12 August 07

The Honorable Fred Chaney (AO) and Associate Professor Sue Stanton (UOW) spoke to a well-attended Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture at the Charles Darwin University last night

The theme:'40 years since the Referendum: Learning from the past, walking into the future' - was heavily influenced by the Federal intervention into Northern Territory Aboriginal homelands

Sue Stanton was scathing of the motives for the Federal government's intervention, describing the imposition of "top-down" paternalistic control as a continuation of the "Australian Holocaust"

Ms Stanton denounced the use of media-elected "black leaders" to instill hostile programs against Aboriginal people and asked that concerned spokespeople start "flying above the radar"	Fred Chaney Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia was less critical of the Federal intervention, but could only offer "hope" as a means of dealing with a situation he described as unworkable Continued...

Cathy Mills, the daughter of a Gurindji woman stolen by the State from Wave Hill, argued strongly that a landgrab - not the safety of Aboriginal children - was the Howard government's prime motive for the intervention

Brian Manning a Trade Union activist involved in the Wave Hill walk-off and Jack Phillips a long-time advocate for the Maningrida people, were among those present demonstrating a consensus of resistance to the Federal incursion into Aboriginal homelands

One shred of comfort for the Howard government, was the other clear consensus that child welfare, increased housing, real employment opportunities and equal access to education and health facilities for Aboriginal people were legitimate goals for Federal government assistance

Unfortunately - as an indicator for a Prime Minister facing re-election - few (if any) of the people present, believed they were goals John Howard shared

8th Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture

09 August 2007

Charles Darwin University is set to host the 8th Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture on Saturday, 11 August with key speakers The Honorable Fred Chaney AO and Associate Professor Sue Stanton. 
 
Marking 40 years since the Referendum, this year’s lecture is titled 40 years since the Referendum: Learning from the past, walking into the future. 
 
Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia, Fred Chaney AO, and Kungarakan-Gurindji born in Larrakia country, Associate Professor Sue Stanton, will present a discussion of current Indigenous-related issues and events. 
 
CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Garnett said CDU was proud to support the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture series. 
 
“The Referendum was one of the most defining moments in the Aboriginal movement. The win gave Aboriginal people citizenship, equality and a sense of identity,” Professor Garnett said. 
 
“CDU aspires to be an institution of excellence in key areas of Indigenous knowledge and futures and is renowned as a national and international focal point for Indigenous research and consultancy.” 
 
The Fred Hollows Foundation has joined CDU as a major sponsor of the 2007 Lingiari Memorial Lecture. 
 
NT Director of the Fed Hollows Foundation, Ursula Raymond said the Fred Hollows Foundation supported Indigenous advocacy and the Lingiari lecture was a good platform to do this. 
 
"Fred Hollows and Vincent Lingiari were old friends. Fred operated on Vincent’s eyes, restoring his sight and Fred was also an active supporter of the Indigenous movement" Ms Raymond said. 
 
The 2007 Lingiari Memorial Lecture will be held at CDU's Casuarina campus in building 22, lecture room 1 at 6pm Saturday, 11 August 2007.

All are welcome.