alrm newsletter march/april 2016 edition 44€¦ · alrm newsletter march/april 2016 edition 44 ....
TRANSCRIPT
ALRM Newsletter
March/April 2016 Edition 44
On the 19th of November
2015, the SA Government
announced it would estab-
lish an $11 million Stolen
Generations Reparation
Scheme.
The Government announced that the
Stolen Generations Reparation Scheme
would involve a fund of up to $6 million
for ex gratia payments for those mem-
bers of our state’s community removed
from their families, and whose usual
place of residence was South Australia
at the time of the separation.
Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
Minister, Kyam Maher said, at the an-
nouncement, “Today we launch a repa-
rations scheme enabling us to compen-
sate South Australian members of the
Stolen Generations without the need
for litigation, and taking into account
the loss of documents, witnesses, and
memories over time”.
ALRM hopes that this scheme will allow
members of our Stolen Generations to
tell their stories, which the 1997 Bring-
ing Them Home report found was a
critical part of a healing process.
It is still early days, but it is understood
that individual reparation payments
will be recommended by an
‘independent assessor’.
ALRM understand that the assessor’s
primary role will be to determine
whether an applicant is eligible for an
ex gratia payment, and if so, assess
what level of harm has been caused.
Part of the whole process, will be this
assessor being able to hear the person-
al stories of Stolen Generations, and
yarn with family members and any
people connected with the removal.
It is believed that based on the asses-
sor’s recommendations, the Minister
will then decide the exact amount of
the payment.
INDIVIDUAL REPARATION
The Stolen Generations Reparation
Scheme would involve a fund of up to
$6 million for ex gratia payments for
those individuals of the SA community
removed from their families.
This scheme will allow for individual
payments of up to $50,000.
Unfortunately we do not yet know cri-
teria the Government will use to work
out who receives this money or work
out how much money each person will
receive.
The Stolen Generations Rep-
aration Scheme will begin
on 31st March 2016, and
the application process will
remain open for 12
months ONLY.
2
WHOLE OF COMMUNIT Y REPARATION
The Government has also indicated that a separate $5 mil-
lion fund will be established for whole-of-community repa-
rations, which will be finalised in consultation with our
Aboriginal leaders and community.
We believe the whole-of-community reparations might
include places of memorial, education scholarships, pro-
grams, counselling, support services, and exhibitions telling
the stories of the Stolen Generations.
Excerpt from The Apology, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd [13 February 2008].
ALRM can HELP with this application
If you’re not sure if you’re eligible?
If you've been waiting, like many, then it's now TIME to come back in to see
our mob.
You need to get a 'move on' to work out if you want to pursue other legal rem-
edies or apply to this Scheme.
We will ONLY have 12 months from 31 March 2016 to lodge applications.
Call ALRM (free call) 1800 643 222 or (08) 8113 3777 and
arrange to come in to yarn about all the options.
WHERE TO FIND OUR MOB:
ADELAIDE
Adelaide Office, 325 King William Street,
Adelaide.
1800 643 222 (free) or (08) 8113 3777.
CEDUNA
Cnr East terrace & Merghiny Drive, Ceduna
(08) 8113 3799 or (08) 8113 3790
MURRAY BRIDGE
27 Beatty Terrace,
Murray Bridge
(08) 8113 3766
PORT AUGUSTA
12 Church Street, Pt. Augusta.
(08) 8113 3788.
3
The South Australian Govern-
ment has a new initiative to al-
low the community to have a say
in what projects will be funded,
Fund My Community which com-
menced on the 11th of April and
will close on the 16th of May 2016.
The Aboriginal Financial Counselling Service (AFCS) has submitted a project Financial
Counselling Literacy, the project utilises the skills of one of our volunteer qualified Fi-
nancial Counsellors to develop and present financial literacy workshops to young Abo-
riginal mothers and families, which is adaptable to the clients needs and abilities, recog-
nising that they come from Culturally and Linguistic Diverse Communities (CALD).
The project has developed from a current pilot scheme through ALRM's partnerships
with the Northern Adelaide Senior College, Elizabeth Centrelink and Marni Waindi Abo-
riginal Community Ctr. AFCS need your help and wants our community to register and
login to vote (http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/fmc_rounds/fund-my-community/
fmc_ideas/216). We strongly encourage all Aboriginal people from across South Austral-
ia to register and log on to support this project and continue to raise the voice of Abo-
riginal people throughout the State.
