.jpg)
The Central Land Council says a petition purporting to be from the people of Hermannsburg is a fraud.
CLC director David Ross said the petition allegedly containing the signatures of 400 people who wanted the land council sacked had received much press in recent days but some simple research by the media and the Country Liberals’ member for Braitling Adam Giles, who tabled it in Parliament, would have caused them to doubt its veracity.
“The petition contains the names of people who have been dead for 12 months, names appear on it more than once, it’s written in Pitjantjatjara but most of the people who purportedly signed it speak other languages and dozens of signatures appear to be forged,” Mr Ross said.
“This petition doesn’t represent a groundswell of ill-feeling against the CLC, this petition represents either the malicious nature of the Country Liberal’s Aboriginal affairs spokesman or his sloppy attention to detail and lazy journalism.”
Mr Ross said the petition is undated, not addressed to anyone in particular and no individual or organisation has claimed responsibility for it.
“If this is the quality of Mr Giles’ research before he places a document before the Parliament of the Northern Territory then Aboriginal people should be concerned,” Mr Ross said.
“Likewise, all people should be able to expect a higher quality of reporting from their media outlets.” Mr Ross said all people have a right to express their views and opinions in a form of protest such as a petition, even those who don’t agree with the intervention.
“The land council has no problem with people complaining if that’s how they feel, but they shouldn’t be misled to gain their signature on a petition, nor other people sign for them, nor should they be resurrected from the dead to be included on a petition.”
