Introduction ASU Indigenous Members share unique interests and have special needs. There are many indigenous members working in industries covered by the ASU around Australia. The ASU is encouraging the formation of an ASU Indigenous network across the Union to caucus and advise the Union on advocacy of indigenous issues. The ASU is active in Indigenous Issues within the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and the various State and regional Trades and Labour Councils. Read more about the ACTU's Indigenous Committee The ACTU Indigenous Committee developed in 2008 a Charter of Indigenous Rights through which we can engage Indigenous peoples in a conversation around what their rights at work mean to them. A report of the ACTU Indigenous Committee was tabled at the ACTU Congress 2006 The ACTU issued the following statement regarding the issue of a treaty: Treaty is next step in reconciliation ASU Award coverage for indigenous members Large concentrations of ASU indigenous members work in the Social & Community Services Industry, Local Government and Aboriginal Community Councils and Organisations. In these industries ASU general industry awards cover the conditions of indigenous members in the same way they cover non-indigenous members. Some general industry awards cover particular Indigenous issues such as cultural leave. There are other ASU Awards, which specifically cover employees of Aboriginal Organisations. For copies of these awards, please contact your ASU Branch: Aboriginal Communities and Organisations (Western Australia) Award Pitjantjatjara Council Inc. and Associated Organisations Award Municipal Officers' (Aboriginal and Islander Community Councils) Award Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc. (SA) Award Aboriginal Communities' - Community Development Employment Projects (South Australia) Award Remote Communities Local Government (Northern Territory) Award Disclaimer: The awards above are provided as a guide only. For official award advice please contact your local ASU Branch. You can download the latest award version at the Fair Work Australia website "Find an award" page.  Close the Gap - Australia's largest campaign to improve Indigenous health AS the ASU stated in our statement in support of the Australian Parliament's apology of February 13 (see below), we believe the importance of the symbolic gesture needs to be followed up with concrete measures to ensure our indigenous people are treated with justice. That's why we are supporting the "Close the Gap" campaign. "Close the Gap" is supported by over 100 indigenous and non-indigenous organisations, including the ASU. The campaign calls on federal, state and territory governments to commit to closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation. You can find out more about the campaign at the Oxfam website here: http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/indigenous-health and there are various ways for you to become involved: Find out more about the issues Sign the Close the Gap pledge - the ASU has signed it, read more below Read Indigenous health success stories Buy a T-shirt or wristband or get free campaign materials Other actions (eg. donate, write to pollies, etc) Other resources for the "Close the Gap" campaign: The umbrella website for the campaign: http://www.closethegap.com.au Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) "Healing Hands" campaign is part of the "Close the Gap" coalition:http://www.antar.org.au/issues/healing_hands/ The GetUp organisation is also involved:http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/CloseTheGap Links to the other organisations is the coalition can be found here:http://www.closethegap.com.au/organisations.php The pledge The ASU has signed the pledge and encourages our supporters to do the same. You can sign the pledge here. The pledge is as follows: We call on Australian governments to take action to achieve health equality for Indigenous Australians within 25 years through: Increasing annual Indigenous health funding by $460 million to enable equal access to health services Increasing Indigenous control and participation in the delivery of health services Addressing critical social issues such as housing, education and self-determination which contribute to the Indigenous health crisis National Close the Gap Day 2010 - 25 March We also encourage our supporters to participate in events around National Close the Gap Day on 25 March 2010. It is an important event to show governments that we have not forgotten and we don't expect them to forget their commitments either. To find out more about how you can be involved on Close the Gap Day, please visit the Oxfam website.      Apology to Australia's indigenous people The ASU supports the apology to indigenous Australians. We issued an ASU statement on the apology on February 13, 2008, outlining our position. The ACTU's statement on the Apology to Indigenous Australians Reconciliation Australia's factsheet:Apology to stolen generations - questions and answers A policy briefing paper from the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and OXFAM Australia: "CLOSETHEGAP: Solutions to the Indigenous Health Crisis facing Australia" Bringing them home: The 'Stolen Children' report (1997) National Civil Society Dialogue:Statement of Support - Apology to the Stolen Generations United Nations:UN rights experts welcome Australia's apology to indigenous peoples  Stolen Wages The ASU is involved in the "Stolen Wages" campaign. We have lobbied governments to return properly earned indigenous wages they did not pass on during a period when those governments controlled the financial affairs of indigenous people. The ASU is a signatory to the 2005 "Joint Statement on Stolen Wages". Signatories to the statement call on all governments to act immediately to remedy this ongoing and gross abuse of human rights. Download the "Stolen Wages" report: "Hard Labour, Stolen Wages" written by leading historian, Dr Ros Kidd, commissioned by Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR). Information