Alyawarr, Anmatyerr, Central Arrernte, Pintupi-, and Warlpiri. “It went really well today,” Luritja speaker Margaret Orr, Teresa and Samuel Doolan, native title holders for the Andado and New Crown pastoral lease land, check out the audio translations of the booklet. from the Wura Aboriginal Corporation, said. “Sometimes the big English “It’s about empowering Aboriginal words they use are difficult people to take part in decisions to understand, but in our language we understand,” she about their country and said. Ms Orr’s granddaughter, cutting through the legalese.” Cheyene Lewis, accompanied booklet aim to overcome CLC’s manager of native title, her to the camp to learn the literacy and language barriers Francine McCarthy, said. ropes of running a prescribed to understanding complex The Native Title Story body corporate - the legal legal language. booklet attracted praise term for a native title holder “It would help those who around the nation and was corporation - early. don’t understand PBC, don’t adapted by organisations “I didn’t know what a PBC know what’s going on, all the such as the Kimberley Land was and how it worked and I policies and rules changing,” Council. learned all of that. What their Brian Crafter, from the Patta Kerry Colbung, from the rights are. What your job is as Aboriginal Corporation in Mirning Traditional Lands a director and how to do it,” Tennant Creek, said. Aboriginal Corporation in she said. “Not everybody is educated, Western Australia, said that “The audio helped people we’re not all lawyers.” the Native Title Story booklet, who actually speak Luritja. It The audio translations posters and audio translations helped my nana understand it will give native title holders are really vital resources. better.” the information they need “It’d be something we’d The booklet on which the when they negotiate over like to translate into our own translations are based was developments such as mining languages interstate,” she presented at the first PBC and horticulture on cattle said. Camp in 2019. stations and manage land use The CLC is sourcing funding It explains key native title agreements. to develop a phone app with concepts and compares “It’s about empowering audio translations in a dozen them with land rights, two Aboriginal people to take local languages to help very different laws people part in decisions about more native title holders to frequently confuse. their country and cutting understand their legal rights The audio versions of the through the legalese,” the and obligations. Margaret Orr brought her granddaughter Cheyenne Lewis to the camp.

