Thousands protest Australia Day holiday with ‘Invasion Day’ rallies
Sydney, Australia Reuters Thousands marked Australia’s national day on Friday with “Invasion Day” rallies in support of the country’s Indigenous community, many of whom want to drop celebrations or move the date. Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established the state of New South Wales a penal colony, arriving in what is now the state […]
Thousands rally across Australia in support of Indigenous reform
Reuters Thousands of people rallied on Sunday in Australia to back a campaign to recognise the country’s Indigenous people in the constitution ahead of a referendum later this year, after a recent dip in support for the change. The referendum, likely to be held between October and December, seeks to amend the constitution and establish […]
Australian Government introduces Indigenous referendum bill in parliament
Sydney, AustraliaReuters The Australian Government on Thursday took the first formal step towards holding a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and set up an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament” to advise lawmakers on matters that impact their lives. Introducing the bill in parliament, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the referendum, to be held between […]
Australia marks anniversary of ‘Stolen Generation’ apology; promises more funds
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australia on Monday committed about $US300 million to improve life outcomes of its Aboriginal people, as the country marked 15 years since a national apology for forcibly removing Indigenous children from families under old assimilation policies. The government announced $A424 million would go towards “Closing the Gap”, which includes providing safe and […]
Australia struggles to ‘close the gap’ in Indigenous living standards
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia is failing to meet almost half its targets for improving the lives of Indigenous people, including on the problems of adult incarceration and suicide, according to a government assessment published on Wednesday. Australia’s roughly one million Indigenous citizens have inhabited the land for roughly 60,000 years but track well below national averages […]
Essay: A sense of paradox as we mourn the Queen
TIM COSTELLO, a senior fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney, reflects on his mixed responses to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II…
Australian Christian leaders say government move to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage, including reparations, doesn’t go far enough
Last updated 2:50pm (AEST)Sydney, Australia Australian Christian leaders say the Federal Government’s $A1 billion Closing the Gap announcement does not go far enough to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage, and acknowledge the past wrongs suffered by the nation’s Indigenous people. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the funding, including $A378.6 million in redress payments for survivors […]
Fortescue apologises for clearing land on Aboriginal sacred site
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters Australia’s Fortescue Metals Group has apologised to an Aboriginal group for clearing land on a heritage site while flouting a government condition for representatives of the community to be present when the damage took place. It is the week’s second such incident, despite pressure on Australian iron ore miners to show they have […]
Aboriginal names get pride of place in Australian addresses
Thomson Reuters Foundation Australia Post has backed a months-long campaign to add Aboriginal place names in addresses to recognise the country’s Indigenous people and the traditional names of their lands. Rachael McPhail, an Aboriginal woman, began a social media campaign in August to ask Australia Post to add traditional place names to postal addresses. She […]
Australian landmarks: Growing calls to scrap “racist” names
GEORGINA HEWSON, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on the push to change names in Australia…