Brisbane Aboriginal-Sovereign Embassy leader applying for mining permit

INDIGENOUS protest organisers plan to take over a prime piece of Gold Coast land during the Commonwealth Games where they will launch action against the city’s biggest ever event. And they’ve got a secret weapon to secure the site.

Wayne Wharton at the indigenous protest ahead of G20 at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane. Pics Tara Croser.

INDIGENOUS protest organisers have applied for a mining permit over a parcel of Gold Coast land they plan to use as their base camp during the Commonwealth Games.

Brisbane Aboriginal-Sovereign Embassy leader Wayne Wharton told the Gold Coast Bulletin the exact location of the protest camp would be made public closer to the date.

“We’re talking to the Lands Department to look at taking a miner’s exploration permit over some land,” he said.

Elder Wayne Wharton. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We might do some fossicking for two weeks while we’re protesting.”

Mr Wharton said up to 5000 to 6000 people from throughout Australia and overseas were expected to converge on the Coast to protest during the Games.

“We’ve been talking with the Lands Department. We’re entitled to mine as much as anybody else. If people want to camp with us, us, they’re entitled to do so,” he said.

“It‘s the same as any other mining company exploration permit.

“We did it in ‘82 (during the Brisbane Commonwealth Games) with Musgrave Park in Brisbane and we’ll do it again.”

The Stolenwealth Games Protest is being organised by a national committee that includes members of the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) and the Brisbane Aboriginal-Sovereign Embassy.

“Each time ‘Australia’ has hosted the games thousands of Aboriginal, Torres Straight islanders as well as other groups who have been oppressed by the crown have united to resist colonial activity and authority,” the Stolenwealth Games Protest Facebook page says.

“This event is brought to you by a national committee consisting of many different collectives and individuals and we all hope to stand with many of you on the frontline.”

Mr Wharton said the camp would be a central hub for demonstrations, public forums and discussions, as well as workshops for cultural sharing and resistance concerts during the Games.

Posts saying the site will have showers, toilets, and kitchen facilities — “all you need to bring is your tribe, tent, all your passion and power” — have prompted concerns the protest site could be the same park in Broadbeach that will be used as an indigenous hub as part of the Games’ official multi-arts and culture celebration Festival 2018

Indigenous people from Pacific nations will fly to Australia to join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protesters during the Commonwealth Games.

The indigenous Pacific Uprising group has used its Facebook page to call for donations to help fund for a delegation from Hawaii, Rarotonga, Guåhan and Aotearoa to travel to the Coast to join the ‘Stolenwealth Games Protest Camp’ in Broadbeach from April 4-15.

“This April, the British Crown and its Stolenwealth Games are being held in the Pacific on the Gold Coast,” IPU says.

“IPU is fundraising to send a group of indigenous peoples from around the Pacific to gather and support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters in the 2018 Stolenwealth Games Protest Camp.

“With a group of 7 gearing up to go, we need $10,000 just to cover the flights from Hawaii, Rarotonga, Guåhan and Aotearoa so any help would be greatly appreciated!”