WHAT IS BLACK LIVES MATTER AND WHY DOES IT AFFECT AUSTRALIANS?

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. The mission is to eradicate white supremacy, to build local power and intervene in the violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and others. The main issues highlighted by the cause are disproportionate incarceration rates, police brutality and deaths in custody of and toward Black people in the US. Black people are 3x more likely to be killed by police than white people, and 1.3x more likely to be killed whilst unarmed. There are many more harrowing statistics and anecdotes that shed light on this issue and we encourage you to do your own further research.

But- What does this have to do with Australia? After reading about BLM in America, you may be relieved that we do not face these same problems in Australia. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

The treatment of the Indigenous people of Australia, particularly by our government, police force and justice system is violent and abhorrent.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 3% of Australia’s population, yet constitute 27% of the national prison population.
• More than half of the children in detention are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To which you might say “Well, if they don’t want to be arrested, they should just follow the law.” BUT

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are less likely to be cautioned and more likely to be charged than their non-Indigenous counterparts
• Indigenous people are seven times more likely than non-Indigenous people to be charged with a criminal offence and appear before the courts.
• In Western Australia, Indigenous Women, in most cases, single mothers, are being imprisoned for simply not having the capacity to pay a fine.

And once in the system...

• In 2019 alone, there were 8 deaths of Indigenous people in police custody.
• In the last 30 years, 432 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people have died in police custody.
• Not a single police officer has ever been found guilty of any offence for these deaths.

Around each one of these deaths, is a person, their family and their community. Many have tried to find justice, but of the very, very few that make it to court (due to coroners and prosecutors not referring cases forward), they end in indictments or acquittals.

Australia is built on the genocide, colonisation, slavery and erasure of the Indigenous people and their culture. Sovereignty was never ceded and all non-Indigenous Australians are living on stolen land. Although there have been attempts at reconciliation, Australians are entirely complicit in the unjust and violent treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This document was made to educate and provide resources for those who wish to help and support our Indigenous community. If we unite as one, we can truly make a change and try and repair the trauma, hurt and damage that has been done.

This is an issue that affects all Australians and an issue that cannot be ignored any longer.

Sources: https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/, https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/police-killing-of-blacks/, https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/law/royal-commission-into-aboriginal-deaths-in-custody?fbclid=IwAR3tixFGvnKSIfzMYDkSdLMTtZDgKH-w2fcpJxz7V8xNCGLDl3BpiinoKC8, https://theconversation.com/despite-432-indigenous-deaths-in-custody-since-1991-no-one-has-ever-been-convicted-racist-silence-and-complicity-are-to-blame-139873, https://dpoa.org.au/un-sp-indigenous-peoples-rights-australia/, https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/pathways-to-justice-inquiry-into-the-incarceration-rate-of-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples-alrc-report-133/

ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER EVENTS / KEY DATES

13th February - Anniversary of National Apology Day

19th March - National Close the Gap Day

26th May - National Sorry Day

27th May - 1967 Referendum

27th May - 3rd June - National Reconciliation Week

3rd June - Mabo Day

5th - 12th July - NAIDOC Week

4th August - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day

2nd September - Indigenous Literacy Day

13th September - Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People

ORGANISATIONS & CAMPAIGNS YOU CAN SUPPORT

Justice for David Dungay Junior - https://au.gofundme.com/f/d9qkb6-justice-for-david

Justice for Yuendumu: Inquiry on Police Shooting - https://au.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-yuendumu-inquiry-on-police-shooting

In Memory of Joyce Clarke #JusticeforJoyce -

https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-joyce-clarke

FreeHer by Sisters Inside: Free Aboriginal women from imprisonment over fines (WA) -

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bfvnvt-freethepeople?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR1EdysiC2SWg_uNUVjm3eLRQEIKpDtzrkb12QcrK2W1eevijbbM04mfuFA 
UPDATE - The legislation to stop Aboriginal women from being imprisoned for non-payment of fines has been passed

BRIDGING THE GAP - https://btgfoundation.com.au/about-us.html

THE NATIONAL JUSTICE PROJECT - https://justice.org.au/who-we-are/

HEALING FOUNDATION - https://healingfoundation.org.au/donate/
PAY THE RENT - https://paytherent.net.au/
COMMON GROUND - https://commonground.raisely.com/  https://www.commonground.org.au/

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRE - https://www.hrlc.org.au/what-we-do

CHANGE THE RECORD - https://changetherecord.org.au/solutions   https://changetherecord.org.au/donate

SISTERS INSIDE - https://sistersinside.com.au/about/sisters-inside/

THE ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE - https://www.als.org.au/donations-bequests/ 

BLACK RAINBOW - http://www.blackrainbow.org.au/donate/

CHILDRENS GROUND - https://childrensground.org.au/campaigns/donate/

LEARN 

COMMON GROUND - https://www.commonground.org.au/learn

MAGABALA BOOKS - Magabala Books is Australia’s leading Indigenous publishing house. Aboriginal owned and led, we celebrate and nurture the talent and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices

https://www.magabala.com/collections/contemporary-non-fiction

https://www.magabala.com/collections/fiction