Congratulations from Alyawarr leaders

CONGRATULATIONS from the Alyawarr Leaders at the Honeymoon Bore walk off camp. We give our whole-hearted support to the new Tracker magazine.

To Chris Graham, Brian Johnstone, and to the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, congratulations for this fantastic vision.

We know this will fill the gap that exists, the gap of truth and honesty other news groups and magazines do not have.

The Alyawarr people across our region continue the struggle and stand against the NT Intervention. Our people are continuing to build resistance against the white policy measures imposed. There has never been any meetings, any consultations from any of the government business managers or shires to get people involved, to discuss where we go from here, what our ideas are, what the goals of the communities, families, young people are regarding training and employment.

We feel the Government Business Manager position has been a white elephant since being based in our communities; their roles were to channel all government agencies and resources to provide better management of programs, so there is a team approach. But to this day we have no idea what they are doing, other than get paid a taxpayer donation of a $200,000 annual salary.

We now urge all First Australians to start walking the walk. All talking should be over, as that is all we have done since 2007. We now need stronger action through meetings and protest rallies. We must mobilise to bring on board our good white brothers and sisters to stand against the racist policies that are continuing to dispossess and oppress our people.

Richard Downs

Spokesperson, Alyawarr people