Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

– The role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> media in reporting on longgrass issues: The negative reporting by <strong>the</strong> media has
actively aggravated racial tension and violence, as well as reinforced racial prejudices and
stereotypes. In March/April 2003, <strong>the</strong>re was a particularly aggressive campaign by <strong>the</strong> media
against <strong>the</strong> longgrass people, during which <strong>the</strong> abhorrent idea <strong>of</strong> ‘permits for Aboriginals’ was
even raised. The fear campaigns are particularly strong around <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory
elections and are very effective in gaining votes for right wing political parties;
– A series <strong>of</strong> by-laws are introduced to prevent longgrass people living in public spaces (e.g. issuing
<strong>of</strong> fines for sleeping between dusk and dawn, for lighting a fire, or for leaving your possessions
in a public spaces). In addition people’s access to basic services are removed (e.g. cut taps <strong>of</strong>f in
public spaces (<strong>the</strong> Council brings <strong>the</strong>ir own tap attachments), public toilets are locked up), with
<strong>the</strong> result that many longgrass people have to walk long distances to bring water for <strong>the</strong>ir camps.
Dulcie Malimara (Uinawinga Project)
I have been in Darwin since I was 17. I had all my kids in Darwin. Even my bro<strong>the</strong>r, he is
blind…we’ve been staying in Darwin all our lives. Anyway, we had a Housing Commission house
for nearly 19 years. I had an injured neck and injured leg and went to hospital. My kids were
staying in <strong>the</strong> house, but nobody was looking after <strong>the</strong>m. So some <strong>of</strong> my people come along. I
told my people not to make noise because that wasn’t my house. But <strong>the</strong>y made a lot <strong>of</strong> noise
so I got kicked out. I was in <strong>the</strong> hospital when my kids got kicked out. When I came out <strong>the</strong>y
wasn’t <strong>the</strong>re. And that’s my big problem. I didn’t want to go back in <strong>the</strong> Housing Commission.
I’m happy staying outside so I can sing, dance, cry, whatever I like. So I’m free enough to stay
here. The Housing Commission, its really hard. You can’t even take your family. It’s really hard
for us to go back in a Housing Commission, because I tried that a lot <strong>of</strong> times. That’s my story.
Dulcie and her sisters and bro<strong>the</strong>r were born in Arnhemland during and just after World War II. Some
moved as children or young teenagers to Darwin in <strong>the</strong> 1950s. They retain connections with <strong>the</strong>ir home
country near Maningrida, and have some traditional responsibility for certain lands <strong>the</strong>re, but <strong>the</strong>y
have been Darwin residents for decades. Dulcie has lived in Darwin since 1966, when she went into
Royal Darwin Hospital to bear her first child Marietta (now 32 years old). She has been a permanent
Darwin resident for 32 years and brought up all her children here.
When she moved to Darwin, Dulcie lived in a caravan park on <strong>the</strong> outskirts <strong>of</strong> Darwin, and <strong>the</strong>n moved
to ano<strong>the</strong>r. After cyclone Tracey (1974) <strong>the</strong> Housing Commission built houses for low-income people
and provided Dulcie’s immediate family with a house in Moil suburb. Dulcie lived in that house for
many years until she went to hospital. Family members came to Darwin to visit her in hospital and
look after her young children, and stayed in her house. No-one ensured rent was paid. The visiting
family members, un-accustomed to high-density living, caused too much noise. Dulcie’s family was
evicted. When she left hospital she was homeless.
She and o<strong>the</strong>r members <strong>of</strong> her group have come toge<strong>the</strong>r at or been dispersed to various underdeveloped
areas around Darwin. This has included lengthy stays at Lee Point (twice) and Marrara Creek and
o<strong>the</strong>r publicly owned land in <strong>the</strong> hands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Commonwealth or Territory government agencies, which
have generally moved <strong>the</strong>m on after a few months. They were evicted very publicly from Lee Point
a few years ago as trespassers.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 197