There is limited time left so register and login, if you experience any issues and difficul-
ties then just check out our step-by-step instructions at the bottom on this page and
continued on the right. Alternatively, check out our Facebook page (https://
www.facebook.com/Aboriginal-Legal-Rights-Movement-ALRM-149474497030/?fref=ts)
for links and a more detailed set of instructions for registration.
Register and login to have your say on how to spend $1 million to decide which projects will get funding between 11 April and 16 May 2016
Keep an eye out for our Chief Executive
Officer Cheryl Axleby who has recently hit
the road and is travelling across South
Australia visiting regional and remote
communities.
The CEO Roadshow has been informing
our community about the Stolen Genera-
tions Reparations Scheme and on the
request from the ALRM Board has been
discussing the ICE epidemic.
So far, the Roadshow has visited Port Au-
gusta on the 1st of April which included a
BBQ feed cooked by our staff at the Port
Augusta ALRM Office.
Check out when the Roadshow is coming
to an area near you:
The Aboriginal Financial Counselling Service—Financial
Counselling Literacy Project on Fund My Community.
4
Step 1: Click on the link to the Financial
Counselling Literacy Project (http://
yoursay.sa.gov.au/fmc_rounds/fund-my
-community/fmc_ideas/216)
Step 2: Click on the Log In or Register
tabs (http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/)
**PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN LOG IN
OR REGISTER USING A FACEBOOK OR
TWITTER ACCOUNT, IF YOU DO NOT
HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT THEN
REGISTER USING YOUR EMAIL AD-
DRESS**
Step 3: Click to register with an email
address or a social media account.
Step 4: Register your email address and fill in the required fields (http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/users/sign_up). Step 5: Once all required fields are com-plete, click ‘Complete registration’ button. Step 6: After clicking Complete registra-
tion’, you should receive a confirmation
email to the email address you regis-
tered with.
Step 7: Log in to your email account and
click on the ‘confirm my account’ link.
Step 8: Once you have clicked the
‘confirm my account’ button, you should
be redirected to the yourSAy home page.
Step 9: Scroll down to find the Fund My
Community tab and click on the button.
Step 10: Once you are on the Fund My
Community page, click ‘Browse Projects’
button.
Step 11: Once you are in the ‘Browse
Projects’ page, you can click on the pro-
jects you wish to add to your plan up to
$700,000 to $1 million.
Step 12: You may want to enter a key-
word search, such as ‘Aboriginal’, which
will give you a list of all proposed pro-
jects for Aboriginal people. Please click
on Financial Counselling Literacy.
Step 13: Once you’ve clicked on the Fi-
nancial Counselling Literacy project, click
on the ‘Add to my Plan’ button. This will
add this project to your plan.
Step 14: Once you’ve added Financial
Counselling Literacy project, you should
be redirected to the My Plan page.
Step 15: Once on the My Plan page, it
will tell you that your ‘Plan is incom-
plete’ – for your plan to be completed
you must meet three requirements:
1) Allocate between $700,000 and $1
million
2) Include at least one small, one me-
dium and one large project; and
3) Include projects from at least four
different categories (population
groups that will benefit)
Step 16: Click the ‘Browse Projects’
button to add more projects until you’ve
reached between $700,000 and $1 mil-
lion.
Step 17: Once you’ve added all your
projects and have satisfied the three
requirements:
1) Allocate between $700,000 and $1
million
2) Include at least one small, one me-
dium and one large project; and
3) Include projects from at least four
different categories (population
groups that will benefit)
The My Plan page should have a
‘Submit’ button displayed.
**PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MAY RE-
MOVE ANY PROJECT BEFORE SUBMIT-
TING, ONCE SUBMITTED THEN YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES TO YOUR PLAN**
Step 18: Submit your plan by clicking
the ‘Submit’ button.
**PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED
TO SUBMIT YOUR PLAN BEFORE 5PM
MONDAY 16TH OF MAY 2016
FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED** 5 5
After 8 long years, the Aboriginal Financial Counselling Service (formerly LISP—Low Income Support
Program), Tim Spurdens has said goodbye to ALRM.
As our Financial Counsellor, Tim has helped many Aboriginal community members with their financial
issues. Tim has contributed to providing quality financial counselling services during his time with
ALRM.
ALRM will miss Tim’s quality of work for the Aboriginal community and wish him all the very best in
the future. We are honoured to have had Tim as a part of our team and on behalf of our clients and
colleagues we say thanks for all your hard work.
The Money Man himself, Financial Counsellor Tim Spurdens on the right, in action.
6
A strong and proud Ngarrindjeri woman,
Melissa Clarke comes to the AVS State Coordi-
nator position with a wealth of valuable
knowledge and experience.
