Qld: Aborigines thrown overboard - Robinson

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2004
Qld: Aborigines thrown overboard - Robinson

By Nikki Todd

BRISBANE, April 15 AAP - First it was children overboard, now it is black fellas overboard,
ATSIC's former deputy chairman "Sugar" Ray Robinson said today.

The Queensland South commissioner, who resigned from the position of deputy chairman
last June amid allegations of financial impropriety, said the Howard government had taken
indigenous people back 50 years with the decision to abolish ATSIC and its regional councils.

"It has gone now from children overboard to black fellas overboard," Mr Robinson said.

"I think it's a decision that will put indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people back 50 years.

"I think it has taken away our self determination and our democratic right to elect
our own representatives in this country."

Mr Robinson said ATSIC would fight the decision, with a High Court challenge a possible
way forward.

"We have survived the last 215 years, and we will survive the next 215 years," he said.

"What has happened here is you have got a very redneck, conservative prime minister
that has got a very negative attitude towards indigenous people in this country and I
think he has shown it."

South-East Queensland Commissioner Robbie Williams said it was a "dark day" for Aboriginal
people.

"Democracy for Aboriginal people has been damaged very, very much by this move by the
Howard government," Mr Williams said.

He said a change in ATSIC's leadership following the suspension of chairman Geoff Clark
and resignation of Mr Robinson might have saved the organisation.

AAP nt/ch/tma/jlw

KEYWORD: ATSIC QLD

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.