about the "Stolen Wages" issue can be found at the ANTaR website Information about the "Stolen Wages" issue can also be found at the AIATSIS website National Day of Action for Stolen Wages (2005) VTHC news: Stolen wages issue "far from settled" - indigenous coalition For media reports on the stolen wages issue, click here for the latest Google News search results  The intervention in Northern Territory indigenous communities 2007 onwards Response from the ACTU Indigenous Committee, of which the ASU is a member, follows. "You know, the whole aim here is not to condemn people for their problems. The whole aim is to support them, to get back on their feet again and to take charge of their own families again" Noel Pearson - 7.30 Report 19.06.07 No one could deny that there needed to be urgent action taken by the Federal Government on the issue of violence in Indigenous communities. The "Little Children are Sacred" report is the latest in a line of similar official reports, the first being by Professor Judy Atkinson in 1989 for the National Inquiry on Violence. These reports have been added to over the years by tomes of evidence, outlining the crisis occurring in Indigenous communities across Australia. The announcement by John Howard on Friday 22nd June, 2007 has been seen by various commentators as 'long-overdue'; 'cynical'; 'a wedge'; 'the wrong approach'; 'the right approach'; 'punitive'; 'ill-conceived'; 'Tampa 2007'; 'Howard's rabbit' (in reference to his recent electoral annihilation comment that he had no rabbit o pull out of his hat), plus a number of other views too wide-ranging to summarise here. Whatever the public commentary, there is no hiding the profound sense of urgency felt by the report's authors, and illustrated in words such as this: "We have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience about the problems. It should now be applied. There is no more time for us to wring our collective hands. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians have tended to despair about the difficulties instead of individually or collectively exercising some leadership. We are positively convinced that unless prompt and firm decisions are made and leadership shown at ALL levels of society, real disaster faces Australia within a generation" (Wild and Anderson, 2007, pp 6 & 7). In reference to the Noel Pearson quote above, the question must be asked - how does this plan from the Howard Government support people to get back on their feet and take charge of their own families? Read the full response here  The 1960s - a watershed for indigenous rights From the ACTU's "A Short History of Australian Unions" 1965 ACTU files claims to remove the discriminatory clauses in the Federal and State awards relating to the employment of Aborigines. Pastoral Industry Award Station Hands Award Cattle Station Industry (NT) Award 1966 Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission hands down a decision to grant Aborigines on Northern Territory Cattle Stations equal pay with Europeans from 1st December 1968. 1967 A Federal referendum gives a massive "YES" vote for Aboriginal people to gain Australian citizenship and Federal control of Aboriginal affairs. Aborigines thereafter are to be included in the census. Formal references: Cattle Station Industry (NT) Award (1966) CAR 651; Pastoral Industry Award (1967) 121 CAR 454, 457-458; Australian Workers' Union v Director, Department of Aboriginal and Islander Advancement 1979 AILR, paragraph 250.  Resources NAIDOC - celebrations are held around Australia in the first full week in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Visit the website for ideas on how to celebrate, along with resources and other information. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) Kit addressing discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women (see image to the right) Face the Facts: some questions and answers about refugees, migrants and indigenous people - remains one of HREOC's most requested publication. HREOC's list of social justice publications Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is the world's premier institution for information and research about the cultures and lifestyles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  Enrol to vote A "Why our mob should vote" flyer was produced in preparation for the 2007 federal election to encourage voter registration of Indigenous Australians. The core issue it raises is still important - voting is an important way to ensure your views are taken seriously by governments. You can download the "Why our mob should vote" flyer to have a look and read more at our "Democracy is up for grabs - enrol to vote!" campaign page. You can also visit the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website where all the relevant forms can be downloaded.

Latest AIM News NAIDOC Week 2010: Unsung Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way NAIDOC Week 2010 is being held 4-11 July. It is a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life and the ASU encourages members to take part. 23 June 2010 Close the Gap Day - An easy way you can help end the Indigenous health crisis The ASU is a supporter of Close the Gap Day which occurs on 25 March this year. ASU staff will be gathering to raise awareness of the terrible gap in life expectancy and other health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We encourage our members and friends to do the same! 03 March 2010 Sorry Day still highlights need for ongoing efforts The power and meaning embodied in this year’s National Sorry Day should motivate us to maintain our national efforts to achieve healing for members of the Stolen Generations and their families and to make headway in developing a national compensation scheme, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma said today. 26 May 2009  AIM e-mail  AIM links View "Face the Facts"  This publication tries to correct some common myths about immigrants, refugees and Indigenous people. [From the HREOC website.]