Melissa began her career within SAPOL for 14
years before venturing into Child Protection at
the Office of the Guardian of Children.
Dwayne Coulthard Melissa Clarke
My name is Dwayne Coulthard, I am a proud Adnya-
mathanha and Kokatha man currently studying in
my final year of a Bachelor of Laws degree at the
University of Adelaide. I have recently joined the
dedicated team at ALRM as the Community Legal
Education Officer in March.
This job offers a great opportunity to make an posi-
tive contribution within Aboriginal communities
across the state and to empower our communities
through knowledge. The work of Community Legal
Education is important in addressing the over-
representation of Aboriginal people within the
criminal justice system.
7
On the 15th of April 1991, the Final Report from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was handed down. Now 25 years later, we look at how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
We’re putting the call out to our com-
munity to volunteer as part of the Abo-
riginal Visitors Scheme (AVS).
The aim of the AVS is to provide all Abo-
riginal and Torres Strait Islander people
with after-hours comfort, care and sup-
port when arrested and detained in po-
lice custody. AVS Visitors also assist
SAPOL in their duty of care and help
bridge communication between each.
AVS Visitors are available across the
state.
The AVS was established as a result of
the Royal Commission into Aboriginal
Deaths in Custody recommendations
(1991). ‘In consultation with Aboriginal
Communities and their organisations,
cell visitor schemes (or schemes serving
similar purpose) should be introduced to
service Police watch houses.’
When visiting a detainee the AVS Role
is to:
Access and observe detainee’s com-
fort and needs—i.e. medical attention,
legal counselling, family support
Liaise with and access local communi-
ty agencies that can provide assistance
to the detainee—i.e. Housing, Finan-
cial Counselling
Bridge communication (relations with
police) whilst supporting SAPOL with
their duty of care responsibilities
Immediately report any issues of con-
cern, need for medical attention, wel-
fare or other services to the attention
of the Officer in Charge and follow up.
Visitors Desirables:
Experience working with people in
both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
communities
Knowledge of community health ser-
vices
Confident in dealing with Police Offic-
ers and ensuring their duty of care
responsibilities
Strong ability in dealing with conflict
resolution.
Visitor Essential Requirements:
Confident, empathetic people person,
with great listening skills
Must be 18 years or older
Willing to work after hours
Respond to police call outs to attend
at local police holding cells
Current drivers license (own transport
required)
Mobile phone
Current Police clearance
Please note this is a volunteer position,
however remuneration applies.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people are encourage to apply.
The AVS is funded by the Department of
Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation.
Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc. is
the Managing Host for the Metropolitan,
Southern and Country regions of South
Australia, and is responsible for the day-
to-day operations of the scheme, offer-
ing Legal Services for all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people.
Contact AVS State Coordinator Melissa
Clarke—[email protected] OR
Assistant Coordinator Salome Hapuku—
Contact (08) 8113 3777 for a yarn about
this opportunity or for further infor-
mation.
8
Are you passionate and looking to make a REAL difference in our community? Look no further, AVS NEEDS YOU
Tarpari Wellbeing Day in Port Pirie
9
We’re always looking for new stories, ideas and suggestions regarding our newsletter so
if you have any feedback please contact our Community Legal Education Officer Dwayne
Coulthard ([email protected] or 08 8113 3777).
If you have a story idea, upcoming events, job, scholarship and volunteer opportunities
you think the South Australian Aboriginal community should know about then give
Dwayne Coulthard a call on 8113 3777 or email—[email protected].
A solicitor from our Port Augusta office talking about
ALRM with Port Pirie community members
Our AVS Visitor in Port Pirie and artist,
Cedric Varcoe giving the ALRM a helping
hand at the event.
AVS State Coordinator Melissa Clarke and
solicitor from our Port Augusta office making
The Dusty Feet Mob performing at the
Tarpari Wellbeing Day
A group shot of some of the current participants in the ILSMP and support staff from all three SA
Universities alongside the Honourable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Chris Kourakis.
ALRM was proud to host the 2016 launch
of the Indigenous Law Students Mentor-
ing Program at our head office on the 7th
of April for the third consecutive year.
The Mentoring Program is currently in its
eleventh year and is designed to support
Aboriginal law students from across all
three tertiary institutions in South Aus-
tralia by providing mentorship from law-
yers within the legal profession.
