The Barunga Statement

This year’s festival marked a historic moment for Aboriginal people, as it marked the 30^th Anniversary of the Barunga Statement.   https://www.barungafestival.com.au/1988-statement/

It had been 30 years since the Australian Prime Minister at the time, Bob Hawke visited the Barunga community during the festival (June 1988) and was presented with the famous Barunga Statement. 

These were the words spoken by Aboriginal Leaders (and their communities) at the time – 30 years ago:

We, the Indigenous owners and occupiers of Australia, call on the Australian Government and people to recognise our rights:

to self-determination and self-management, including the freedom to pursue our own economic, social, religious and cultural development;
to permanent control and enjoyment of our ancestral lands;
to compensation for the loss of use of our lands, there having been no extinction of original title;
to protection of and control of access to our sacred sites, sacred objects, artefacts, designs, knowledge and works of art;
to the return of the remains of our ancestors for burial in accordance with our traditions;
to respect for and promotion of our Aboriginal identity, including the cultural, linguistic, religious and historical aspects, and including the right to be educated in our own languages and in our own culture and history;
in accordance with the universal declaration of human rights, the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, the international covenant on civil and political rights, and the international convention on :the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, rights to life, liberty, security of person, food, clothing, housing, medical care, education and employment opportunities, necessary social services and other basic rights.

We call on the Commonwealth to pass laws providing:

A national elected Aboriginal and Islander organisation to oversee Aboriginal and Islander affairs;
A national system of land rights;
A police and justice system which recognises our customary laws and frees us from discrimination and any activity which may threaten our identity or security, interfere with our freedom of expression or association, or otherwise prevent our full enjoyment and exercise of universally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We call on the Australian Government to support Aborigines in the development of an international declaration of principles for indigenous rights, leading to an international covenant.
And we call on the Commonwealth Parliament to negotiate with us a Treaty recognising our prior ownership, continued occupation and sovereignty and affirming our human rights and freedom.

30 years after this historical event, Australian political leaders, Aboriginal leaders and elders, Land Council members travelled to the small remote community of Barunga to once again talk about “Treaty”. 

On the Friday 8^th June, The Northern Territory’s four Land Councils and the Northern Territory Government signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (the “Barunga Agreement”), paving the way for consultations to begin with Aboriginal people (in the NT) about a Treaty. Barunga Agreement 2018