For the indigenous

Across Latin America the indigenous people are driving the Green movement, viva Hugo blanco, etc.

Interesting to see the Australian Green Party which is working hard towards the 24th November General Election, where hopefully they can help boot out that neo-con Howard who has milked racist fears to keep in office...here are some of the Greens manifesto commitments to Torres Strait Islanders and aboriginal people across Australia.


I do like Bob Brown's little web speech against 'mega tax cuts for the rich' for social services, for real action on climate change....I would not start with 'g'day' though! Seriously great stuff

The Australian Greens want:
a treaty that recognises the prior occupation and sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be enshrined in the constitution.
equality of access to essential services and development opportunities within a decade.
equality of outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on all major indicators of health, education, training, housing, employment and living standards within a generation, within a framework which acknowledges the diverse aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
the establishment of appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative bodies elected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
increased representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in all levels of, government and other decision making roles.
all programs and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to employ qualified community members where possible, and to include training and capacity development.
culturally appropriate services and resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people based on local language, cultural aspects and community priorities.
qualified local-language and cultural interpreters available in courts, hospitals, clinics, and government meetings when needed.
youth programs to be treated as an essential service in remote communities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be able to retain or reclaim language, heritage and cultural practices.
items of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage to be returned to their rightful owners and custodians.
full implementation of the recommendations of the following:
Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families (1997);
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1991);
The NT Coroner's (1998, 2002),WA Coroner's (2004) and SA Coroner's (2002, 2005) reports on petrol sniffing related deaths;
The Gordon inquiry into Family Violence and Child Abuse in WA (2002);
The HREOC Social Justice Report (2005) into achieving equality of outcomes within a generation;
The Senate Community Affairs Committee petrol sniffing report (2006); and
Report on the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (1996 ’The Evatt Review’).