Queensland's Palm Island Tragedy
January 17th 2007 15:01
Since 1918 Palm Island has been a place of misery and tragedy for the Indigenous community of Queensland and that continues to this day.
Many of you who read this may have read my other blogs regarding the current controversy surrounding the death of an indigenous man while in custody on Palm Island.
In the last few days the Palm Island tragedies continue.
On the very day former NSW chief justice Sir Laurence Street visited the Island as part of his review into the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions decision not to pursue any charges against the arresting Police officer despite the Deputy State Coroner finding that he was responsible for the fatal injuries suffered by the deceased man the community of Palm Island were to face a double tragedy.
A young man who gave evidence in the coronial report was found hanged in his mother’s front yard and another was charged in Cairns alleged to have committed the horrific act of raping and torturing a 14 month old infant.
It is hard to imagine the despair that must be felt by the residents of this community and of the hopelessness that they seem to face in attempting to give their young folk any chance of breaking free of the violence and poverty that has gripped their community.
Palm Island belonged to the Manbarra people before it was gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve in 1914.
In 1918 it was used by the then Queensland Protector as a place to send Aboriginals who were considered problems or uncontrollable by this protector of white society.
The next twenty years saw 1630 from over 40 different aboriginal groups dumped there. This mixing of different groupings brought with it obvious tensions and violence.
Those on Palm Island were under strict control and were kept in squalid and impoverished conditons. Leprosy and venereal disease was rife and Aboriginals were made to salute any white person they passed.
The Island continued along this path of mismanagement and neglect and in 1985 the Queensland Government gave title of the island to a Community Council in the form of a "deed in grant in trust" giving residents more say in the administration of the Island.
By now however the damage was done and the Island continues to grapple with social problems such as alcohol abuse, domestic violence and other crimes as well as poverty and high unemployment.
In November , 2005 it was reported that the Red Cross was shipping drinking water to alleviate a problem with the Islands water supply.
One has to ask themselves how is it that in a state that continues to grow rich on an enormous resources and mining boom that a community can be allowed to live in such poverty and despair?
Following the Beattie governments last election victory one of the first things that was done was the abolishment of the department of Indigenous Affairs.
This on top of the Governments meagre offer of a maximum $4000 payment to make up for the non-payment of wages to Aboriginal people who were not paid by previous governments up until 1972.
Is it any wonder that there is such despair and hopelessness amongst Indigenous people?
How can such a rich and wealthy nation such as Australia sit back and watch this happen?
Further Articles of interest can be found here:
"The Tall Man" by Chloe Hopper
Shameful White history of Palm Island
Many of you who read this may have read my other blogs regarding the current controversy surrounding the death of an indigenous man while in custody on Palm Island.
In the last few days the Palm Island tragedies continue.
On the very day former NSW chief justice Sir Laurence Street visited the Island as part of his review into the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions decision not to pursue any charges against the arresting Police officer despite the Deputy State Coroner finding that he was responsible for the fatal injuries suffered by the deceased man the community of Palm Island were to face a double tragedy.
A young man who gave evidence in the coronial report was found hanged in his mother’s front yard and another was charged in Cairns alleged to have committed the horrific act of raping and torturing a 14 month old infant.
It is hard to imagine the despair that must be felt by the residents of this community and of the hopelessness that they seem to face in attempting to give their young folk any chance of breaking free of the violence and poverty that has gripped their community.
Palm Island belonged to the Manbarra people before it was gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve in 1914.
In 1918 it was used by the then Queensland Protector as a place to send Aboriginals who were considered problems or uncontrollable by this protector of white society.
The next twenty years saw 1630 from over 40 different aboriginal groups dumped there. This mixing of different groupings brought with it obvious tensions and violence.
Those on Palm Island were under strict control and were kept in squalid and impoverished conditons. Leprosy and venereal disease was rife and Aboriginals were made to salute any white person they passed.
The Island continued along this path of mismanagement and neglect and in 1985 the Queensland Government gave title of the island to a Community Council in the form of a "deed in grant in trust" giving residents more say in the administration of the Island.
By now however the damage was done and the Island continues to grapple with social problems such as alcohol abuse, domestic violence and other crimes as well as poverty and high unemployment.
In November , 2005 it was reported that the Red Cross was shipping drinking water to alleviate a problem with the Islands water supply.
One has to ask themselves how is it that in a state that continues to grow rich on an enormous resources and mining boom that a community can be allowed to live in such poverty and despair?
Following the Beattie governments last election victory one of the first things that was done was the abolishment of the department of Indigenous Affairs.
This on top of the Governments meagre offer of a maximum $4000 payment to make up for the non-payment of wages to Aboriginal people who were not paid by previous governments up until 1972.
Is it any wonder that there is such despair and hopelessness amongst Indigenous people?
How can such a rich and wealthy nation such as Australia sit back and watch this happen?
Further Articles of interest can be found here:
"The Tall Man" by Chloe Hopper
Shameful White history of Palm Island
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Comment by Damo
Lets see how this pans out.
Comment by Bhumika
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