Chamarette meets with Aborigines on Mabo
WA Greens Senator CHRISTABEL CHAMARETTE recently visited Aboriginal
communities in the state's north to consult with them on land rights and the
government's Mabo legislation. She was interviewed in Perth for Green Left
Weekly by MICHELLE HOVANE.
Question: Your visit was part of ongoing community consultation, I believe.
Yes, Tao and Cathcart [advisers to Chamarette] completed a more extensive
tour previously. They were up north for about eight days. What they
discovered was a real lack of understanding about what the government was
doing and the legislation. A lot of their time was spent answering
questions. That was prior to any government discussion document being
released.
Following on from this preparatory work, along with Cathcart and Jo
Trevelyn, I completed a five-day trip last week.
In five days we travelled over 2000 kilometres, visiting and speaking with
communities in Roeburne, the Pilbara, Derby, Broome, La Grange and just out
of Fitzroy Crossing. In each case we took copies of the government's
discussion paper with us and distributed them.
Our first visit was with the Caragini Corporation in Roeburne and then on to
the Pilbara Land Council where we met with three people including the
Council chairman, Gordon Yuline. From there we moved on to Derby, where we
attended a regional meeting of ATSIC. Here we found the greatest awareness
of the implications of the legislation and the government's discussion
paper.
People felt that views of the mining and pastoral industries had received
far more emphasis from the government than those of Aboriginal people. There
was considerable unhappiness with the draft discussion paper.
We also attended a meeting at La Grange. This was quite a difficult meeting
because there were five tribes living on what is now Roman Catholic land.
We also participated in a workshop organised by the Kimberley Land Council
at a place just out of Fitzroy Crossing. The council was presenting
information from the government discussion paper, and we had a chance to
listen in on the discussions.
Question: What was the outcome of these discussions?
Apart from reinforcing my respect for the Aboriginal people and the
incredible reasonableness of their approach, I think the visit reinforced
the value of consultation. I was amazed that the government hadn't met with
these people and discovered what their real concerns were. We seem to be the
only people who are doing it. The government has not consulted with the
Aboriginal community.
The other thing that we learned was the complexity of the issues, that every
single community had a different issue.
I am very aware that we have not visited the Goldfields area or the
south-west, and I will be sending my staff out there soon.
Question: What is your opinion of the implications of Mabo?
I think that Mabo presented a unique opportunity for justice, for addressing
the constitutional lie on which Australia was founded ``Terra Nullius'', and
so a chance to redress the damage that colonial Australia inflicted on
Aboriginal people in regard to their land and access to their land.
Without having seen the government's social justice package, it seems to me
that the government is taking a ``problem solving'' approach prior to
working out what the real problems are. The ``problem'' they are trying to
solve is the competing interests within the wider Australian community: the
mining and pastoral interests, the ``development'' lobby vs an
acknowledgment, or at least lip service, of the need to redress past
injustices and also a commitment to a ``reconciliation'' process.
I don't think you can have reconciliation without having justice first. I
did believe that Mabo had that possibility, and I still do. I am pleased
that the government's discussion paper is only a draft.
We have also met with the mining industry, and we will be meeting with the
farming community.
Question: There have been concerns, particularly from Aboriginal people in
urban areas, that Mabo does nothing to redress the theft of their land.
Spot on. Mabo addresses those least damaged by colonialism. It doesn't
address those who have been most damaged by white Australia. Although I
haven't seen the social justice package yet, I understand that there are
some provisions for compensation and possibly even a fund to enable people
to buy back their land or purchase other tracts if their traditional lands
have been stolen from them.
One thing that we are hearing very clearly is that Aboriginal people feel
that all Aboriginal people should be given justice. There is concern that
the system of state-based tribunals means that justice will be uneven. The
mining lobby favours a state-based system, but most Aboriginal people feel
that some kind of federal tribunal is more appropriate.
Question: You have talked about competing interests and consulting with all
concerned. How do you weigh up the merits of those different interests?
While the Greens are prepared to listen to everybody, the Greens WA have a
clear position of support for Aboriginal self-determination. We are trying
to provide a voice for Aboriginal people in the Senate.
Question: Apart from consultations, have the Greens any plans or ideas about
grassroots activity in combination with your work in parliament?
Yes, I thought the statement in the GLW editorial [September 15] was very
apt. We do need some community action; it is very important. Unfortunately
our two Senate offices are too under-resourced to be able to organise that
kind of action. In a way community groups need to resource us.
We will be holding a consultation with the members of the Greens WA shortly.
The Greens WA have 14 local groups. We are hoping that those groups can act
as detonators for local action.
I know that the churches and universities have also been active around these
issues. Community Aid Abroad has also been very good at promoting forums and
actions.
We are happy to provide resources and support and facilitate in any way we
can, to be part of the network.