Greens move to restore racial equality in NT as Macklin fails to deliver

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert

Thursday 29th October 2009, 10:50am

The Australian Greens today introduced legislation in the Senate designed to restore the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) in the Northern Territory after the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin failed to meet her second self-imposed deadline to deliver on this promise.

"It was and continues to be a disgrace that the NT Emergency Response specifically excludes the operation of the RDA," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

"After almost two years in power and a review of the NTER which recommended the RDA be re-instated immediately, the Government has not acted. This delay in re-instating the basic human rights of the Indigenous people of the Northern Territory is inexcusable and must be rectified."

"There is no doubt that the NTER legislation, in suspending the operation of the RDA, is contrary to Australia's international obligations and is harming our reputation overseas," said Senator Siewert.

"Quite frankly, this is an international embarrassment."

"A quick glance at the Greens' Bill shows clearly that it is a simple matter to restore the RDA. Where the Minister appears to be stuck is in trying to find a way to reconcile her desire to over-ride the fundamental human rights of Aboriginal Australians in the NT through compulsory welfare quarantining and mandatory leases with our international obligations not to discriminate on the basis of race."

"Quite simply she cannot keep the hard-line elements of the NT intervention and properly restore the RDA - this is not a cake that she can have and eat too."

"Restoring the RDA is the morally and ethically correct response to the continued suspension of basic human rights in the Northern Territory, and a first step towards righting the wrongs of successive governments," she concluded.

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