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| Here is a horny political problem which needs a sage solution - |
paraclete |
12/05/04 |
It is the problem of the continuing poor relationship between the "white" Australian community and the "indigenous" Australian community
Here are two examples of the seething unrest
Island riot: court bails accused
December 6, 2004 - 1:55PM
A man accused of being involved in last month's Palm Island riot has been released on bail.
Lex Patrick Wotton, 37, was the first of 17 men accused of rioting on the island off north Queensland on November 26 to face a bail hearing in Townsville's District Court before Queensland Chief Magistrate Marshall Irwin.
The riot followed a community meeting over the death in custody of 36-year-old Cameron Doomadgee.
Wotton, who's charged with serious assault, arson and damaging a building, was released on nine bail conditions including one that he not attend Mr Doomadgee's pending funeral.
The packed courtroom erupted in applause as he was bailed to face court again in Townsville on March 10 next year.
Bail applications for the other 16 accused rioters are continuing.
Judge Irwin was today told 19 police stationed on the island barricaded themselves by putting a pool table against the garage door of the police barracks and some armed themselves with pool cues when 300 islanders converged on the police station.
Police prosecutor Julia Cook told the court police were given one hour to leave the island after rioters threatened to kill them, pelting them with rocks and brandishing weapons such as monkey wrenches.
She also told the court a dog housed at the police station had to be put down due to injuries and distress arising from the riot.
The court was told the island's water mains were turned off stopping the fire brigade putting out a blaze at the police station barracks and court house.
Rocks were also placed across the road leading to the airport where islanders were stopping aircraft from arriving.
The hearing continues.
AAP
Anger at secret plan to bulldoze Redfern tower
December 6, 2004 - 3:43PM
The Redfern area and surrounds looking north towards Sydney's CBD.
Revealed: how Redfern will be reborn
Fixing the Block:
$27m development planned Towers demolished as aid to social levelling Residents of one of Sydney's most controversial buildings took to the streets today to protest over secret NSW government plans to bulldoze their home.
A week after leaked documents showed the government planned to sell off chunks of Redfern and Waterloo to private developers, hundreds of locals gathered to protest outside the area's public housing towers.
The distinctive Redfern and Waterloo towers could be pulled down under a $540 million plan that may allow private developers to profit from government land.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, also the local MP, headlined a procession of speeches and accused the government of keeping residents uninformed and powerless.
"This is about development," said Cr Moore, standing on a makeshift stage on the back of a ute.
"It's not about urban renewal. It's not about addressing the social issues of our area."
Cr Moore said the government already had "all the power it needs" to address the neighbourhood's social problems - which earlier this year erupted in a race riot after the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas "TJ" Hickey.
Demanding residents be consulted "every step of the way", she also objected to the unusual move of establishing a Redfern-Waterloo Authority to oversee development, a body that would have powers to override Sydney City Council planning regulations.
Cr Moore, a Redfern resident, would be on the board of the new authority, according to the proposal which goes before the NSW upper house tomorrow.
"This legislation is not democratic. It doesn't involve proper process and it overrides the Heritage Act," she said.
The building's neighbourhood is not far from the troubled Aboriginal area, known as The Block.
Several police attended today's rally, set where every building within eyesight would be redeveloped under the plan, but there were no reports of violence.
Instead, locals debated the matter vigorously among themselves, with some defending their home and others calling for a complete makeover.
"The people of Sydney think that Redfern and Waterloo are some sort of a low-down stinking slum," said Frank Kingston from his motorised stroller.
"If you don't think it's architecturally perfect then you must be blind."
Another man, who walked off before giving his name, commented: "I'd blow them all up. What about the stabbings, what about the burglars, what about the rape that's going on?"
AAP
The whole thing is an inability of government to conduct meaningful dialogue with aboriginal communites who believe they should be consulted about anything and everything even if they are squatters in the middle of a major city..
Please don't say relocate them, that doesn't work as they have no affinity with the new area and it's local population. An urgent political solution neeeded here?
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