The program enables Aboriginal law stu-
dents to thrive to build their confidence
and establish strong connections and
relationships with those within the legal
profession. The Mentoring Program has
been embraced by the Aboriginal law
students, the three law schools and the
legal profession, highlighted by the
attendees which included the Honoura-
ble Justice Anne Bampton who is the
current Chair of the Indigenous Law Stu-
dents Mentoring Program Management
Committee, the former Chair the Hon-
ourable Justice John Sulan, the Honoura-
ble Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Chris Kourakis and His Honour Chief
Judge of the District Court Geoffrey
Muecke, whose present at the Launch
reinforce the legal professions commit-
ment to increasing Aboriginal represen-
tation within the legal fraternity. The
Mentoring Program has gone from
strength to strength, ensuring that Abo-
riginal law students get the most out of
their study while also looking toward
their future career pathway.
The Indigenous Law Students Mentoring
Program currently has 17 Aboriginal law
students from the University of Adelaide,
Flinders University and UniSA who are
actively engaged with a mentor, along
with 16 potential students for this year
whom we anticipate with join their peers
in accessing this valuable program. Cur-
rently, the Mentoring Program will see
four Aboriginal law students graduate
this year who have all been involved in
the program.
We are proud to be involved and to host
the launch of the Indigenous Law Stu-
dents Mentoring Program for 2016. We
wish all the Aboriginal law students the
very best with their studies, congratula-
tions to those graduating and to those
nearing the end of their law degree. Our
future is looking bright as we continue to
build a strong pathway to success for
Aboriginal people within the legal profes-
sion.
10
Dealing with your legal matters can be very stressful for clients, but we’re com-
mitted to doing our best to serve the community, so here is a few hints and tips
to help:
Don’t be a stranger! Remember that ALRM is here for you but we cannot
help if you don’t come and see us, we’re just a phone call away and it’s free
within SA—call us on 1800 643 222.
Don’t skip Court! If you don’t go, then your lawyer won’t know! Make
sure you know what date and time you need to be a court, if there are any
issues then get in contact with your lawyer and explain to them the any
problem with you attending court as soon as possible.
Keep us in the Loop! Remember to let ALRM know when you move house.
We cannot help you to the best of our abilities without your current ad-
dress and contact information.
REMEMBER, if you are locked up and cannot get in touch with your law-
yer then ask to speak to an Aboriginal Field Officer or ask about the Abo-
riginal Visitors Scheme (AVS)
Let ALRM help you, just come by one of our offices or give us a call on our free
number 1800 643 222.
ALRM’s dedicated staff are here to help Aboriginal people but sometimes this can be difficult. Here is what you can do to help us help you...
11
Here’s are some important dates that are coming up:
Sunday 1 May 2016—Anniversary of the 1946 Pilbara Aboriginal Stockmen’s strike
Thursday 26 May 2016—National Sorry Day
Friday 27 May to 3 June 2016—National Reconciliation Week
Friday 27 May 2016—Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum
Saturday 28 May 2016—Anniversary of the Corroborree Bridge Walk
Sunday 29 May 2016—Anniversary of the Torres Strait Islander flag
Friday 3 June 2016—Mabo Day
Sunday 3 July to July 10 2016—NAIDOC Week.
Tuesday 12 July 2016—Anniversary of the Australian Aboriginal flag
Keep an eye out for more information closer to the date of the event on our Facebook
page (https://www.facebook.com/Aboriginal-Legal-Rights-Movement-ALRM-
149474497030/?fref=ts).
12
Find your way to Thomas
13
MINYA ONES PUZZLE PAGES
14
15
Adelaide
312-325 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8113 3777
Free: 1800 643 222
Fax: (08) 8211 76 18
Murray Bridge
27 Beatty Tce, Murray Bridge
5253
Ph: (08) 8113 3766
Fax: (08) 8531 1015
Port Augusta
12 Church St, Pt Augusta 5700
Ph: (08) 81133788
Fax: (08) 8642 4650
Ceduna
Cn. East Tce & Merghiny Dr,
Ceduna 5690
Ph: (08) 8113 3799
Fax: (08) 8625 3093
DO
Ask why you are being ar-
rested.
Give your name, address
and date of birth.
Ask Police for a phone, con-
tact ALRM & seek advice.
Apply for bail.
DON'T
Resist arrest.
Be abusive.
Sign, give a statement or an-
swer any questions.
Plead guilty, even if Police
tell you to.
REMEMBER
If you are arrested by Police,
then you are within your rights
to request a telephone call BE-
FORE a Police interview takes
place.
You can call a ALRM Field
Officer 24 hours a day, 7
days a week on our FREE
number: 1800 643 222