Protest against the Intervention: Eleven years of Australia’s shame

Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney brings speakers from the Northern Territory and around the country to Hyde Park North on Saturday, 23 June at 1pm to stand against eleven years too long of the Northern Territory Intervention.

The NT Intervention was introduced with bipartisan support as an “emergency” in June 2007. Its tragic policy of injustice and community disempowerment continues to meet opposition.

The protest this week marks the end of the 11th year of the disastrous NT Intervention. It is glaringly obvious that the social and economic situation for many Aboriginal people in the NT continues to deteriorate. Lands, culture and family structures are under threat. These dire circumstances will not improve until First Nations’ people achieve self-determination. They have the answers but who is willing to listen?

Speaker Christine Kngwarraye Palmer is a Kaytetye Arrernte woman who travelled to Canberra in May as part of the Strong Grandmothers of the Central Desert Region, against child removals. She has been active against youth detention and gave evidence at the recent Royal Commission.

She states, “After five years living interstate and coming back into my community I have seen little change for the better. I have seen money making businesses popping up everywhere and First Nations people are being targeted and exploited by individual and small groups and services.”

Raymond Finn, also a speaker, is a Wongkangurru man from Thirri Munga, (Red Sandhills) of South Australia’s Simpson Desert. He says, “Let’s do a game change on the insidious policy of the Intervention.”

Further speakers are Kunja man Ken Canning, a decades-long activist against youth detention and deaths in custody; Eva Cox, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, UTS and NSW MP David Shoebridge. Gumbaynggirr woman and poet Lizzy Jarrett is MC.

A march to Redfern will follow the rally.

Stand against this huge injustice and suffering imposed on First Nations’ People.
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney