A GRAB FOR POWER
Howard cares about Australians' children? Since when? What he was after, initially was just a grab for power, power for powers sake. His secondary scheme, was to create a cunning election ploy. Taking the chance that Labor would oppose his hairbrained scheme, he would crow about it right up to the next election. But Rudd was ready for him, being himself a cunning young fox. Putting pragmatism before principle, he gave Howard bipartisan approval of his divisive plan. Thwarting Howard's well laid plans. Anyway the Liberals don't have a monopoly on wanting power. If Rudd gets the plum job, a bit of extra power wouldn't go astray.
We already have seen a disappointing aspect of Rudd, his greedy acceptance of an unjustified wage increase of 6.7%. This was a slap in the face for his 'battlers'. One they won't forget, and could well cost him the election.
So what about the Aboriginal children, who are the meat in the sandwich? It seems Howard has bitten off a lot more than he can chew. He has read a report on child abuse, but what he doesn't remember is 1984.
Naturally the reens oppose this plan, and already many see cracks in the ill thought out election ploy.
From today's Herald:
More suicides, more violence predicted under abuse plan
Suicide and violence will rise in Aboriginal communities under the new Government regime, an expert has warned
Suicide and violence will rise in Aboriginal communities under the new Government regime, an expert has warned (AFP: Anoek de Groot)
The author of three reports on child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities says the Government's new plan to tackle the problem will lead to increased violence and suicide.
Professor Judy Atkinson from Southern Cross University says she was stunned to hear of plans to freeze welfare payments and ban pornography and alcohol from Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
She says the Government has not thought through the consequences of its strategy to only target Indigenous communities.
"Some of the things that I know will happen in response to this- we will have an increase of violence, we will have an increase of suicide and suicide attempts," she said.
"There will be greater feelings of despair and we can't do it ourselves in our communities."
Under the plan, the Government will take over about 60 Indigenous communities and implement alcohol bans, free compulsory medical assessments for all NT Indigenous children under 16, a ban on x-rated pornography, and a boost to police numbers.
Racist
John Howard has described the situation as a "national emergency" but his plans have been greeted with anger and widespread scepticism today.
They have been condemned as "racist" by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.
"This is racist and I don't believe that you can hope for long term sustainable change by engaging in behaviour that impinges human rights, that's racist," he said.
"Give me an example of any racist action anywhere in the world that has ever successfully led to change."
Jeff McMullen from the children's health charity Fountain for Youth says there has been an emergency in the Aboriginal communities his organisation works in for the past 20 years.
But he has also questioned the Federal Government's intervention.
"If we go about this like shock troopers then I can tell you ... [that] Aboriginal people will be so fearful about this this morning," he said.
"If we frighten and panic people it will not suceed."
Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin is worried the Prime Minister's focus on the issue is a pre-election stunt.
Ms Martin has warned that many of the emergency measures will need to be in place for a generation.
"We have to make sure that they are long term and workable solutions," she said.
"My fear today [is] that this might be just an initiative before an election. I'm asking the Prime Minister to make sure that doesn't happen because this is too serious a problem to treat in such a way."
And the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commissioner says the measures break anti-discrimination laws.
Tony Fitzgerald says the measures are quite simply discriminatory.
"The restrictions [are being] imposed on Territorians because of their race," he said.
"They're being treated less favourably. The interesting thing under the act and under the Federal act is that the motive for doing discriminatory things is irrelevant.
"So what the acts say are, even if the Feds are sincere about Indigenous welfare, the fact that they are unfair makes it discriminatory.
"Would the Government consider compulsory medical tests for non-indigenous kids who are allegedly victims of child abuse?
"I mean it happens in non-Indigenous Australia too. Are they doing that for non-Indigenous kids?"
We already have seen a disappointing aspect of Rudd, his greedy acceptance of an unjustified wage increase of 6.7%. This was a slap in the face for his 'battlers'. One they won't forget, and could well cost him the election.
So what about the Aboriginal children, who are the meat in the sandwich? It seems Howard has bitten off a lot more than he can chew. He has read a report on child abuse, but what he doesn't remember is 1984.
Naturally the reens oppose this plan, and already many see cracks in the ill thought out election ploy.
From today's Herald:
More suicides, more violence predicted under abuse plan
Suicide and violence will rise in Aboriginal communities under the new Government regime, an expert has warned
Suicide and violence will rise in Aboriginal communities under the new Government regime, an expert has warned (AFP: Anoek de Groot)
The author of three reports on child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities says the Government's new plan to tackle the problem will lead to increased violence and suicide.
Professor Judy Atkinson from Southern Cross University says she was stunned to hear of plans to freeze welfare payments and ban pornography and alcohol from Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
She says the Government has not thought through the consequences of its strategy to only target Indigenous communities.
"Some of the things that I know will happen in response to this- we will have an increase of violence, we will have an increase of suicide and suicide attempts," she said.
"There will be greater feelings of despair and we can't do it ourselves in our communities."
Under the plan, the Government will take over about 60 Indigenous communities and implement alcohol bans, free compulsory medical assessments for all NT Indigenous children under 16, a ban on x-rated pornography, and a boost to police numbers.
Racist
John Howard has described the situation as a "national emergency" but his plans have been greeted with anger and widespread scepticism today.
They have been condemned as "racist" by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.
"This is racist and I don't believe that you can hope for long term sustainable change by engaging in behaviour that impinges human rights, that's racist," he said.
"Give me an example of any racist action anywhere in the world that has ever successfully led to change."
Jeff McMullen from the children's health charity Fountain for Youth says there has been an emergency in the Aboriginal communities his organisation works in for the past 20 years.
But he has also questioned the Federal Government's intervention.
"If we go about this like shock troopers then I can tell you ... [that] Aboriginal people will be so fearful about this this morning," he said.
"If we frighten and panic people it will not suceed."
Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin is worried the Prime Minister's focus on the issue is a pre-election stunt.
Ms Martin has warned that many of the emergency measures will need to be in place for a generation.
"We have to make sure that they are long term and workable solutions," she said.
"My fear today [is] that this might be just an initiative before an election. I'm asking the Prime Minister to make sure that doesn't happen because this is too serious a problem to treat in such a way."
And the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commissioner says the measures break anti-discrimination laws.
Tony Fitzgerald says the measures are quite simply discriminatory.
"The restrictions [are being] imposed on Territorians because of their race," he said.
"They're being treated less favourably. The interesting thing under the act and under the Federal act is that the motive for doing discriminatory things is irrelevant.
"So what the acts say are, even if the Feds are sincere about Indigenous welfare, the fact that they are unfair makes it discriminatory.
"Would the Government consider compulsory medical tests for non-indigenous kids who are allegedly victims of child abuse?
"I mean it happens in non-Indigenous Australia too. Are they doing that for non-Indigenous kids?"
posted by alexx at
6:35 pm
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