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29
May 1998
Ms
Ann Henderson MLC
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Pakington Street
Geelong VIC 3220
re:
Regionalisation of Aboriginal Cultural and Heritage Officer's
Positions
Dear
Minister,
It
has come to the attention of the Geelong Community Forum
that the existing twenty four Aboriginal Cultural and Heritage
Officers and their twenty four regions, across the state,
are to be "down-sized" to five regions, as of the 30th June
1998.
We
wish to express our deepest concern that the Cultural and
Heritage Officers are being disempowered by the imposition
of European law rather than respecting the Aboriginal cultural
boundaries. The new boundaries appear to violate Aboriginal
protocol in regard to the maintenance and protection of
the various boundaries.
Cultural
and Heritage Officers, in conjunction with the wider Aboriginal
communities, are being subjected to changes in cultural
boundaries without regard for their cultural differences.
The disregard for the traditional boundaries of the various
cultures has the potential to act as a tool to further fragment
these communities. The aim of the cultural heritage program
should be to unite all Aboriginal cultures appropriately,
whilst respecting their individual differences.
In
light of the spirit of the successful National Sorry Day
(26/5/98), drawn together by the Geelong City Council, the
Wathaurong Co-operative, Geelong Reconciliation - One Fire
Group, the Queenscliff Reconciliation Group, Geelong Catholic
and Uniting Churches and the people of Geelong, we strongly
protest such further attempts to demean and alienate Aboriginal
peoples via bureaucratic insensitivities.
Copies
of this letter have been forwarded to the Shadow Minister
Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Scrutiny of
Government, and also the Shadow Minister for Aboriginal
Affairs. We urgently request further information and clarification
of this issue.
Yours
sincerely,
Serena
O'Meley
Geelong Community Forum
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