We'd like to share a message to you from an Indigenous homelands resident, Barayuwa Mununggurr:
"We all have equal rights to be clothed, to be sustained, to have shelter, and this also includes our homelands, big and small. These are places of significance to us, that have our songlines, where our names come from, where our dance comes from, where our art comes from, and where our law and culture comes from - it makes us who we are.
Next week we are meeting with the Government to look at ways in which we can work together in partnership for our future in our Homelands. But we can only solve this together. When we walk into meetings at Parliament House, it would make us so confident to have thousands of Australians there in spirit - then I'm sure they would hear us."
Can you help Barayuwa by signing a petition to secure the future of these vibrant homelands?
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/Homelands&id=748?dc=857,524027,1
Homelands are small remote communities where Indigenous Australians are living on land that has nourished their mothers and fathers for thousands of generations. They are demonstrated success stories. Homelands mean better health and longer life expectancies. They are areas where locals are applying traditional knowledge to 'care for country' and tackle climate change through traditional burning techniques and carbon preservation. Plus they are the source of much of Australia's beautiful Indigenous art.
But these success stories are under threat. The NT Government plan to funnel funding increases into just 20 'growth towns', leaving over 600 communities with woefully inadequate resources. In effect this will force homelands residents off their lands to access services that are often hundreds of kilometers away. The Federal Government needs to step up and ensure these communities receive the funding they need.
Next week Barayuwa and a delegation of leaders from homeland communities are meeting federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs. At stake is the survival of over 600 unique, vibrant Indigenous communities.
The Government think they're meeting with just 8 people next week. But imagine if those 8 can carry with them the support of tens of thousands more - a pile of petition signatures so large it takes all of them to carry it in.
Can you make it happen? Watch this personal video message from the homelands and sign the petition before Barayuwa presents it to key politicians next week:
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/Homelands&id=748?dc=857,524027,1
Thanks for being part of this,
The GetUp team
PS - The future of over 600 vibrant Indigenous communities is under threat. Support Indigenous leaders by signing this petition
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/Homelands&id=748?dc=857,524027,1 before they present it to key politicians next week.
Post supplied by
www.myspace.com/johnbutlertrio