CLC Chairman: Police should "grow up"
The Chairman of the Central Land Council Kunmanara Breaden today called on the Alice Springs Police to apologise immediately to the women from Papunya who were moved out of a public park by an Aboriginal Community Police Officer.
"This is part of our culture and thousands and thousands of people around the world have seen Aboriginal ladies dancing without their tops on television, theatres and many public occasions," Mr Breaden said.
"And just a few weeks ago, the Warumungu ladies welcomed the train to Tennant Creek - dancing without tops on - and everybody loved it.
"Are the police going to issue the television stations with infringement notices for broadcasting pictures of ladies dancing with their tops off?
"I have never heard anyone complaining about it before and I can't see why children would be offended. I think it's good for children to see our Aboriginal culture. Tourists like to see Aboriginal people practicing their culture too, in fact they pay big dollars to see our culture and everyone is happy about that.
"This issue needs some common sense and the Minister for Police should be ringing his workers now and telling them to stop being stupid and grow up," Mr Breaden said.
27 March 2004
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