Thursday, 31 August 2000

Negotiated outcomes the casualty in cynical Queensland native title deal

The Federal Labor Opposition's deal with Premier Beattie over Queensland native title laws shows that Australia is now without an alternative government committed to negotiating mutually agreed outcomes with Indigenous people on issues affecting their rights.

"Labor is now joining with the Howard Government in opting for conflict and division instead of seeking negotiated solutions to these issues", ANTaR National Coordinator, David Cooper said today. "It is helping to perpetuate the fiction that it is Indigenous people's rights 'holding up development', rather than looking to the deliberate actions and past inaction of government as the true cause", Mr Cooper added.

"It is also of deep concern that Labor is supporting legislation based on federal laws which have been identified by United Nations human rights monitoring committees as racially discriminatory".

As a result the rights of native title holders will be removed on up to 60,000 square kilometres of land where native title may exist. Indigenous heritage will also be put at further risk.

"This is a sad day for those who have been looking to see the alarming deterioration in Indigenous rights in this country stemmed", Mr Cooper said.

"And all to support the cynical politics of Premier Beattie. Beattie's claim that because both sides are unhappy, that they've somehow got it right, is simply divisive and makes a mockery of proper process, not to mention our international obligations. The recent native title agreement in Western Australia shows that mutually agreed outcomes are possible."

"Governments should be steering the parties away from conflict and division and into negotiation processes which give win/win outcomes", Mr Cooper added.

For interviews, please contact: David Cooper 02 9555 6138 or 0418 486 310