At the Religions for Peace NSW Meeting for March, Guest speaker was Aboriginal Elder Millie Ingram, who shared aspects of her story.
Guest speaker at our RfP March meeting was Aboriginal Elder Millie Ingram. Millie told her story of her journey from living with her family in a tin humpy in a Mission, to today, a somewhat sorry chapter in the history of Australian treatment of our First Australians.
Millie Ingram is a highly respected Elder born on an Aboriginal reserve in Wiradjuri country in central NSW. She has spent most of her life working life in Redfern fighting for Aboriginal rights at community level, in childcare, employment and education. Millie is a foundation member of Murawina Aboriginal Pre-school and Wyanga Aboriginal Elders program and the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council. She is Chief Executive Officer for the Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care Program, which cares for Aboriginal Elders in their own homes. Millie is a strong supporter of the process of reconciliation.
Millie Ingram has the following to say about the incarceration rate of young aboriginals in NSW:
“The incarceration rate of Aboriginal youth in Australia is a national disgrace, and an indictment on all of our Australian governments. STOP the penal attitude and start looking at prevention. Poverty should not be a crime. From poverty comes homelessness and substance abuse. This lifestyle can lead to committing minor offence which leads to incarceration which leads to a criminal record. How can something so preventable be so hard to fix? It can be fixed, at a much lesser cost than it is to imprison our young people. Start listening to community. Start funding community based programs focusing on preventive projects and programs that will keep Aboriginal families together with a fine quality of life. Maybe then we will see a reduction in the imprisonment rate of our people. Our target should be a 50% reduction of incarceration of Aboriginal youth by 2020. If the goodwill and funding is provided by governments, it can be achieved.”
Racial Discrimination Act
The RfP NSW Branch unanimously agreed that Religions for Peace Australia send a submission to the Federal Attorney General on the proposal to change and seriously weaken the national law on Racial discrimination section 18C and 18D.
Ian Lacey, Member of Religions for Peace Australia and of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry has written a Note on the Proposed Changes to the Racial Discrimination Act. You can read this here.
Racial Discrimination Act – What you can Do
Write to the Attorney-General
Senator The Hon George Brandis QC
Attorney-General for Australia
PO Box 6100
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Make a submission
The Federal Government is accepting submissions until 30 April 2014 at this email address: s18cconsultation@ag.gov.au
Millie Ingram (centre) with members of Religions for Peace NSW Branch
