Uncle Owen Whyman, a Paakindji man from Wilcannia, has put together a group of nine Indigenous people from all over NSW to try to start the first political party in Australia which they say really cares about Indigenous people: The Indigenous Party of Australia.
Uncle Owen says “While other political parties appear to be sympathetic to Indigenous concerns, not much ever changes. Indigenous incarceration rates are still through the roof, perhaps the highest in the world for a colonised peoples, children are still being taken from their families at an alarming rate, creating a second wave of the stolen generation and we want to see Indigenous control of Indigenous school education, particularly for school refuses.”
One of their key demands is to protect the Baaka and all natural rivers in Australia. Restore them to full health.
“The Baaka and other rivers are a complete mess as nature has been pushed out of the picture and culture is ignored and sacred sites are desecrated. All these issues and more, which concern Indigenous people, are what we wish to focus upon.” – Uncle Owen Whyman.
Listen to Uncle Owen Whyman explain the reasons behind the party here: