Background image - The Author (dreadlocked) outside his handbuilt stone bush home with friends. His home was destroyed by people he had made legal complaints against regarding their racism and political discrimination. This occurred shortly after he had submitted a complaint against the NT Police. Police refused to charge those responsible

The Author is out on appeal pending a four month prison sentence for protesting against the NT's endemic racism and corruption inside the NT Legislative assembly -- (Parliament) -- The obvious place to do so.

Do as I say

... not as I do

by mick lambe

Anti-dope MP - - Nurtured Dope Fiend

The son of Aboriginal Territory Government MP Marion Scrymgour has been caught dealing drugs at Wadeye, (a remote Aboriginal Community southwest of Darwin) and convicted on three charges.

I had the opportunity to cross-examine Marion Scrymgour recently, during the Parliament 'invasion' trial.

Ms Scrymgour was far more amenable to myself than my co-defendants, due to my association with PARIAH - People Against Racism In Aboriginal Homelands. Prior to my cross-examination she had been very vocal about the deleterious effect marijuana had on Aboriginal people.

Extract - "I asked, (Marion) "Which has had the greater detrimental impact on Aboriginal people - Marijuana or European invasion?"

The Magistrate intervened (as usual on any subject that touched upon racism) and directed that Marion did not have to answer that question. She didn't."

After the hearing Marion asked me to send her a submission (on behalf of PARIAH regarding Aboriginal people and marijuana) to the substance abuse committee she chairs. This is the submission

Marion was also very vocal (if not terribly convincing) when we entered Parliament, shouting at NAP protesters about how marijuana was killing people on Aboriginal communities etc, etc...

It is hardly necessary to elaborate on Ms Scrymgour's credibility as an anti-marijuana campaigner and Chairperson of the Labor's Government's substance abuse committee.

The Racist State

One of the sadder aspects of political activism is the knowledge gained of the absolute cynicism driving most political campaigns. The anti-marijuana campaign waged by the Northern Territory Labor government epitomises that cynicism, with its mixture of paternalistic racism and redneck populism.

To even compare marijuana use and its effects on Aboriginal people, to the demonstrative results of the ongoing physical and cultural genocide, visited upon them by the NT State, is of course totally nonsensical. It is an insulting and devious means of shifting blame to the victims of the expansionist NT State.

Such racist paternalism and misdirection, was a hallmark of the Country Liberal Party which was defeated -- more for the crudity and arrogance of its racist stance -- than any widespread disagreement with the existence of its racist agendas. The NT Labor Party has made little change to the State machinery that powered these racist policies, and is continuing to pander to the same electoral prejudices, albeit with their own deceptive spin.

The similarity of the duopolist party agendas here has led me to describe their perpetrators as the CLP/ALP coalition government. The success of the ALP in whitewashing blatantly racist policies such as mandatory sentencing ( the prisons are overflowing under Labor and still contain a large proportion of Aboriginal prisoners ) while continuing to push essentially CLP policies of racist control, explains the current disarray within the CLP.

The CLP have had their racist policies usurped by a more sophisticated political machine. A less than phenomenal event in Australian politics, as seen in the demise of the One Nation party, by the adoption (and adaptation) of their racist populist policies, by John Howard's Federal Liberal party.

A 'race specific' agenda which sees Australia openly admit to embracing the regressive policy of integration and NT Labor's close working relationship with the Conservative Liberal government, shows how much of an alternative the NT Labor party really is to 'conservative' rule.

Labor 'branding' of conservative policies

PARIAH's negative opinion of the sincerity and credibility of Labor's anti-marijuana campaigners is public record (and we'd assume part of the NT Government's substance abuse committee's report) as is our belief that drug abuse (in particular inhalants and alcohol) is symptomatic of physical and cultural genocide.

PARIAH do not have a political agenda (drug issues are always contentious and opinions in PARIAH vary) relying instead on the consensus of personal experience and scientific data, factors entirely absent from Labor's hysterical propaganda.

