Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation facts for kids
Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) is a group that works to support the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It's an independent, national organisation that isn't run by the government. ANTaR was started in 1997. Most of its staff and members are non-Indigenous people who want to help Indigenous voices be heard and support their interests. They also aim to help overcome unfair treatment and disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians.
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History of ANTaR
ANTaR began in 1997. One of its founders, Phil Glendinning, was the National President for 10 years.
Supporting Reconciliation
ANTaR played a big part in the movement for reconciliation in Australia. Reconciliation is about bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians together and making sure Indigenous people are treated fairly. This movement grew from the idea that Indigenous Australians were not being treated equally.
When the Native Title Act 1993 was being created, many non-Indigenous groups and people came together. They formed a team to support Indigenous interests during talks about this law. After a new government was elected in 1997, a group called the National Indigenous Working Group on Native Title (NIWG) asked non-government organisations (NGOs) across Australia to see how much support there was for native title rights. Native title means the rights of Indigenous people to their traditional lands and waters. The ANTaR group grew from this call for support.
Listening to Indigenous Voices
Unlike many other groups, ANTaR does not try to speak for Indigenous Australians. Instead, it aims to support their voices and interests. ANTaR asks Indigenous people for guidance on important issues like new laws that affect them. For example, when the government wanted to change the Native Title Act, the NIWG shared the national Indigenous view. ANTaR then helped to organise a response to these changes.
The Sea of Hands Campaign
In 1997 and 1998, native title rights became a big focus for ANTaR. They started a special project called the "Sea of Hands". This was a large, colourful display where thousands of plastic hands were planted in the ground. Each hand represented a person's support for native title and reconciliation. People also signed a statement to show their support. After some changes to the Act in 1998, the Sea of Hands became a well-known symbol for reconciliation.
Current Priorities
In 2014, Andrew Meehan became ANTaR's national director. He explained that ANTaR's main goals were:
- Improving health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, especially through the Close the Gap campaign.
- Addressing the high number of Indigenous people in prison.
- Working to stop family violence (through the "Change the Record" campaign).
- Fighting racism.
- Making sure the government properly funds services and programs for Indigenous communities.
- Encouraging the government to truly listen to and work with First Peoples (through the Redfern Statement group).
- Teaching the wider community about reconciliation, often using the "Sea of Hands" program.
Close the Gap Day
Since January 2019, ANTaR has organised National Close the Gap Day (NCTGD). This event helps raise awareness about the health differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In March 2020, many public NCTGD events were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. However, ANTaR still helped launch the 2019 Close the Gap report. This report, called Our Choices, Our Voices, was prepared by the Lowitja Institute. The launch happened at a community event in Sydney. Important Indigenous leaders, like June Oscar and Rod Little, spoke at the event.
Supporting Justice Movements
In 2020, when the Black Lives Matter movement grew, ANTaR was highlighted as an important organisation. Many people donated to ANTaR to help support Indigenous justice in Australia.
What ANTaR Does
ANTaR is a national group made up of individuals and other organisations. Some members are Indigenous, and some are not. ANTaR runs public campaigns, talks to politicians (this is called lobbying), and does other work to support Indigenous rights.
They work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. Some of these leaders are part of ANTaR's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group. This group gives advice and direction to ANTaR. ANTaR runs campaigns across the country and also has over 200 local groups. Its main office is in Dulwich Hill, New South Wales.
Most of ANTaR's money comes from donations and gifts left in wills. As of July 2020, Dr Peter Lewis is the National President of the board, and Paul Wright is the National Director.
Who Leads ANTaR
As of October 2021, Paul Wright is the national director. Peter Lewis is the chair of the board, which has eight members.
See also
