Homeless and in Darwin - no peace in the long grass

In earlier times, if Aboriginal people missed their plane or bus they were allowed to travel the next day if there were spare seats. Now airlines and bus services, preoccupied with “efficiency” or “profit maximisation”, demand they purchase new tickets, which many cannot afford. In late 2005, the Howard Government’s mutual obligation regime was extended to remote communities, requiring people to search for work (Karvelas and Taylor in The Australian October 28, 2005), hence forcing people into the bigger Territory townships.

There is an interesting European construction placed on Long Grass People - they alone are the problem. They should not be in town and should not be coming to Larrakia land. Some Larrakia people share or at least pay lip service to this.

It must be remembered that European government officials and missionaries herded people from disparate clan and language groups onto settlements and missions, creating many of today’s disputes in home communities. Governments have not provided sufficient housing on home communities, nor culturally appropriate temporary housing or camping facilities for Aboriginal visitors to Darwin. The Territory Housing Commission has, since the 1950s, consistently failed to provide Indigenous Territorians living in major towns, with culturally appropriate shelter.

The prison system has failed to ensure that Indigenous ex-prisoners have airfares provided on release, which would allow them to return home. There are many potential employment opportunities not being created in home communities. Indigenous unemployment in the cities is largely due to mainstream racism rather than Indigenous incapacity (Wright 2005, Racism no way 2005).

The Long Grass People’s real problem is that no government has adequately addressed the realistic needs of Indigenous people coming in from home communities Neither Territory nor Commonwealth Governments have set aside sufficient safe camping areas, with access to showers and toilets and opportunity to drink without harassment. No government has taken responsibility to work with the Larrakia and Indigenous itinerants to explain the real issues to the broader community.

In October 2005, the Territory Government transferred responsibility for night patrols in Darwin from Mission Australia to the police. Mission Australia officers were predominantly Indigenous and provided a range of helping services to Long Grass People. The take over of the night patrols by the police would have meant that public order, drinking and drunkenness in public places were in the box seat. But in mid-November the Territory Government announced that the Larrakia Nation would take over the night patrol from Mission Australia in Darwin. There is still a need to educate non-Indigenous Territorians about the issues or another opportunity to move towards decent solutions will evaporate.