Latest news with #Arrernte
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Pine Gap protesters reject prime minister's recognition of Palestine
Holding placards and banners in the red dirt and dry scrub along the road to Pine Gap, about 100 Alice Springs residents have called for the facility's closure and the return of land to traditional owners. A day after their regular Sunday protest, Mparntwe for Palestine described the Prime Minister's decision to formally recognise Palestine in September as "performative". "'Recognising' Palestine does nothing to advance Palestinian liberation or bring this genocide closer to ending," the group said in a statement. Protesters said they held ongoing concerns that intelligence gathered on Australian soil may be being used by Israel in its attacks on Gaza. "The machinery of war on Arrernte country supports the Israeli military as it bombs hospitals, murders journalists, starves children and civilians and erases entire neighbourhoods," a statement read at the protest said. The group has been protesting along the road to the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap since Hamas attacked Israel back in October of 2023. Israel has maintained its response is justified under international law. With the permission of traditional owners, the demonstrators stood metres from Pine Gap's perimeter fence line, at the turn-off to an Arrernte sacred site that shares its border with Pine Gap. Yankunytjatjara woman Karina Lester grew up in Alice Springs and said she was worried Pine Gap made the region a nuclear target. Eastern Arrernte elder Sylvia Neale, 81, said she was tired of speaking up. "I think I am exhausted, as every day goes past and something else happens relating to Gaza," she said. Pine Gap, located in a secluded valley 18 kilometres south of Alice Springs, was set up by the CIA It began operating in 1970 in response to the Cold War. Its size and capabilities have expanded over the years, drawing Australia into countless wars. Jenny Taylor first protested at the Pine Gap gates more than 40 years ago as part of the huge women's peace camp in 1983. Ms Taylor said she was pleased to see younger people take up the mantle."It's incredibly heartening, I just love the energy that the young people have and their group Mparntwe for Palestine, they're just beautifully organised and thoughtful." An Australian Federal Police drone hovered above Sunday's protest, and organiser Jorgen, who did not supply his name, said there had been a noticeable increase in surveillance. Greens Senator and spokesperson for defence David Shoebridge said the Australian government was in the dark about how Pine Gap's intelligence was used, but was nonetheless complicit. "It's a question of look away and pretend that international law is being upheld or that our moral standards are being upheld," he said. Senator Shoebridge had planned to attend Sunday's rally in Alice Springs but was unable to travel due to sickness. ANU national security and defence expert Jennifer Parker said Australia would know exactly which countries Pine Gap was collecting intelligence from, but admitted the detail on use was likely to be less clear. "We do know that the US shares some intelligence with Israel." However, she believed it was unlikely Pine Gap would be focused on the Middle East. "Given that US and Australian personnel are not on the ground in Gaza, I would say it's unlikely that that is a top priority for collection," she said. The Department of Defence said in a statement it would not comment. "In accordance with longstanding practice by successive governments, Defence does not comment on the operation of its joint facilities, including Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap," it said. Find all episodes of Expanse: Spies In The Outback on the ABC listen app.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Feature Video: RONA. - Show Me.
Kaytetye producer RONA. 'shows us' a glimpse into our potential futures with this week's energy-shifting, ultra-cinematic Feature Video. Giving abundant science-fiction vibes to match with her sonic forcefield of a track 'Show Me'. A glowing orb hovers above the sand of an intergalactic desert as the scene for 'Show Me' is set. RONA. taps in the help of award winning Arrernte and Kalkadoon director Tyson Perkins to bring her future world to life and embody the track's themes of collective memory, reflection and resistance. 'Working on the film clip for 'Show Me' was a chance to honour the long legacy of Afro and Blak futurism while carving out space for our own vision within it' says Tyson. 'There's something powerful about contributing to a lineage that reimagines our future on our own terms, this clip is both a nod to where we've come from and a declaration of where we're going.' Filmed on Arrernte, Anmatyerr and Dharug Country with choreography from dancer Alira Morgan, 'Show Me' is a celebration of First Nations culture through a sci-fi lens. 'The track speaks to reclaiming energy, memory and future, and I wanted the visual world to reflect that' says RONA.. '[Tyson and I] were both drawn to exploring the absurdity of the colonial race to space, and instead imagined a future grounded in remembrance, in resistance, and in return. I was stoked Tyson was as excited as I was to bring that vision to life together.' Working as a team for the first time, 'Show Me' seems to have provided the opportune moment for these two creatives to collaborate. RONA. explains 'I've always wanted to work with Tyson, his visual storytelling holds so much depth, intention and care. With 'Show Me,' I knew the imagery needed to carry as much weight as the sound'. As Tyson so succinctly put it, 'it's Blak to the future, and it's ours'.
