FED: Land measures will not protect children: report

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2007
FED: Land measures will not protect children: report

The author of a new report says the land rights measures in the federal government's
indigenous takeover won't protect children .. and could lead to five years of conflict
between blacks and whites.

Professor JON ALTMAN is from the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.

He says the government's acquisition of community leases .. and its changes to the
permit system .. seem to have nothing to do with protecting children from abuse.

In a report commissioned by Oxfam Australia .. Professor ALTMAN also says the measures
will be detrimental to the development of Aboriginal communities.

He says it's baffling the government isn't willing to subject any of its reforms to
community consultation and parliamentary review.







Professor ALTMAN's report says changes to the permit system are based on ideology ..

not facts .. because there's no evidence child abuse is more prevalent in areas where
the system exists.

He says the reforms could also see people leaving small outback communities for towns.

JAMES ENSOR .. from Oxfam Australia .. says the land rights measures will erode property
rights and the economic position of an already severely marginalised community.

AAP RTV ag/sb/ibw/bart

KEYWORD: INDIGENOUS OXFAM (CANBERRA)

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