Australia violates indigenous rights: Amnesty

24 May 2012, 11:26 am   -   Source: AAP
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The organisation slammed the proposed Stronger Futures legislation as 'bad policy' that would stigmatise indigenous Australians. (AAP)

The organisation slammed the proposed Stronger Futures legislation as 'bad policy' that would stigmatise indigenous Australians. (AAP)

Human rights group Amnesty International says Australia is still treating Aboriginal people in an 'appalling manner'. 

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Australia has been scolded by an international human rights group for violating the rights of Aborigines and trying to send asylum seekers offshore for processing.

"Australia continued to violate rights of Indigenous People," Amnesty International said in its annual report on global human rights in 2011.

The group criticised the government for limiting funding for housing and services like water and sanitation for Aboriginal people living in traditional homelands in the Northern Territory.

Amnesty International national director Claire Mallinson said Amnesty had been told some indigenous people in the Northern Territory were living without toilets, showers, electricity or garbage collection.

"People need to realise the first peoples of Australia are being treated in an appalling manner," she told reporters at a briefing of the 400-page report in Sydney.

She said while Amnesty International welcomed the federal and Northern Territory governments' commitment of $21 million over 10 years for basic services to homelands communities, it wasn't enough.

The organisation also slammed the proposed Stronger Futures legislation as "bad policy" that would stigmatise indigenous Australians.

The laws, which would continue the NT intervention in remote indigenous communities, include income management policies, jail terms for alcohol possession, as well as a controversial program that cuts parents' welfare payments if their children do not attend school.

"It this was happening in any other part of Australia, if it was happening in St Kilda, if it was happening in Mosman there would be riots on the streets," Ms Mallinson said.

Amnesty International has also condemned the government for trying to outsource its human rights responsibilities with the failed Malaysia deal, which would have seen asylum seekers sent to the Asian country for processing.

Amnesty International national refuge coordinator Dr Graham Thom labelled the proposed solution a "direct breech of our international obligations," saying Australia is behind many other countries who process asylum seekers onshore.

The deal was halted by a High Court decision that ruled refuge rights could not be guaranteed in Malaysia.

However, the group welcomed federal, state and territory governments' endorsement in February last year of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children.

The State of the World's Human Rights report examined human rights conditions in 155 countries over the year 2011.

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Your Comments

The holocaust that will never see justice

mister - from brisbane, 11 months ago

I almost broke down in tears seeing a middle aged aboriginal couple laying outside a Brisbane train station near midnight. A love song was playing on speakers outside and they shared a gentle kiss before settling in on the cold sidewalk. They looked completely crushed, except for their mutual love. That's daily reality here. The current "hand outs" are not giving back 1% of what they had. Their unique and gifted people were exterminated and they now suffer heavy discrimination.

wheres the logic?

Sam - from stolen land, 11 months ago

their wouldnt be any Aboriginal issues if a treaty was made, it started with that first failure and has been a continued failure up to today, I personally think 18,500 generations give you the claim to a rightful inheritance, if not does that mean I can take some persons land because he inherited it and didnt pay? wheres the logic in this discussion? can I tell China Australia is up for grabs because inheritance, ownership and our laws of the land are not recognised by their law?

Amnesty International getting political?

Max Smith - from Caulfield, 1 year

I thought Amnesty was mainly about fundamental rights eg freedom of speech, freedom from torture etc - but AI seem to be getting into activist-leftist territory here. Aboriginals already have the same individual rights and freedoms as all commonwealth citizens.

Cath

Cathy Gill - from Bronte, 1 year

The Stronger Futures bills are Australia's shame. The Intervention has caused 40% increase in suicide and self-harm in the Northern Territory and the highest Indigenous incarceration rates in the world. We have signed the UN Declararation on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. They are rights that we should afford our First Nations Peoples. These laws contravene more than half of those 46 articles. Only when everyone in our nation lives with basic human rights and dignity we can all celebrate.

Amnesty get lost

Bob - from Melbourne, 1 year

We put up with so much crap in Australia, we have a good life here, because we know our limits and know how to sort out our problems, mostly anyway. The problem is other irresponsible governments not running their countries right and Australia ends up with their problems, absolutely great aint it. How about we tell everyone in the world, come to Australia and we will look after you, then see how bad Australia will become. Amnesty, think before you blame Australians for the apparent abominations. Most of Australia's transgression are in the past and it is currently trying to manage current circumstances. Is this current day Australia's fault, definitely not!

Want equality...

Realist (the) - from Sydney, 1 year

Its always about the government giving them things ,why cant they pay for them themselves like the rest of Australians ,after all they get free money

Wish i was Aboriginal

Wag - from Sydney, 1 year

Giving them everything is a clear violation of human rights

Human rights

oncewas - from bribie island, 1 year

Too right we are. And God help all Queenslanders when Premier Newman gets Queensland back to the standards that prevailed in Bjelke-Petersens day, as he is reported to have said. When that happens we will no longer be able to protest against the government. That will be an abrogation of our human rights. At least Pr Newman had the honesty to state that what Bjelke Petersen did was wrong. But don't hold your breath for the next one.

Totally agree

Mona - from Australia, 1 year

Fearmongering refugees isn't a decent way for Abbott to get the PM's job and it creates racism and bigotry. Amnesty are showing us the results. As did the 250 Qld police when they removed the small indiineous tent embassy from Musgrave Park. A show of force to let the them aborigines know. All our politicians on all sides, shame us.

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