After making a statement to the Town Council on behalf of Arrernte women, Councillor Catherine Satour says she was threatened with violence. She is working with police to identify the person who made the threat, according to the post on her Facebook page. We reproduce the full post here:
Last night I was honoured with the opportunity to deliver a sincere statement on behalf of the Arrernte Women. Their message was clear, they are leaders of our community who have many years of lived experience and are holders valuable knowledge.
It was wonderful to have many people attend this meeting to see how Council can work for our community in a positive and meaningful way.
The ask was clear, “that Council support us in our endeavour to strive for unity, reconciliation and harmony amongst our Community of Alice Springs, so we can work together to address our problems and move forward”. This was unanimously supported in principle by the entire council.
What followed this peaceful presentation has absolutely shaken me. I received threats of violence towards me from someone unidentified at this time. This has left me vulnerable and exposed with genuine fear for my safety. Police were called to the Council chambers where there remained a group of people on the lawns of Council. It concerns me that other Councillors have been exposed to similar threat.
Let me be clear any threat or act of violence against women is completely unacceptable and should never occur. I will do all I can to stand strong against domestic violence and violence perpetrated against women.
I will work with police and council to identify the person who made the threat and, I will continue to go about my work as an elected member where I have secured a place for Traditional Owners and land owners to participate in meetings with Police and NT Government within Operation Shulton.
Further to this Traditional Owners are now involved in the Interagency Tasking Co-ordination Group in preparation for Easter weekend and during long weekend to address antisocial behaviour.
This is happening as Traditional owners are very concerned with what is happening in the town and want to be included in addressing with the problems.
RELATED READING:
Cr Jimmy Cocking’s comment here.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Let me guess … were they Warlpiri?
A better, more inclusive comment would read:
“Let me be clear any threat or act of violence against any PERSON is completely unacceptable and should never occur. I will do all I can to stand strong against domestic violence and violence perpetrated against any PERSON.”
‘Interested’ is Correct.
But hey threats are a part of our town. Most people have walked through town and been threatened for no reason at all.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. Please people remember this phrase from the old days.
Nowadays some people are hyper sensitive and go running to Police, an emergency service for being hurt by words.
Were they Warlpiri? Is it important?
I know that typically, Indigenous Australian are differentiated by language groups, but as long as groups ignore or even fight each other, believing one is better that the other one, they will never be represented in Parliament like in the following fable from Aesop:
“A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near they turned their tails to warn another, so that whichever way he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them.
“At last, however, they fell a-quarreling among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in the separate corner of the field. Then the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four”.
United we stand, divided we fall.