PBC directors discussed the Pitjantjatjara translation of the Native Title Story. July 2021 25 INTERNATIONAL Greenland votes against Australian-Chinese uranium mining AN INDIGENOUS party with “I’m voting for a party that a strong environmental focus says no to uranium,” 40-year- has won Greenland’s election. old Henrik Jensen told Agence The Inuit Ataqatigiit France-Presse, as he left his (Community of the People) polling station. party won the April election, The leftwing opposition largely thanks to a campaign party swept up 37 per cent of opposing an Australian the votes, ending the ruling uranium mining group, centre-left Siumut (Forward) backed by Chinese interests. party’s almost continual hold Greenland Minerals was on power since 1979. planning to mine uranium “There are two issues that and rare-earth metals in the have been important in this Danish-owned Arctic island. election campaign. People’s The company was seeking living conditions is one. And a licence to operate the then there is our health and Kvanefjeld mine for uranium the environment,” the chair of and other rare-earth metals in Inuit Ataqatigiit, Múte Bourup the south of the island. Egede, said in his victory The deposit is said to be speech. one of the world’s richest in Inuit Ataqatigiit also vowed 17 metals that are used in the to sign the Paris climate production of smartphones agreement, which commits and weapons. countries to keeping global Inuit Ataqatigiit called for warming under two degrees a moratorium on uranium Celsius. mining in Greenland, and Climate change is already a voters agreed. harsh reality for Greenland. A third of them used their Winter temperatures have vote to send a strong message risen almost six degrees in to the Australian-Chinese some places, and the melting company wanting to exploit of its glaciers is contributing the uranium of the world’s to a faster-than-predicted rise Múte Bourup Egede, chair of Inuit Ataqatigiit in the capital Nuuk, on voting day. Photo: Christian Klindt largest island. in the global sea level. Solbeck/Getty Images. Germany says yes to apology for Namibian genocide, but no to reparations GERMANY has refused to pay reparations as part of a formal apology to Namibia for colonial massacres at the start of last century because it wants to discourage further financial claims. The country’s foreign minister admitted in May that Germany’s killing of around 75,000 Herero and Nama tribespeople in the southern African nation of Namibia more than a century ago was a genocide. Its troops shot, starved and tortured to death tens of thousands of tribespeople who rebelled against the theft of their land between 1904 and 1908, when Germany ruled Namibia. The German and Namibian governments have been negotiating a reconciliation agreement since 2014. As part of the agreement, Germany has offered to fund $1.3 billion worth of reconstruction and redevelopment projects in Namibia. Many descendants of the massacre victims have rejected compensation in the form of aid payments for infrastructure, healthcare and job-training programmes Herero prisoners of early last century resemble those of Aboriginal prisoners in Central Australia. Photo: Chronicle / Alamy Stock Photo. and are demanding direct reparation payments. The Guardian. countries, which were not belonging to their ancestors must then ratify it before the The Ovaherero Traditional The German government part of settlements after the and looted art which are being German president is expected Authorities and Nama insists that the aid payments two world wars, could also kept in German museums and to officially apologise for Traditional Leaders are not reparations in the legal demand reparations for the libraries. Germany's crimes in front of Association called the definition of genocide under economic and human losses A declaration is expected the Namibian parliament. reconciliation agreement the 1948 convention on the caused by its forces. to be signed by the German Germany lost all its colonial a “public relations coup prevention and punishment Indigenous communities foreign minister in the territories after World War by Germany and an act of of genocide. in Namibia have also asked Namibian capital, Windhoek, One, but at one stage was the betrayal by the Namibian Germany is reportedly for the return of tens of in early June. third largest colonial power government”, according to concerned that other thousands of stolen body parts Parliaments in both countries after Britain and France. 26 July 2021 INTERNATIONAL Human rights experts call for investigations into deaths of Canadian boarding school students THE CANADIAN Govern- ment has promised to help repatriate the remains of almost 1000 First Nations children after grim discoveries at former residential schools, but it is being urged to do more. In May, the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were found buried in unmarked graves on the site of a school in Kamloops in British Columbia, which was operated by the Catholic Church between 1890 and 1969. A month later, a further 751 unmarked graves were found at a Catholic residential school in Marieval, Saskatchewan, followed by the discovery of the remains of 182 children at Mourners left shoes as tributes to the dead students. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images. another school in Cranbrook, British Columbia. into the circumstances and bishops to say sorry. substance abuse among First places where they suffered The bodies and graves responsibilities surrounding Catholic churches in several Nations communities. unthinkable abuse,” Mr belong to an estimated 6,000 these deaths”. First Nations communities In response to the discovery Trudeau said. First Nations children who The experts also urged have since burned down in of the bodies, flags on “That is the fault of Canada.” died in some of the state- similar investigations in the circumstances that have been government buildings were Clayton Peters spent seven funded Christian boarding other residential schools. described as suspicious. lowered to half-mast and years at the Kamloops school schools until the 1970s. Mr Trudeau promised to after, along with his brothers, The children were forced “I always thought they ran away like I did, provide support to affected he was forcibly removed from into the schools in an attempt communities. his family in 1967. to assimilate them. that they made it, that they were free.” He told AP the children He tried to escape and A third of the 130 schools should never have been thought that children who were run by Catholic Canadian Prime Minister Around 150,000 children removed. disappeared had done so organisations, according to Justin Trudeau