SBS Australia
05-08-2025
- SBS Australia
Missing man Gach Top found alive and well near Alice Springs after a week missing in the outback
Missing man Gach Top found alive and well near Alice Springs after a week missing in the outback Published 5 August 2025, 8:13 am A 26-year-old South Sudanese man has been found alive near Alice Springs after disappearing more than a week ago. His family say its a "miracle" after Gach Top was spotted by local Arrernte people living at an outstation 40 kilometres from Alice Springs. Police had suspended its official search days ago but the community say they never gave up hope.
ABC News
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
First Nations musician Bousta hopes to catch big break at MusicSA program
Myles Turner is ready to announce himself on the Australian music scene. Known as Bousta, the 27-year-old Indigenous hip hop artist has won a coveted spot on South Australia's annual Scouted showcase. "There's gonna be a lot of agents, a lot of label people there, managers you know, so I'm gonna have to bring it to show that I'm not here to play, I love having fun up there, but I take music pretty seriously," he said. It's been a long journey to the Scouted stage for Turner. He moved from Alice Springs to Adelaide for school from Year 8, spent some time in university, as well as five years working in various jobs including construction and pizza delivery. Last year, the proud Arrernte man went back to university to study sound engineering, and to step up his music career. Music has been his passion since his older brother handed him a guitar when he was seven. While he has been compared to the likes of American rapper Tupac, Bousta sees himself as different to others in the genre. "When you hear rap and hip hop you hear about the fellas whose doing it and they're like a bit tough you know," he said. "I kind of go for like a different approach, I go up there and I show them it's fun, I'm having fun, I'm doing what I love, you know, and I'm hoping that you can catch my vibe." Turner's mind often turns to the struggles his home city of Alice Springs is going through and how he can help. "What I'm doing on the stage is showing everybody that there's a lot of good that can come out of Alice Springs if you look closely instead of like focusing on the bad," he said. "My big goal is to like help the kids sort of find another way to express themselves and also that outlet to speak about what's going through their mind. "There's so many things happening in Alice and I feel like the young ones, I feel like they need someone to look up to, someone to take leadership." Turner's thought-provoking songs are written in both English and Arrernte. "I keep my language in there, I put language in most of my tracks just so I can keep that strong, I've got two different audiences listening to me,' he said. "I've got the Arrernte community of Alice Springs, the Aboriginal tribe, that's my mob and then there's the non-Indigenous mob that's listening as well, so I'm hitting like two birds with one stone." He also helped produce a song in language for patients of Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital, as well as putting traditional nursery rhymes in language too. The Scouted showcase will put 13 of the state's hottest emerging acts on the stages of three city venues as part of the Australian Independent Record Label's annual Indie-Con conference. Scouted has a rich history, with the acclaimed Electric Fields performing there before going on to worldwide fame. The program is a priceless opportunity for the likes of Bousta, who currently has no manager or agent and has a 25-minute set to impress. "I want to take it as far as I can, I love music to the full, like I'm a proper muso," the artist said. "I'm all about talking about the struggles, I'm all about talking about generational change and just finding that good within all that bad stuff that's going on." Scouted will play at Jive, The Grace Emily and Ed Castle on Friday, August 1.
Canberra Times
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Canberra Times
The changes we need to make to the war memorial's governing council
Finally, if the outcome of the Voice referendum has inhibited proper commemoration of the Australian Wars at the memorial, we offer the Defending Country theme. "Defending Country" applies to all who have fought for Australia or parts of it, just as much to First Australians (Arrernte, Noongar, Wiradjuri and others), defending their Country on Country (and often dying on Country), as to uniformed Australians fighting our overseas wars. An emphasis on Defending Country does not divide Australians, but treats them equally, black and white, those not in uniform and those in uniform. Defending Country is a theme that should appeal to a bold, ambitious government.
