Media Release 23

14 August 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Permit System Not Used to Stop Media: Only Paparazzi

Aboriginal Resource & Development Services Inc. believe Minister Brough and the Prime Minister are misleading the public when they say that the permit system on Aboriginal communities has been used to lock out the media and allow the abuse of Aboriginal children to continue.

To our knowledge, the permit system has not been used in this way. The only time that we know that the media has been denied entry to an Aboriginal community is when Aboriginal people have wanted to hold a private funeral. It seems that the rich and privileged in this world can deny access to the paparazzi but Aboriginal people are not allowed the same privilege.

Our Aboriginal members do not want the Australian government to take away their protection from the tourists and other people roaming all around their home communities, taking pictures of everyone and everything. They also want the protection from drug pushers getting at their children while they are at school or on the way home from school.

Permission is required to visit John Howard at the Lodge or Kirribilli House and some would argue that this is due to special circumstances. We argue that special circumstances also exist here and in a democratic community our members should be allowed the continued peace and protection that the permit system has afforded them.

We can not understand why the Government wants to make it harder for the people when they are already struggling so hard. Let’s have some policies that will empower the people instead of turning their lives into bigger nightmares than they are. We are pleading for the permit system to stay over the access roads and Aboriginal communities so that they can feel safe and be safe in their home communities.

Rev Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra OAM, Chairman

Richard Trudgen, CEO, and author of Why Warriors Lie Down and Die

For more information contact: Richard Trudgen on 08 89873910, or 0417 896 170