Tent Embassy arrival in Victoria Park, and APEC Nukes protest

Talk 11

Michael Luke McElroy, Native Black, Mothers mother Eora, Fathers mother Wiradjuri. with Anne.

1. Sovereignty is the natural law.

2. The government and the judiciary would be the natural justice to the natural laws. It would be free.

Also, I'd like to see a research project across the nation in Aboriginal law, so there can be an Aboriginal judiciary, and I'd like to be able to start out a reconciliation with native blacks.

I'd like to steer away from assimilating references, e.g. the word Aboriginal, because legislation applying to Aboriginals does not represent earlier rights of native blacks. I want to go back to the threshold of the issues relating to sovereignty.

Talk 10

Aunty Isabell Coe, Aboriginal Tent Embassy Elder, Wiradjuri Nation, with Anne.

1. Sovereignty means we own from one end of our country to the other end. We never ceded sovereignty in any form.

it represents over 700 Aboriginal nations.

2. We own one end of our country to the other end, when every blackfella owns his own country.

Talk 9

Darren Bloomfield, keeper of the Sacred fire, Aboriginal tent Embassy, with Anne.

1. Sovereignty is personal.

It belongs to us, not you.

Talk 8

Robert i Corowa, from the Bundjalung Nation, with Anne.

1. Sovereignty means somebody has got ownership of the land- somebody powerful who can make your life a misery or happy. That person is the owner of the land.

There is only one true owner of the land, and that is our father in Heaven. The persons who come from the land, their blood is deep in the land. These people are known by God. It makes that sovereignty. So many generations died on the land and became the dust. What's belonging to the soil is belonging to the people.

2. Basically, it would look like a 3 tier structure:

      1. The custodian/ elders of the land. That's the first structure.

      2. The parliament of Australia.

      3. The state parliaments of Australia.

talk 7

Terry Nullius, (from Australia, the land of milk and honey). with Anne.

1. Sovereignty means to inherit the land by your perpetual blood right.
It also means Hands off! Private Property!

2. It would look like Eden, the garden of Eden.

talk 6

Keith Kaulfuss, Melbourne. with Anne.

1. To me, it means Aboriginal control of their own destinies. Whatever they want. No more deaths in custody. True justice. It's more than equality, I reckon.

2. Smiling blackfellas. Happiness throughout the country, white and black.