The Bankstown campaign against income management and the campaign against the Northern Territory Intervention exchanged delegations in October, building strength in the campaign against the Intervention.
Activists have united to call for a moratorium on income management. Income management quarantines 50 per cent of Centrelink payments onto a BasicsCard that can only be used to buy approved items at government-approved stores.
It is a cornerstone of the racist NT Intervention, imposed on Aboriginal communities since 2007.
In May, Bankstown was announced as one of five “trial sites” across Australia where income management will be expanded from July 2012.
Barbara Shaw addressed a rally of 150 people that marched through the streets of Bankstown in October.
Randa Kattan, CEO of the Arab Council of Australia and Semra Gupta from the Western Sydney Community forum traveled to Yuendumu, Amoonguna and smaller communities in the Anmatjere region.
Both delegates were outraged at apartheid conditions in Central Australia and the destructive impact of the NT Intervention.
Ms Kattan said, “income management represents profound disempowerment, discrimination and hardship. We cannot allow this system to extend into Bankstown. We are also calling for a full restoration of the rights of people already suffering under income management. Our campaign is growing in strength.”
Paddy Gibson
