Michelle Wiese Bockmann; 7/9/06; www.theaustralian.news.com.au/
Aboriginal leaders successfully lobbied South Australia’s parliament to block an amendment to allow increased media access to indigenous lands in the far northwest of the state. The proposed amendment aimed to scrap media permits and open media access to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands, where more than 200 petrol sniffers are recorded among the 2500-strong community.
The amendment, tacked on to a bill increasing petrol trafficking penalties, was lost by one vote after a last-minute change of heart from minor party Family First.
Media restrictions had to be lifted to “shine a spotlight” on poor living standards, violence, pedophilia, substance abuse and poor governance on the lands, said independent MP Nick Xenophon, who moved the amendment. “This defeat means the potential for just stage-managed, sanitised media visits that deny hope to the dispossessed and most vulnerable,” Mr Xenophon said.
Yankunytjatjara woman and former state government co-ordinator of the lands Lowitja O’Donoghue called for the permit system to be scrapped altogether. “It’s just not working,” she said. “The new APY council has been sold out and virtually silenced. The governments can do that very easily by throwing money at the situation.”
Ms O’Donoghue quit her contract on the APY lands last year distressed over government inaction.
During parliamentary debate on the amendment, one Liberal MP told parliament he witnessed children inhaling petrol on the lands while nearby police officers watched. Liberal Robert Lawson also revealed he was present at one settlement the day after its chairman was caught grog-running by police.
Together with Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jay Weatherill, the APY Lands Council convinced minor parties Family First, the Greens and the Australian Democrats to vote with Labor to defeat the amendment to the bill. APY Lands Council director Rex Tjami distributed a letter to all members of the upper house opposing broader media access and defending the permit system.
“The permit system ensures that we, as freehold landowners, are able to exercise discretion regarding entry on to the lands and prevent abuse of our people who are vulnerable,” Mr Tjami wrote.
Mr Weatherill used APY Lands Council data showing all 26 media permit applications in the past two years had been granted. But under the permit system, media must be accompanied and pay a local cultural adviser, be accompanied by a media organisation representative and face other reporting restrictions. It can take many weeks for permits to be granted, which means the issue intended for coverage becomes redundant before it is exposed.
Government officials have conceded that petrol sniffing is under-reported and the figure could be higher on the lands.
“Nobody has convincingly demonstrated that the permit system isn’t working,” Mr Weatherill said. “If there are any genuine concerns about access to the lands, we would be interested to hear about them.”