The Australian Government is currently considering passing legislation that will undermine the human rights of Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory for the next 10 years.

The “Stronger Futures” legislation will maintain many parts of the Northern Territory Intervention; a policy that has attracted United Nations condemnation for its racial discrimination against Aboriginal people and their cultures.

It will grant complete Commonwealth control over townships and camps. It will increase punitive measures and alcohol bans, while slashing funds to vital jobs programs. And it will expand a failed program that quarantines welfare payments based on school attendance.

The government should withdraw this legislation.

It has been developed without the free, prior and informed consent of Aboriginal communities, and it will give the Government 10 more years of control.

Aboriginal Elders, community leaders and Aboriginal organisations across the Northern Territory have opposed the legislation, and are demanding the right to control their own futures. Years of this top-down policy-making by the Government have taken power away from communities and have overseen increasing poverty and social breakdown.

Since the Northern Territory Intervention started in 2007:
- Incarceration of Aboriginal people has increased by 41%
- Attempted suicide and self-harm amongst Aboriginal youth has doubled
- Aboriginal life expectancy continues to be the lowest of any Indigenous group on the world.

The Government should give Aboriginal people the right to control their own futures.

Please sign the petition, and ensure the Government withdraws the legislation in its current form.

Find us on Facebook -- http://on.fb.me/MP4G5Y -- for more updates and help us reach our goal of 100,000 signatures before June 18th!