Monuments defaced as Australians protest, celebrate national day
Melbourne, Australia Reuters Two historic statues were damaged in Melbourne ahead of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, with tens of thousands of people across the country joining protests in support of Aboriginal groups who say the date is not one to cheer. A statue of colonist John Batman, a founder of the country’s second-largest city […]
Essay: A better faith
TIM COSTELLO reflects on the late Australian Indigenous leader Lowitja O’Donoghue’s “deep” Christian faith…
Thousands protest Australia Day holiday with ‘Invasion Day’ rallies
Sydney, Australia Reuters Thousands marked Australia’s national day on Friday with “Invasion Day” rallies in support of the country’s Indigenous community, many of whom want to drop celebrations or move the date. Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established the state of New South Wales a penal colony, arriving in what is now the state […]
Australia’s Albanese takes share of blame for Indigenous referendum failure
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday he accepted his share of blame for the failure of a referendum question on Indigenous recognition that could weaken his authority. More than 60 per cent of Australians voted “No” in the landmark referendum on Saturday that asked whether to alter the constitution to […]
Campaigns against Indigenous referendum gather strength in Australia
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Two Australian Indigenous leaders opposed to a proposal to constitutionally recognise the Aboriginal and Torres Island people joined forces on Thursday in an effort to strengthen their campaign ahead of a referendum later this year. A group led by Warren Mundine, a former Labor Party national president who is Indigenous, and a group […]
Australian Government introduces Indigenous referendum bill in parliament
Sydney, Australia Reuters The Australian Government on Thursday took the first formal step towards holding a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and set up an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament” to advise lawmakers on matters that impact their lives. Introducing the bill in parliament, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the referendum, to be held […]
Australia marks anniversary of ‘Stolen Generation’ apology; promises more funds
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australia on Monday committed about $US300 million to improve life outcomes of its Aboriginal people, as the country marked 15 years since a national apology for forcibly removing Indigenous children from families under old assimilation policies. The government announced $A424 million would go towards “Closing the Gap”, which includes providing safe and […]
Essay: A sense of paradox as we mourn the Queen
TIM COSTELLO, a senior fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney, reflects on his mixed responses to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II…
Australia to offer redress payments to some of its ‘Stolen Generation’
Canberra, Australia Reuters Australia said on Thursday it will offer redress payments of $A75,000 to some members of its Indigenous population who were forcibly removed from their families as children. More than 100,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and communities between the early 1900s and about 1970, described by former Prime Minister Kevin […]
Essay: Anzac Day, a time to reflect on the cost of war for all Australians
As Australia and New Zealand marked Anzac Day on 25th April, HAL BISSET reflects on the meaning of the commemoration – in particular, what it means with regard to Indigenous Australians…