The Daily Telegraph http://www.news.com.au/headlines/ Secret plan to close Aboriginal tent embassy By HELEN McCABE 25jan99 THE Federal Government has paved the way for removing the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra by enacting a little-known 68-year-old law. Territories Minister Ian Macdonald quietly introduced a 1932 trespass ordinance late last year for the "parliamentary triangle", The Daily Telegraph has learned. The area includes the lawns of Old Parliament House where the tent embassy has been camped for 27 years. As Aborigines at the tent embassy prepare for protests at tomorrow's Australia Day ceremonies, senior government sources have confirmed there have been discussions at a senior level about closing down the heritage-listed site. Government sources said talk of the plan had been kept confidential because of fears of violent demonstrations similar to those in 1972 when the then Liberal Government moved to tear down the embassy. Labor said the plan had cast new doubts over the Government's commitment to reconciliation. Senator Macdonald has long been a critic of the tent embassy. As a backbencher in 1995 he described the embassy as "those ramshackle structures". Yesterday he said the trespass law was gazetted to assist in the removal of any caravans or trucks parked on the lawns at the site. "I noticed that under the Trespass and Commonwealth Land Ordinance (1932) for the Commonwealth to have power in relation to vehicles parked, you need to gazette land. "It's never been gazetted. It really just enables the Trespass and Commonwealth Land Ordinance to be effectively used for the purpose for which the ordinance was passed. "The bottom line, I think, is all Australians would want the Government to ensure there is one set of rules for everybody." Senator Macdonald denied he had a secret plan but admitted he wanted to discuss a proposal with local Indigenous leaders for some form "of recognition" for the site. "I don't like using the word monument. It would be some form of recognition," he said. "I'm the Minister now and a member of a Government, I just want to fully investigate it and not unduly raise anyone's concern until the thing's gone through," he said. He also attacked as "odd" a decision under Labor to give the site a heritage listing. "They (the Australian Heritage Commission) somehow have given it a listing which is quite ambiguous, a listing which talks about it being a living site that doesn't enable it on my advice to be a permanent structure," he said. The site is today occupied by two portable sheds, some gunyahs, tents, a bus, cars and caravans and it has been decorated with a large Indigenous mural on part of the cement forecourt. "I'm not quite sure what the significance of this is. I seem to recall, last time I went past it it had something about save Redfern," Senator Macdonald said. Shadow Aboriginal Affairs Minister Daryl Melham said yesterday he could not think of a more provocative or inciteful act. "It's an act of provocation, its an incitement to violence and it's not the act of a Prime Minister trying to reconcile black and white Australia," he said. Mr Melham said it would become a "lightning rod" for Aboriginal anger at their treatment by the Howard Government. It is understood the plans have the support of Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron. Senator Macdonald said there appeared to be a build up of activity at the site in recent days but he said that it could be in preparation for tomorrow's protest to mark what has been dubbed "invasion day". However it is understood the protesters have legally obtained a permit for the demonstration. "I really don't understand what the structure is all about. Maybe there's people there intending to move it at sometime," Senator Macdonald said. When he questioned members of the National Capital Authority at a Parliamentary Committee in 1995 he demanded to know why it had failed to act to remove the "so-called tent embassy." He also indicated the site could have legal ramifications for the Commonwealth if someone was hurt on the site. ************************************************************************* This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
