Comments on: Aboriginal radio banned from Macklin town meeting

By: Chris Graham

Chris Graham — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:08:22 +0000

The truth.

By: Derek Butcher

Derek Butcher — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:39:59 +0000

what is Macklin afraid of?

By: jungarrayi

jungarrayi — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:56:11 +0000

I won’t buy into the stoush as to the merits or otherwise of CAAMA, I will however tell you a bit about Minister Macklin and the Media at Yuendumu.
Our swimming pool was opened by Jenny Macklin last year. That morning “community leaders” were invited to meet with the Minister. When our own Warlpiri Media asked for permission to record that meeting, quick as a flash Ms.Macklin said “we have already agreed with the press that this is a private meeting” and there was to be no filming. Subsequently the (outside) media reported that the Yuendumu women were very happy with Income Management (IM) and not a thing about the petition presented to Ms.Macklin at that meeting (signed by over 300 people- a majority of women- objecting to the Intervention). In particular pictures of Jenny Macklin arm in arm with a smiling Peggy Nampijimpa Brown OAM were published. We at Yuendumu knew that Ms.Brown is one of the most ardent opponents to compulsory Income Management (half her pension is quarantined) yet newspaper articles had her supposedly saying that she was very pleased with IM.
On tuesday (a week ago) the ICC (Indigenous Co-ordination Commitee of FaCSIAH) came to Yuendumu to hold the much touted by Minister Macklin so called “consultations”. Most Yuendumu residents were unaware of the proposed meeting, and neither did they know what they were supposed to be about. The meeting was supposed to start at 10:30 a.m. A group of around 50 people had gathered and Warlpiri Media was getting ready to record the meeting (they do so as a matter of course so as to create a local record available to community members that might have missed the meeting or wish to review what transpired). The ICC official said that there was to be no filming inside. The alleged reason was something to do with privacy laws. No such reticence when the politicians bring along their media contingent! Anyway, a number of us objected (“we want proof”) and when some time later the lady invited us in to the meeting no one moved (“no local media… no meeting”). The Mexican stand-off lasted a bit over one hour, when a compromise was reached: filming would be allowed provided the ICC got a copy of the footage.
After it was explained on a white board what the meeting was about the first item for discussion was IM. Some angry outburst in Warlpiri (including one by Peggy Brown) set the ball rolling. The discussions lasted 3 hours and all local input for at least the first half the meeting was in the Warlpiri language. Whenever someone strayed into English a chorus of “Warlpiri wangkaya” would ensue. FaCSIAH had hired two locals as interpreters.
The next day we were advised that Jenny Macklin’s proposed visit to Yuendumu the following Tuesday had been deferred to a later date.
Lani-jarrija-mayi?

By: Matt Francis

Matt Francis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:33:28 +0000

Leaving aside the rights or wrongs of doing this, is does seem like an odd thing to do. Surely whatever was said can be reported anyway, and by barring the media, particularly the indigenous media, it makes the whole thing look very sinister which presumable Macklin was trying to avoid by having the meeting in the first place. Apart from anything else it is pretty poor political strategy.

By: Bob Gosford

Bob Gosford — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:20:52 +0000

MPM - let me just repeat - do you have any material in support of your assertions and imaginings?
Maybe you might have some personal experiences you’d like to share with us all?

By: grace

grace — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:35:53 +0000

For people who don’t know CAAMA - Most Peculiar Mama is talking a load of CR#P! CAAMA is a very good broadcaster of programs in English and Indigenous languages. It has never been compared with TNT and these comments demonstrate that Most Peculiar Mama is either a Macklin stooge or a nut.

By: Most Peculiar Mama

Most Peculiar Mama — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:15:55 +0000

“…The comment about the age and experience of the Minister’s media advisor is relevant…”

Rubbish.

Worse, you see that as a legitimate screen in which to hide your prejudice behind.

“…And there is no evidence of any ‘fight’ - a verbal disagreement between a media minder and journalists trying to do their job…”

Do you even read your own copy? What part of “stoush” did you miss?

Put simply, CAAMA didn’t get what they wanted…they squealed and behaved like petulant children and were told to go away and grow up.

Is that the face Aboriginal media wishes to show to the rest of the country?

Were they expecting special treatment?

By: Bob Gosford

Bob Gosford — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:04:31 +0000

‘Most peculiar Mama’ - your comments may carry a little more weight if you chose to identify both yourself and the basis of the comments you so obviously feel so passionately about.
The comment about the age and experience of the Minister’s media advisor is relevant and to me neither paternalistic or condescending - it is just an opinion. And there is no evidence of any ‘fight’ - just a verbal disagreement between a media minder and journalists trying to do their job - any journalist would react similarly, i.e. press their point, if they were being denied the opportunity to do their job.
As for the allegation that CAAMA has a reputation equal to TT - any evidence or instances to support that comment? Similarly with the ‘gotcha’ moment - from all the CAAMA TV and radio I’ve seen and heard - and I’ve seen a fair bit over the years - I’ve never come across any ‘gotcha’ moments - in my experience they just don’t work that way.

By: Phil Teece

Phil Teece — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:48:49 +0000

‘Most peculiar Mama’, like the fools who perpetrated this damaging behaviour, is talking nonsense. I just came back from the Alice last week. CAAMA run a a great radio station as well as being a fabulous musical repository. If they have been treated in this manner we can assume that talk about listening to indigenous people is nothing more than total bullshit. CAAMA is the voice of indigenous people but, much more than that, it is the voice of the Centre. I for one am appalled and deeply upset by this story.

By: Most Peculiar Mama

Most Peculiar Mama — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:41:14 +0000

“… the Minister’s very young and obviously inexperienced media advisor told us we weren’t to go in to the meeting and a verbal stoush broke out…”

I’m not surprised with such a disgracefully paternalistic and condescending attitude.

Were they also berated by your mob for being white, Mr Remedio?

“…we chose to exercise a bit of decorum and discretion and left of our own accord…”

From a fight YOU started…how charmingly adult of you.

CAAMA has a history of being the indigenous version of Today Tonight.

More than likely the ‘Aboriginal’ media were there to film a gotcha moment with the Minister.

Thankfully their efforts failed.

By: grace

grace — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:29:26 +0000

This is an absolute disgrace and time all Australians paid very close attention to what Minister Macklin is attempting to do in the NT.

By: Jenny Haines

Jenny Haines — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:15:19 +0000

What the hell happened here? If this had been a town meeting in a white community over a local issue and the same thing had been tried there would have been and almighty uproar!! This is Australia, not Zimbabwe or Iran. We are supposed to have freedom of the press in this country. Take care Jenny Macklin.

By: Liz45

Liz45 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:31:36 +0000

Why doesn’t this surprise me? I suggest, that people purchase some of those tiny recorders and give them to trusted friends who can tape the lot? Sounds a bit like having to resort to how journalists reported the election in Zimbabwe, and the assaults before and after etc? This is Australia isn’t it? Only when the politicians are embarrassed or shamed will they start behaving like decent human beings? This is a national disgrace! You don’t achieve positive results while engaging in such practices! I want to know what the local people are saying, as I want to understand the difficulties; what works and what doesn’t and how we can all contribute to a better environment for aboriginal people to live. This tactic is appalling! Outsmart them!Shame them! Be prepared for next time!
I’ll be sending Jenny Macklin an email of complaint. I suggest others do too!