called on were forced to convert to “Children should never successfully, but now Mr The Guardian. Pope Francis to apologise Christianity, to stop speaking have been sent to those Peters thinks some could be Nine United Nations human on Canadian soil for the their languages and were so-called schools - places buried at the site. rights experts have asked the church’s role in the country’s beaten and abused. where they were separated “I always thought they ran Vatican and the Canadian residential school system. The impact of that abuse from their families and their away like I did, that they made government to “conduct His call followed the refusal is still being seen in Canada communities, places where it, that they were free,” he said fully-fledged investigations of the country’s Catholic today, with high rates of they faced terrible loneliness, through tears. Tribal leaders welcome suspension of Alaska drilling program THE UNITED States Review of US boarding government has taken another step towards reversing school deaths a decision by former US MS HAALAND has also president Donald Trump to ordered an investigation of allow an oil and gas drilling US boarding schools for First program in an arctic wildlife Nations students. refuge. The review follows reports Mr Biden has suspended that the deaths of as many as leases in Alaska’s Arctic 40,000 pupils may have been National Wildlife Refuge, a covered up, in an echo of the 7.9 million hectare area that is Canadian scandal. home to polar bears, caribou At least 1,000 deaths from and snowy owls, among other 1879 to 1934 at just four of the native animals. over 500 schools have already The order came via Interior been documented. Secretary Deb Haaland, the Ms Haaland wrote in a first Native American to serve memo that most parents as a Cabinet secretary. could not visit their children Republicans and the oil at these schools, where some industry have long argued for were abused, killed and buried the opening up of the oil-rich in unmarked graves. region, which is sacred for the She revealed she is herself Indigenous Gwich’in people, “a product of these horrific but Democrats, environmental assimilation policies” and that groups and some Alaskan her “maternal grandparents tribes have opposed it. were stolen from their Executive director of the families”. Gwich’in Nation Steering “Survivors of the traumas Committee Bernadette of boarding school policies Demientieff said tribal carried their memories into leaders are heartened by adulthood as they became the the Biden administration’s aunts and uncles, parents, and “commitment to protecting grandparents to subsequent sacred lands and the Gwich’in generations,” she wrote. way of life”. Deb Haaland ordered the stop to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic wildlife refuge. Photo: Jim Watson/Getty Images. July 2021 27 ARTS Ngawa, ngapa, kapi, kwatja, water is the theme of the third Vincent Lingiari Art Award ENTRIES for the $10,000 always been “unashamedly Vincent Lingiari Art Award political”. have closed and a winner “This year’s Vincent Lingiari will be revealed at the Art Award highlights the Tangentyere Artists Gallery campaign for Aboriginal water on 8 September. rights the NT land councils Desart received 36 art works kicked off last year with their from across the Central Land call for a safe drinking water Council region, all responding act. to this year’s theme Ngawa, “It will raise awareness of Ngapa, Kapi, Kwatja, Water. our struggle against massive CLC delegates will be the water theft that threatens first to get a sneak peak of how the survival of desert plants, the paintings and sculptures animals and people and for explore the artists’ connection safe drinking water for our with their land and water remote communities,” he when the council meets at said. Kalkaringi on 24-26 August. Water is critical to the The meeting near Mr social, cultural, economic and Lingiari’s home of Kalkaringi political identity of Aboriginal will take place just before this people in the CLC region. “We have chosen this year’s theme to spread the word that water rights are land rights.” year’s Freedom Day, the 55th “Over almost half a anniversary of the Wave Hill century the CLC has won Walk Off. back significant areas of CLC members will again land on behalf of traditional select the winner of the Aboriginal land owners, but $2,000 Delegates’ Choice without safe, secure and Award from the entries. adequate sources of water The award was former CLC their very survival on this land director David Ross’ idea, and is under threat,” CLC chief this year it will be presented executive Lesley Turner said. for only the third time. “Poor water quality, water Freedom Day comme- shortages, water use in morates the day Vincent fracking and agribusiness Lingiari led striking station have a detrimental impact on workers to camp beside the health and well-being of Wattie Creek near Kalkaringi. our people, their country and The CLC executive and cultures.” Desart chose this year’s theme The award exhibition from 8 because it resonates strongly September – 13 October will with their advocacy around send an urgent message not water rights. to take water for granted in a “We have chosen this year’s world where water rights are “The CLC has won back significant areas of land on behalf of traditional Aboriginal land owners, but without safe, secure and adequate sources of water their very survival on this land is under threat.” theme to spread the word that shaping up as a new frontier. water rights are land rights,” The CLC and Desart CLC chair Sammy Wilson established the Vincent said. Lingiari Art Award in 2016 “Government should not to commemorate the 50th be giving away water for free. anniversary of the historic We need drinking water and Wave Hill Walk Off and water for country and for our the 40th anniversary of the The award taps into a long tradition of Aboriginal artworks about water. Heather Anderson and Lindy Brodie culture. Aboriginal Land Rights Act painted Singleton Station, the site of the Territory’s largest-ever water license, for an earlier exhibition. “Government give us our (NT) 1976. land back, but water rights – In 2019 the award theme Heart for truth-telling. The Vincent Lingiari Art Company and Newmont wiya. We need water rights.” Our Country – True Story Eunice Napanagka Jack Award is made possible Australia. Desart chief executive Philip reflected on the call of the from Ikuntji won that award through the generous support Watkins said the award has Uluru Statement from the for her painting Kuruyultu. from the Peter Kittle Motor 28 July 2021 OBITUARIES Strong, straight and true - the life and work of Barbara Tjikatu

