Land rights march in Launceston marks the end of NAIDOC Week

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NewsWatchLand rights march in Launceston marks the end of NAIDOC Week By Charmaine ManuelUpdated July 7 2023 - 5:45pm, first published 5:30pmBy Charmaine ManuelUpdated July 7 2023 - 5:45pm,

first published 5:30pmFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopy At a rally and march marking the end of NAIDOC week, the Aboriginal community in Launceston re-iterated their calls for land rights and

treaty, calling on the government to accelerate a movement that started in the 70s.

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weather, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and community members marched together from Charles Street, through Brisbane Street Mall and into Civic Square to chants for land rights and black

lives.

Carly Spotswood leads the NAIDOC march. Picture by Paul Scambler Aboriginal community member and writer Adam Thompson said it was a "fantastic turnout" with a large group of Aboriginal

people and many of the community's supporters.

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The community was calling on the government 'to take more leadership in terms of land rights," Mr Thompson said.

"It's been a long time since we've had any land returned through the government process."

View +5 Photos "We're calling on the government to step up their game and return more of our land to us."

"A lot of our elders marched the streets in the 70s when it wasn't popular to do so. They were treated terribly and spat on and called names," Mr Thompson said.

The community's elders "had the guts to stand up for what they believed in," he said.

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"This is about following in their footsteps and continuing to fight for land rights."

The march was followed by a rally in Civic Square featuring a Welcome to Country in the palawa language and speakers, including activist Michael Mansell.

Michael Mansell addresses a crowd at Civic Square. Picture by Paul Scambler. Mr Mansell said that early activists of the land rights movement had walked the same path in 1976 as the

community had today.

"Back in those days, it wasn't the done thing to stand up and say you were black," he said.

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"If we are to honour our elders and the things that have been taken from us, we can't do it alone. The government has the responsibility. Treaty now. Land rights now."

"After all that's been done to us, surely the Christ, we deserve something better than some f*****g Voice sitting up in f******g Canberra."

Mr Thompson said that the community wanted more than a Voice in Parliament, and a treaty would settle a whole set of issues facing the community.

"We want something that's not a toothless tiger. We want real rights."

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ShareFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyCharmaine ManuelJournalistCharmaine is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in

touch at [email protected] is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in touch at 

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