The Stand Up 2017 conference held in Mparntwe-Alice Springs from 23rd-26th June was organized by the Intervention Rollback Action Group to mark ten years of the Northern Territory Intervention, now called Stronger Futures. It was preceded by a forum, public action and public speaking events in Sydney and followed by a community forum of NT elders and leaders in Melbourne on 29th June.
The purpose of bringing people together was to assess the impacts of the decade of racist laws and map a way forward for the future.
The conference opened and closed with smoking ceremonies conducted by Akeyulerre Healing Centre.
Speakers came from many parts of the Northern Territory: Rosalie Kunoth Monks, Ngarla Kunoth Monks, Frank Curtis, Elaine Peckham, Barbara Shaw, Matthew Ryan, Sharon Anderson, Celeste Liddle, Dylan Voller, Veronica Lynch, Pamela Lynch, Vincent Forrester, Vanessa Poulson, Valerie Patterson, Doreen McCormack, Audrey McCormack, Valerie Martin, Sylvia Neale, Dianne Stokes, Margaret Mary Kemarre, Amelia Turner, Pat Ansell Dodds, Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM, Yingiya Mark Guyula MLA; and interstate visitors Senator Rachel Siewert, Zach Wone and Kevin ‘Bones’ Kelly (MUA), Vickie Roach, Elizabeth Jarrett, Thalia Tane, Paddy Gibson; and community members engaged in the discussions.
On the last day of the gathering a statement was put together from the content of the discussions.
You can download a copy of the statement as well as view pictures from the conference here: Report on Stand Up 2017 Conference