BARBARA Tjikatu will be important role throughout remembered for her strength, her life. directness, fairness and her In the early 1960s, Angus generosity of spirit. These Downs became the family’s qualities remained constant base. It was a very dynamic throughout a long and place at the time and a key amazing life of extraordinary stopover for tourists on their change. way to Uluru. It was here Born at Nyira, south-west that she first made and sold of Uluru, in the mid-1930s, her beautiful woodwork, Ms Tjikatu spent her early especially crafted bowls and childhood living the bush life digging sticks. in her father’s country around The family often walked Anumara Piti, the Caterpillar to Uluru with their camels, Dreaming place not far from travelling through the bush, where the Northern Territory, taking the children along the South Australia and Western traditional lines via the same Australia borders meet, rock holes and soakages that and her mother’s country, she first saw as a little girl. At Ms Tjikatu (right) and the Nipper family at Utju Creek in the 1950s. Photo: Pastor Leslie, Ara Irititja. Pilalkatal, west of Uluru. Uluru she offered camel rides She travelled to Uluru with to tourists for two bob (20 the years as she stood by Strong and clear on the Mutitjulu where she painted her family after the loss of cents), using a billy can as a the Chamberlain family importance of working and enjoyed visits from her father, before going on to cash register. The adventure throughout their ordeal. together, Ms Tjikatu was family, many friends and Wallara and Tempe Downs proved popular with families. As the land rights movement always happy to teach dignitaries, including the to be with extended family. From Uluru she often gained momentum, Ms and non-Aboriginal rangers, Dalai Lama, who called in to In 1942 her mother took her ventured further west into her Tjikatu spoke strongly at how to look after tjukurpa. pay his respects. up to live in Areyonga (Utju). grandfather’s and mother’s meetings about the need for She particularly loved to All who knew Ms Barbara In the mid-1950’s Ms Tjikatu country to show the children a land council and for the teach and work with younger Tjikatu will remember her married Nipper Winmati, a their country, to teach them right of Anangu to live in women rangers on women’s with the deepest love and traditional owner of Uluru. the stories and how to look the National Park. She gave cultural sites, and supported respect, not only for all she Their first son Colin was born after places properly. They important evidence at the the Mutitjulu School’s junior did in her life, but for the way at Utju in 1956, followed gathered bush food along 1976 Katiti and Uluru-Kata ranger program. she lived it, straight and true. by Denis in Alice Springs, the way and hunted dingoes, Tjuta land claims. While at In 2005, her work was daughter Dawn at Aneri, and which provided income on the historic 1985 handback, recognised by an Order of By Teresa Nipper and Arnold and Bessie, who were return to Angus Downs. she carried a digging stick Australia for the key role she Patrick Hookey. born at Utju. Ms Tjikatu also Her family returned to and, with other senior played in the campaign for took on the responsibility of Uluru to work at the new women, guided the Minister land rights and her enormous caring for David, who was Ininti Store, which opened for Aboriginal Affairs around contribution to culture, family. in 1972. In 1982 she helped Uluru. community and the park, Utju was a very important track the dingo that took Ms Tjikatu embodied the but of course, she did place in Ms Tjikatu’s life. She Azaria Chamberlain and spirit of joint management not stop there. and Nipper took school kids was a witness at Lindy of the park, both on the She advocated out on bush trips to teach Chamberlain’s trial. Ms board and on the ground. A strongly for a inma (ceremony), and showed Chamberlain honoured Ms member of the first board of swimming pool them how to find bush food Tjikatu through a message management, she remained at Mutitjulu like witchetty grubs, honey sent for her funeral. In the active at board level for almost and more em- ants and the honey grevillea message, Ms Tjikatu was 30 years and contributed ployment in the nectar, which the kids remembered for her strength to countless formal park national park loved. She continued in this and loyal friendship over consultations, always leading for young with common sense and Anangu. She was known to stand up purpose. She was always In 2015, looking for constructive she moved and remind everyone, “What ways to promote meaningful into the Anangu involvement in day- aged care about ngapartji ngapartji”? to-day work. She was a strong centre at negotiator and believed in fairness and equality, and was known to stand up and remind everyone, “What about ngapartji ngapartji?” She made sure tjukurpa was respected and understood by visitors to the park as well. She powered through the 1990s, designing the Anangu guided ’Kuniya Walk to Kapi’, key elements of the cultural centre and then travelled to Thailand to present the nomination for the world heritage listing of the park as a cultural landscape. She was happy that visitors from around the world were coming to recognise the importance of Anangu culture and valuing the way Anangu saw their land.

