January 2010

Thanks for becoming an Advocate for Indigenous people living in the Northern Territory

Dear friend,

The A Better Way campaign has attracted a lot of interest from people like you who are dismayed about our government's policies in the Northern Territory.

You may have heard a couple of weeks ago that the government announced they will be rolling out compulsory income management across the Northern Territory. ANTaR has joined several other organisations in making a statement against these changes.

This will affect people who are long-term unemployed, sole parents and those assessed to be vulnerable.

These measures will still disproportionately and adversely affect Aboriginal people, who are likely to be over-represented in these groups.

Many more Aboriginal people who live outside the original 73 prescribed communities of the NT will be affected for the first time.

Extending income management to non-Indigenous Australians does not really resolve the issue of discrimination, as the vast majority of people affected in the Northern Territory will be Indigenous.

Further, the government plans to implement some version of income management nationally within the next three years. It's likely each of us knows somebody who could potentially be affected.

We still have a long way to go. But please do not give up hope. You are now part of a growing group of people who are willing to speak out against these discriminatory policies.

You can help by encouraging a friend to watch the A Better Way video and to join this group. Together we will make change happen.

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