 

'Marijuana-related suicide an epidemic, says MP' Sydney Morning Herald November 25, 2002 Ah Kit - In one community of 650, there were 30 suicide attempts last year related to marijuana smoking, Mr Ah Kit said. Mick - Why are we not seeing similar (alleged) results in non-Aboriginal communities? Ah Kit - "People are buying this marijuana and when they have an opportunity, mix it up with alcohol. "There's some sort of fusion; people become paranoid and people are committing suicide. Mick - Same point as above and the lack of any scientific basis for Ah Kit's 'findings' makes them meaningless. - The extent of suicides by Aboriginal youth in the NT is appalling. Oppression, repression, boredom and a lack of meaningful education are the real culprits, as anyone with experience on Aboriginal communities can tell you. Public record -- Mandatory sentencing senate inquiry 2001 Aboriginal kids at Port Keats (Wadeye -- where a population of 1800? people are crammed into a community surrounded by thousands of hectares of liveable space) prefer prison to being trapped there during the Wet. Wadeye is where Marion Scrymgour's son was dealing marijuana.

'Doctor links drug abuse and rap music' ABC News Tue, 26 Nov 2002 A Northern Territory doctor says rasta and rap music play a role in substance abuse in Aboriginal communities. Dr Rob Parker, the acting director of psychiatry with Top End Mental Health, says although data shows marijuana use leads to depression, there are other factors at play - including music. Mick - A State doctor agrees with the State. One wonders what sort of music would be acceptable to the NT State. Kylie Minogue? Rap music is multifaceted so there is a generalised assumption (appeal to prejudice) being made here. Dr Rob Parker - "I think there's particular symbolism in respect to black empowerment, black culture in the United States and in the West Indies in respect of Rastafarian music and rap music, which has a strong association between substance abuse and music and black empowerment issues"... Mick - And I quote myself as the 'Left' seem unable to respond to this issue. One associate has suggested, that this lack of response may be due to the absolute absurdity of NT Labor's claims. However they conceded that absurd or not, this sort of campaign is taken seriously up here and has an enormous impact on people's lives. "The link between marijuana and these cultures of Black empowerment is precisely why the Labor party is targeting Aboriginal use of marijuana. It is genuine Black empowerment that will stop the suicides caused by the White disempowerment of Aboriginal people. Essentially some measure of control over their own lives that other 'Australians' take for granted. The State's cradle-to-grave interference in Aboriginal lives would be intolerable to non-Aboriginals. The Councils that run Communities are often undemocratic, relying on Police to quell outbreaks of dissent and to protect non-Aboriginal interests. Regardless of the reality Black empowerment takes on -- the Whites (and those Aboriginal people) profiteering from Aboriginal disempowerment, have lost any right to criticise it -- due to their culpability in the long-term cultural and physical genocide of Aboriginal people. Only a racist apologist could take -- such politically self-serving statements from the people directly responsible for the appalling suicide rate on Aboriginal communities -- seriously."

If the Labor Party were really concerned about hydroponic marijuana they would legalise the growing of the herb in the Northern Territory. A precedent has been established with the selling of Kava if only on a few Aboriginal communities. This would ensure monies were put back into the communities and would have a massive impact on the violence associated with alcohol.

PARIAH have experts on marijuana cultivation willing to assist.

NT News report

MP's son caught dealing drugs
By CAMDEN SMITH
August 29, 2003

The son of Territory Government MP Marion Scrymgour has been caught dealing drugs.

Richard Maurice Daiyi, 22, pleaded guilty to three charges.

He was given a four-month suspended jail sentence for possessing cannabis, possessing a traffickable quantity of cannabis and unlawfully supplying cannabis.

Magistrate David Loadman also gave Daiyi a 12-month good behaviour bond and confiscated his earnings from dealing drugs.

Daiyi, 22, sold cannabis at Wadeye, southwest of Darwin.

Ms Scrymgour chairs the Government's substance abuse committee. Last night she said she felt ``hurt and betrayed'' by her son.

A police insider told the Northern Territory News he was concerned Daiyi's court hearing had been fast-tracked.

The source said Daiyi was arrested on the morning of August 13 and was in court at Wadeye within six hours.

"That is very unusual,'' he said. Mr Loadman heard that Daiyi had quit his job shooting brumbies at Palumpa.

The court heard he bought 94.6g of cannabis in Darwin in mid-July before travelling to Palumpa, about 30km east of Wadeye. He later went to Wadeye where he sold 16 satchels at $50 a bag. About 5.30am on August 13, Daiyi was in his father's Toyota LandCruiser when he was stopped by police.

The court heard he willingly gave police the remaining cannabis and about $810 from the 16 deals. Chief Minister Clare Martin last night denied the case had been fast-tracked through court.

Northern Territory News

Aboriginal people and marijuana

Next Article

Previous Article