The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement has a long history of supporting land rights legislation in South Australia. Not only do ALRM give assistance to the Pitjantjatjara Council in the formation of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act in its original form, but the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement has consistently made submissions to government supporting the APY Land Rights Act through the various amendments which have taken place over the years.
It is in that context that the Chairperson of the aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Ms Sandra Saunders expressed utter dismay at the amendments proposed by the State government, and which were the subject of a strong media statement by the Executive of Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara on the 28 November 2014. This was apparently in response to the Minister’s press release of the 27th November.
Ms Sandra Saunders said, “The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement unambiguously supports APY in its opposition to the legislation which would allow the Minister to suspend the elected APY Executive Board “for any reason he or she thinks fit and appoint an administrator”.
The Chairperson Ms Sandra Saunders is concerned that the effect of the proposed amendments, clause 4, proposed section 13O(1) would be to allow the Minister to suspend the Executive Board of APY for a period specified in a Notice or until further notice, by notice in in the Government Gazette. “Such amendments will take us back 30 years”, said Ms Saunders.
Ms Saunders has expressed, on behalf of ALRM, grave concern that the government of South Australia should be proposing such legislation, and apparently without proper justification or detailed public debate.
“Certainly no such justification has been told to the public and there has been no proper public discourse on this topic by the Minister or other members of the government”, she said.
“Rather it appears from the Minister’s press release that he wishes to guillotine the matter through Parliament by the end of the sitting week, because of unspecified ‘ongoing and escalating concerns over the governance and administration of the lands’.
The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement supports Aboriginal self-determination and supports the APY Land Rights Act because it allowed for self-determination for Aboriginal people”, she said.
“Giving the Minister the power to suspend the Executive Board ‘ for any reason he or she thinks fit’ is a draconian response which would allow little oversight by the courts for the Minister’s decision”, she said.
“The government needs to be more open and honest about its intentions in this regard. The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement unequivocally supports the Chairperson of the APY Executive Mr Bernard Singer in his media statement and the concerns expressed by the APY Board over these proposed changes to the APY Land Rights Act”, Ms Saunders said.
Signed: Sandra Saunders (ALRM Chairperson)
Ph: 0458143431.