Talking Points

Below articles have been written and published in The Mercury.

Talking Point: Cultural voice for Tasmania’s World Heritage

Emma Lee and Fiona Hamilton, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; July 16, 2016

“UNESCO’S World Heritage Committee has given its support to the federal and state government decisions that the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area country is to be jointly managed with Aboriginal people, stating that the agreement is “exemplary'”.

The World Heritage Committee, in its annual meeting in Turkey, has required that a detailed cultural values assessment be undertaken over the next two years and that Tasmanian Aboriginal people be heavily involved in the Tourism Master Plan. However, the time gap between the cultural values assessment and the application of those findings for a Tourism Master Plan needs to be addressed.” You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Draft reform of constitution is a step towards keeping historic promise

Emma Lee and Fiona Hamilton, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; June 10, 2016

“IF equality is your cup of tea, then fusty Budget Estimates hearings in State Parliament happen to be the hottest ticket in town.

During an afternoon session on Tuesday, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Will Hodgman introduced a draft amendment for constitutional reform.

It is only a draft, but these words spoke of a deeply powerful commitment we have to each other as Tasmanians. It also meant, for the first time, that Tasmanian Aboriginal people and families awoke to be recognised as First Peoples in our own country. In return, it is with the most sincere and heartfelt thanks that we recognise the Tasmanian Government is “making good” on delivering the Promise of 1831 that Robinson and Mannalargenna negotiated.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Aboriginal inclusion in world heritage management good move

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; April 11, 2016

“THE decision from the Reactive Monitoring Mission on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is good news for a variety of reasons.

It is great news for Aboriginal people and our relationship with the Tasmanian Government.

The bulk of the report is dedicated to the support for joint management that is explicitly stated in recommendations 14 and 20.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Aboriginal voice splintered because of sense of alienation

Patsy Cameron and Rodney Dillion , Published in The Mercury, Opinion; April 2, 2016

“SOME claims in the Talking Point article by Heather Sculthorpe are not factual (Mercury, March 9).

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has never had authority to speak for all Tasmanian Aborigines. As far back as 1975, the Flinders Island and Cape Barren Island communities separated from the then Aboriginal Information Service (now TAC) and formed their own organisations.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Premier bravely made history addressing Aboriginal identity crisis

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; January 29, 2016

“PREMIER Will Hodgman has followed great Liberal leaders, from Malcolm Fraser to our own Ray Groom, in acknowledging the contribution, leadership and rights of indigenous people.

To put this week’s Australia Day speech by the Premier into perspective, no other premier in Australian history has dedicated an entire address to indigenous people or tackled a theme as tricky as resetting the relationship between regional communities and government. It was brave.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Wilderness plan benchmark to renew relations

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; January 8, 2016

“CONDITIONS are positive for resetting the relationship between the Tasmanian Government and indigenous peoples and to develop new ways of working together.

The call to reset the relationship reflects and applies the language and intent of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area draft plan of management, released in 2014.”  You can read the full article here.

Talking Point: Many talking voices in big country

Aunty Patsy Cameron, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; November 13, 2015

“IT has been 20 years since I celebrated the momentous occasion of the Aboriginal Lands Act, where islands in the Furneaux Group surrounding my island home and many other places of significance were returned.

I recall that Sunday at Risdon Cove when many of our elders proudly held our titles of land high signifying the hope and joy of making a better life for ourselves and the generations to come.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Unhealthy division underlies Aboriginal ‘one community’ dogma

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; November 07, 2015

“THE Aboriginal ground in Tasmania is positively shape-shifting. So many Aboriginal families and groups have been left in the wilderness by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre that it has become obvious, even to the State Government, there is no equality or equity for diverse opinions.

In my congratulations to the Government, specifically Environment, Parks and Heritage Minister Matthew Groom, for the expansion of the Aboriginal Heritage Council, I applaud the decision for the cultural values assessment to be given over to all Aboriginal people instead of one group.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Honouring history’s promise

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; October 31, 2015

“In August, melythina tiakana warrana Aboriginal Corporation was invited to give evidence to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Regional Development to investigate constitutional reform.

Our corporation presented a model based on mutual respect. It is grounded in history and country, specifically tebrakunna country, where Robinson and Mannalargenna in 1831 negotiated what was called “the promise” – that if Aboriginal people acknowledged the rights of the settlers to be here, we could hunt, fish and walk across the country unrestricted – but only when things got safer.” You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Wilderness talks leading to regional Aboriginal approach

Emma Lee, The Mercury, Opinion; August 15, 2015

“This past week, two events occurred that are resetting, in good faith, the relationship between First Peoples and other Tasmanians.

The House of Assembly Regional Development Standing Committee hearings to reform the Constitution for First Peoples recognition and, latterly, six Aboriginal groups came together to show leadership in progressing good governance and management of our public estate, such as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.”  You can read the full article here.

Talking Point: Wilderness plan holds key to dealing with Aboriginal rights.

Emma Lee, The Mercury, Opinion; July 11, 2015

“DIVERSE opinions regarding constitutional reform should be welcome from all quarters, including the many varied perspectives from First Peoples of Tasmania.

melythina tiakana warrana Aboriginal Corporation has submitted a model of constitutional reform to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Community Development to address what we believe is the critical element for a successful change – simplicity.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: Put the ‘one community, one voice’ myth out to pasture

Emma Lee, The Mercury, Opinion; June 26, 2015

“ON the back of the successful Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Aboriginal engagement process to develop the first joint management plan, the Premier has linked Constitutional reform to recognise my peoples.

On behalf of our membership, the board of melythina tiakana warrana Aboriginal Corporation supports the TWWHA plan because it gives equity and inclusion to Aboriginal people to participate in managing the cultural values through tourism and cultural business.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Talking Point: More voices in World Heritage wilderness plan

Emma Lee, The Mercury, Opinion; February 12, 2015

“PREMIER Hodgman has asked us to consider our state constitution and the ways in which we can recognise the long, diverse and shared history of Tasmania, particularly Aboriginal people and culture.

One of the means already raised is through land transfers, which first occurred in 1995 as a reconciliation action and where 12 significant Aboriginal places, such as Preminghana and Wybalena, were returned to our communities.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Saturday Soapbox: Green glitter hide cultural truth

Emma Lee, The Mercury, Opinion; January 24, 2015

“I HAVE worked hard to ensure that one focus of the new plan for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is to develop ways of working together with Aboriginal people to manage the area’s outstanding cultural values, alongside the natural values.

The 1999 TWWHA plan failed in this respect, because the theme and attention paid to “wilderness” was at the expense of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture.”  You can read the full article here.

 

Relics Act reflect an ignorant era

Emma Lee, Published in The Mercury, Opinion; September 25, 2014

“NEXT year will be the 40th anniversary of Microsoft being formed out of a shed in New Mexico, Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance, the Sex Pistols’ first gig and our own terrible Derwent Bridge disaster.

It is also the anniversary of the Aboriginal Relics Act 1975, which is the state legislation that defines and manages all the things that comprise Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Since this Act was written, not one word has changed or section been repealed – not a word.”  You can read the full article here.