Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

City Council By-Laws was heard but <strong>the</strong> Darwin City Council refused to acknowledge <strong>the</strong>re were
any problems. The complaint went to <strong>the</strong> Federal Court, but <strong>the</strong> complainants had to withdraw
because <strong>of</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> legal representation and finances (i.e. Darwin is a small community and no
lawyers were willing to take up <strong>the</strong> case because it was going against <strong>the</strong> Council and <strong>the</strong>
government. Also many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lawyers were unfamiliar with <strong>the</strong> possible human rights arguments
in <strong>the</strong> case). So overall <strong>the</strong>re are no practical outcomes from legal actions for Longgrass people.
Vision Statement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Longgrass Association calls for:
– Amend Darwin City Council By Law 103, which makes it an <strong>of</strong>fence to sleep out between dusk
and dawn;
– Amend Darwin City Council By Law 100 which allows workers to take blankets, bags and
personal items that are stashed in public places;
– Open public toilets for use 24 hours a day;
– Legal service for longgrass people;
– Urgent housing for dialysis patients and <strong>the</strong>ir extended families in Darwin;
– Provision <strong>of</strong> dialysis machines in remote communities;
– Services to be located throughout Darwin and Palmerston and managed by longgrass people:
overnight shelters with toilets, showers, washing facilities, lockers; housing for extended
families; drop-in centres to access information and services; medical bus; c<strong>of</strong>fee/information
buses;
– Councils to regularly collect rubbish from all camps to ensure health standards are maintained;
– Allocation <strong>of</strong> space for longgrass people in present and future town planning for Darwin and
Palmerston;
– Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory Government, Darwin and Palmerston Councils and Night Patrol to consult
regularly with Longgrass Association and Longgrass people about <strong>the</strong>ir needs;
– Respect (not racist stereotyping) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Longgrass culture;
– Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory Government and Darwin City Council need to amend past wrongs by
reviewing policies that exclude and discriminate against Longgrass people.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 201