July 2021 29 SOCIAL

Jackson Kopp, Angela Purvis, Justin Kelly, Justin Kelly and Sacariha Michaels took part in a video workshop. James Glenn checked out the Anmatyerr translation of the CLC’s booklet.

Anthony Cleary and Richard Cowboy Reiff were among the native title holders for the Jinka Maisy Rogers and Minnie Madrill at the Jinka Jervois determination ceremony. Jervois pastoral lease land.

Jodi Kopp, Damian Ryder, Nathan Pepperill and Joyce Taylor in the Hamilton Downs kitchen during the ranger camp 2021. 30 July 2021 SOCIALNEWS

Ranger coordinator Clifford McGuiness rose to the challenge of the wok off.

Moses Rowe, Nick Ashburner, Farren Major and Sachariah Michaels enjoyed a break from the workshops.

Janelle Trotman, Jade Kudrenko and Josie Douglas at Jade‘s farewell.

Johnny Barber and Roger Tommy check the Alyawarr translation of the Native Title Story at the PBC camp. Flying the flag at the ranger camp: Tanita Gallagher and Marita Maxwell from Kintore.

Lionel Mick, Elizah Kelly and Norbert Patrick kept match fit at Hamilton Downs. Onlookers kept their distance from Ankin Abbott’s mulga snake. July 2021 31 “I travelled the world with that song.” I have been involved with CAAMA the manager for radio at the time, I travelled the world with that song. (Central Australian Aboriginal Media and he heard me singing one day – There were some words, say a couple Association) for quite a while. I love he came into studio and he said, ‘Oh, of words – ‘like an Aborigine’ and I this place. I love CAAMA. Thanks I would like you to listen to a song.’ changed it to ‘as an Aborigine’. And to Philip Batty and Mr Macumba And he gave me a cassette. ‘Listen to ‘wishing on a postcard’. We didn’t and Freda [Glynn] [co-founders of this song and tell me what you think have no frigging postcards out bush, CAAMA], CAAMA really made a about it.’ and I changed it to ‘wishing and change to my life. And I thank them It was John Williamson’s ‘Raining dreaming’, and ‘Uluru has powers’ for it. on the Rock’. I listened to it and I to ‘Uluru is power’. I wasn’t a singer then, but this is said, ‘It’s okay, but it needs a lot of So a few little things we changed where I first started, this one here, changes.’ And he said, ‘What do you in the song, and a lot of Aboriginal in town [Alice Springs]. I did my mean?’ … Well, it’s a whiteman people understood it when we first album here. I was the first one singing about the Rock, I’d like to changed that. to record in the new studio. change the words.’ And he said, And it became a massive hit in I used to sit in front of the television ‘Well, how would you do it?’ And I Australia, huge. He understood and watch the country music awards. changed some of the words. what it was about. And from then on, I would tell my family, ‘I’ll be there And he listened to it, and said, ‘Why fifteen years on the road with John. one day’ and they would say ‘sure, don’t we send it to John and see what Amazing. sure’ and they would laugh at me. he thinks about it?’ And we send it to Even for him, that song sort of Then two years after I came off him. A week later we got a phone call changed his profile too. He was drinking I was there. and John wanted me to come down a country music star, but when It just changed my life forever. I did and record it with me. ‘Raining on the Rock’ came, he had a lot more writing, lot more songs, So that changed my life around. It more Aboriginal people listening then one day – Graham Archer was changed everything … everything. to him after that. Warren H Williams Excerpt from Every hill got a story For more information go to clc.org.au/every-hill-got-a-story

Photo: National Archives of Australia NAA: A1200/18, 7913408.

6: WASH WITH SOAP STEPS 2: WASH HANDS WITH 3: WASH FACES 4: DON’T SHARE TOWELS, 5: BRUSH TEETH for good 1: BLOW YOUR NOSE SOAP & WATER WASH TOWELS OFTEN IN THE SHOWER 6 hygiene UNTIL ITS EMPTY WITH WATER TWICE A DAY EVERYDAY WHENEVER DIRTY WITH TOOTHPASTE