Nova Peris lashes 'failed' intervention
SID MAHER AND AMOS AIKMAN
From:The Australian
January 30, 2013 12:00AM
LABOR'S star recruit Nova Peris has attacked the Northern Territory intervention in remote indigenous communities as a "failed policy" after Labor's national executive endorsed her as the party's Senate candidate.
But Ms Peris said she endorsed Labor's replacement Stronger Futures legislation to improve conditions in indigenous communities.
Julia Gillard yesterday hailed the ALP national executive endorsement of her call for Ms Peris to be placed at the top of Labor's Territory Senate ticket a week after the Prime Minister intervened to have the Olympic gold medallist admitted to the party and granted eligibility to run.
The vote has sparked a backlash in the Territory branch, which was excluded from the preselection, and has angered elements of the Left faction.
Yesterday, Victorian senator Kim Carr and Tasmanian senator Carol Brown voted for dumped senator Trish Crossin, denying Ms Gillard a unanimous endorsement in a 19-2 national executive ballot in favour of Ms Peris.
Senator Crossin said she would not leave the party and would campaign for the ALP.
She called for Ms Gillard and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin to financially compensate NT members of the Stolen Generations. Senator Crossin estimated compensation would cost $30 million and would affect 1000 people, of which 380 were living.
The preselection has sparked speculation within the Labor Party that Ms Gillard will bring forward a $1.4 billion injection into childcare to improve workers' wages. The move is being backed by the United Voice union, which supported Ms Peris's preselection.
Accepting the nomination yesterday, Ms Peris said the Prime Minister had put faith in her because of her "great understanding of the problems that Aboriginal people are confronted with day in day out".
Labor ran the NT emergency response for almost five years after the Coalition lost the 2007 election, but Ms Peris described the NTER, launched be the Howard government, as a failure.
"I was there at the forefront of the intervention," she said. "I've worked in government in Canberra and I've seen how policies come about. I've seen failed policies, and I've seen billions of dollars get wasted down the drain."
One of Ms Peris's preselection opponents, indigenous former NT deputy chief minister Marion Scrymgour, claimed last week that Ms Gillard had overlooked her nomination because she had spoken out on issues such as the intervention.
Asked about Ms Peris's comments on the NT intervention, Ms Macklin said: "I know that the way the intervention started under the Howard government, without consultation, caused people hurt.
"The government has been clear that we want to work with Aboriginal people in the NT as part of Stronger Futures to make sure local people are getting the local services they want and need to overcome the disadvantage too many Aboriginal people still face.
"This is my priority, and I look forward to working with Nova Peris to continue our work to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory."
Ms Peris said she was aware of widespread discontent within the NT Labor Party branch over the manner of her preselection and pledged to work hard to rebuild relationships.
She repeated her denial of rumours she mishandled funds during her time at the NT Education Department, denied knowledge of an investigation into the matter and said she would consent to the release of employment records to prove her statements were accurate.
The national executive vote capped a week of division in Labor with Territory members outraged they were excluded from the preselection contest and supporters of Kevin Rudd questioning Ms Gillard's judgment in intervening to dump a sitting candidate via the national executive.
Senior Labor sources remain concerned about the divisions the preselection has caused in the Territory branch. Some are worried Ms Peris will face further attacks on her character and credibility.
Senator Crossin has been a senator for 15 years, making her eligible, under the old defined benefit scheme that was replaced in 2004, for a pension of $129,000, equivalent to 67.5 per cent of her parliamentary salary.
Sydney Morning Herald
Peris lashes 'failed' intervention
The Australian - 8 hours ago
LABOR'S star recruit Nova Peris has attacked the Northern Territoryintervention in remote indigenous communities as a "failed policy" after...
No comments:
Post a Comment