Speaking on CAAMA Radio….Mr Ross says that their are people  in Canberra and Darwin who sit within Parliaments and  bureaucracies who with the stroke of a pen have  removed the ability  for Aboriginal people to make decisions and to  run their own affairs.

He  says  that under a Labor government in the Northern Territory  which had  introduced the Shires …. Aboriginal people had seen  their authorty and ability  to   participate in  day to day decision making  taken away….leaving them well and truly done over..despite their longstanding support of the party.

Download audio file (15-02-David-Ross-pt-1.mp3)
Download audio file (19-01-David-Ross.-part-2.mp3)
15-02 David Ross pt 1

19-01 David Ross. part 2

The audit was conducted for the National Stroke Foundation in 2009… and found that Aboriginal people aged between 18 and 64 were three times as  likely to die or be dependent after being discharged from hospital following stroke.

It found that Aboriginal people are 30 per cent less likely to be treated in the specialist area of a hospital  and are  less likely to receive aspirin within 48 hours..And  of the 80 Aboriginal patients in the study… none had been given clot-busting medication.

Florey Neuroscience Institutes Director Professor Geoffrey Donnan spoke to Nerida Currey on Strong Voices…explaining what this means on a grassroots level, and shares his professional opinion and views.

15.02 Professor Geoffrey Donnan – Stroke

Professor Donnan says there are vast differences between the care that is being administered to Aboriginal people than non-Indigenous patients… and what it means on a grassroots level is that it seems Aboriginal patients are coming in later to hospital…and not getting the same sort of care…

Professor Donnan says a stroke is something that affects the brain very suddenly due to a blockage or bursting of a blood vessel… and produces symptoms such as sudden weakness or numbness down one side of the body…trouble with vision….dizziness..and .trouble with speech …He  says anyone experiencing these  symptoms should treat it as a medical emergency and get to hospital immediately.

It’s always great to have Federal Ministers pop into the CAAMA studios while they are in town.

Federal Minister for Indigenous Health and Federal Minister for Mental Health and Aging Mark Butler caught up with the crew at CAAMA earlier this month.

They were in town for a local forum on aging in Alice Springs, as part of a national discussion.

Earlier this month the Federal Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon and Federal Minister for Mental Health and Aging Mark Butler were in Alice Springs for a local forum on aging as part of a national discussion.

The forum heard  the community’s views and concern about care and support for older Australians.

Minister Snowdon dropped into the CAAMA Studios just after the forum. He spoke to Pam Reilly on Strong Voices.

02.02.12 Warren Snowden on Ageing Forumn EDITED

A National discussion on healthy and positive aging has shown the Northern Territory often has the same issues as the rest of the country…but they are more pronounced.

Federal Minister for Mental Health And Aging Mark Butler and Federal Indigenous Health Minister Warren Snowdon met with local Alice Springs seniors earlier this month, for one of many forums across the country, to hear  the community’s views about care and support for older Australians…and the challenges they face.

Minister Butler says the main difference in the Northern Territory is that it is much harder to get workers into the aged care system and to keep them there.

Minister Butler dropped into the CAAMA studios the day after the forum. He spoke to Nerida Currey on Strong Voices.

2.2.12 Minister Mark Butler

Minister Butler says the main issue voiced by Aboriginal people in the Territory …particularly in  remote areas is how to deliver care and support to people living in remote communities… a challenge also faced in the area of mental health.

He says he has also had some really good discussions in Alice Springs beyond the forum…with a range of providers, town camps and frontier services…who have had some good ideas about  addressing the issues…including how to encourage young aboriginal people into aged care…training and support and how to keep them in aged care.

The feedback from the forums will help inform the Gillard Labour Government’s response to the Productivity Commision’s Final Report…Caring For Older Australians.

Pam Reilly hit the streets today to find out what Valentine’s Day means to local people in Alice Springs…

Valentines day Vox Pops 2012

Barb Shaw on Stronger Futures Legislation

Photo Courtesy of Tracker.

An original member of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy says the group of protestors who burned the Australian Flag did so as a symbol of rejection for the way Government has treated Aboriginal people…not an attack on all Australians.

During a protest held on Australia Day a group of protesters were captured on video burning the Australian flag a piece of footage which became a focus of mainstream media coverage and offended many Australians.

Founding member of the Tent Embassy Michael Anderson says people should not get too involved with the flag burning incident.

He says the small group of people who burned the flag were expressing anger at how the Australian Government has treated Aboriginal people and the policies that continue to affect them.

Mr Anderson spoke to Nerida Currey shortly after the events took place…

Michael Anderson On Australia Day and Soverenity

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda says Aboriginal people feel totally dis-empowered by the Shires Model

Mr Gooda says there needs to be something done to get governance structures back into the communities.

Mr Gooda spoke to Pam Reilly on CAAMA Radio to share his thoughts…

PAM and Mick Gooda, NT ShiresEDITED

Former world champion marathon runner Rob de Castella is calling on Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander men and women to consider competing in one of the biggest running events in the world…the New York City Marathon.

