Govt rush to push intervention laws 'appalling'Intervention ... The bills for the federal crackdown will be introduced to Parliament today. (ABC TV) A leader of a delegation that wants the Federal Government to reconsider its Northern Territory intervention says it is travesty that Parliament is only being given a few days to consider 500 pages of legislation.
 The bills for the federal crackdown on Indigenous child abuse will be introduced to Parliament today, with the Government seeking approval to spend almost $600 million in the first year of the intervention.
The Federal Government says more than $200 million will be spent on welfare changes and employment programs, with the rest going towards other measures including education, child protection, law and order and health services. The Government has not yet calculated the cost of compensation for land takeovers. Labor says it backs moves to address child abuse but is unhappy with the time it has been given to assess the bills and will decide how to deal with the proposed legislation this morning. The head of National Indigenous Television and former ATSIC chief, Pat Turner, has travelled to Canberra as part of the delegation. She says introducing the legislation in such a rush is an abuse of power. "How the hell we're supposed to analyse that and see exactly what's involved by the time they introduce this - it's really appalling," she said. "So not only are they treating Aboriginal people with contempt, they're also treating the Parliament with contempt." No meetingMs Turner says the group is yet to secure a meeting with either major party. She and former NT Government Minister John Ah Kit are leading the group, which includes representatives from right across the Territory. Ms Turner says Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough offered to meet the delegation before most of its members were due to arrive. "I think that Mal Brough did that deliberately, said 'well, I offered them a meeting', of course - at three o'clock when there's only two people here," she said. "I mean we want to have a serious discussion about this and make sure everybody has an opportunity to put the point of views that we hold." Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has attacked the legislation, saying it is discriminatory. "The Racial Discrimination Act provides, as does the international convention for special measures, for the advancement of a particular racial group," she said. "We do not believe that the measures contained in this legislation are for the advancement of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. "It clearly takes their rights away, it takes away their right to make decisions over their land." Liquor licensingMeanwhile, Northern Territory public health advocates are backing the Commonwealth's plan to review licensed clubs in Indigenous communities. The measure will be included in the Federal Government's National Emergency Response Bill, to be introduced to Parliament today. Mr Brough says there are 35 clubs with liquor licenses in communities in the Territory and all will have their licenses reviewed over the next month. John Boffa from the Alice Springs-based People's Alcohol Action Coalition says any attempt to crack down on alcohol running to remote Indigenous communities is welcome. "I think most people in the community would realise if someone's buying more than three cartons, or the equivalence of more than three cartons of grog, it's not unreasonable to suggest that they give some details about what they're planning to do with that grog and their ID, so that it is more possible for the police to track people who are making large purchases of alcohol from the Northern Territory," he said. Mr Boffa says while some are well-managed clubs, some are promoting harm. "I think it's a welcome initiative to be reviewing those clubs, leave those ones that are working well alone, because they're actually helping to deal with the problem," he said. "But where they're not working, where they're not well-managed and where they're selling unlimited takeaway, get rid of them." Source
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