The Project…founded by Mr de Castella…annually selects a group of Indigenous men and women to compete in the New York City Marathon with just 6 months of training……and they are calling on men and women aged between 18 and 30 to take up the challenge and apply for this year’s Indigenous Marathon Project…

Applications for 2012 close next Monday, the 13th February, so make sure you apply or nominate NOW!!

Successful applicants will be coached and supervised by Mr de Castella, attend a number of training camps around Australia compete in fun-runs and running events… undertake a special Certificate III in Community Recreation with a focus in Indigenous Health…and compete in the world famous New York City Marathon.

Mr de Castella say he encourages everyone who is interested in distance running…and wants to be an inspiration, should apply.

Rob speaks to Nerida Currey on CAAMA Radio about the project.

Download audio file (Rob-Decastella-IMP.mp3)

You can apply over the phone, by calling (02) 6260 5750, on or online through their website, www.imp.org.au. Or by clicking here

Jeff McMullen… a seasoned and respected Journalist has spoken out against media coverage of the events on Australia Day….and says there was an over-dramatisation of what actually happened.

Mr McMullen…who has had over 45 years experience observing demonstrations.. was among the several thousand who went to Canberra for the 40th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy…and says he was as amazed as most who were there at hearing the media coverage of what they say happened compared to what actually did happen.

Mr McMullen spoke to Nerida Currey on CAAMA Radio the day after the events took place.

Jeff McMullen on Aust Day media Coverage PART 1

Jeff McMullen on Aust Day media Coverage PART 2

Mr McMullen says the protest was calm and peaceful for most of the morning…until a message was conveyed to the Tent Embassy’s speakers platform… about comments Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had made.

Mr McMullen says the demonstrators who went across to the restaurant were  expressing their disappointed at the signal they had interpreted from Mr Abbott’s Comments..in a loud and pointed way.

He says it was a noisy demonstration…but not a violent one…and only became out of control because of an overreaction from the policy and security detail around the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader.

NT Thunder’s new Coach Daniel Archer is in Alice Springs this weekend…and has
had his first opportunity to check out the Central Australian football talent.
He attended the Southern Region squad training session yesterday (Friday).

CAAMA’s Nerida Currey had a chat to Daniel during the training session yesterday.

Daniel Archer New NT Thunder Coach in Alice

The Club’s new CEO Jarred Ilett and Talent and Coaching Manager Wally Gallio as
well as the club’s High Performance Manager Kia Naylor also came to the Alice
to check it out.

Late last year the Federal Government announced its plans to push ahead with the tough love approach…and put forward their Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Bills which have been labelled as a continuation of the Northern Territory Intervention.

The Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Bills had been referred by the Senate late last year…and the Senate Committee is seeking written submissions from interested people and organisations …to voice their thoughts on whether the Governments Stronger Futures laws should be passed.

The final date for submissions is TODAY the First of February 2012…with the Senate Committee reporting their findings to Government on the 29th of February.

Submissions to the Senate Inquiry can be sent online through the senate website, via email or by posting a letter in the mail (But please be aware if you send it in the mail it will not get there in time as the due date is TODAY).

To send it via email, it can be sent to community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au as an attached Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word document. The email must include full postal address and contact details.

To submit it online follow the address:  https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/pages/index.aspx

People needing special arrangements or help to participate in the inquiry are encouraged to contact the Committee Secretariat.

Notes to help you prepare your submission are available from the website at http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm. Alternatively, the Committee Secretariat will be able to help you with your inquiries and can be contacted on telephone 02 6277 3515 or facsimile 026277 5829 or by email to community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au.

Inquiries from hearing and speech impaired people should be directed to Parliament House TTY number 02 6277 7799. Adobe also provides tools at http://access.adobe.com/ for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF documents.

For more information go to http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/strong_future_nt_11/info.htm

A Country Liberals candidate claimed in the mainstream media that several Aboriginal Leaders at the Tent Embassy protest had made inflammatory statements…stirring people up and inciting them to violence.

Seasoned Journalist Jeff McMullen…who was there when the events took place…has slammed these accusations..saying they are totally untrue and there was never a call for violence or to intimidate either Tony Abbott or the Prime Minister.

Mr McMullen Says… as an eye witness to the events on Australia day…that the Aboriginal leaders present did nothing to incite or encourage the violence. He says he was standing next to Rosalie Kunoth Monks during the time she was accused to have been inciting threatening acts.

Listen to this CAAMA Radio Breaking News story…

Breaking News no violence Aboriginal leaders

A respected journalist with over 45 years experience observing demonstrations has spoken out against media coverage of the protest on Australia day…and says there was a vast over-dramatisation of what actually happened.

Jeff McMullen was among those who went to Canberra for the 40th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy…and says he was  amazed at hearing the media coverage of what they say happened…compared to what actually did happen.

Listen to this breaking news story from the CAAMA Newsroom…

Breaking News Aust Day Protest