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| Australia protest over abuse plan | Australia protest over abuse plan |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Community, church and indigenous groups in Australia are meeting in Canberra to voice concern over a plan to curb child sex abuse in Aboriginal communities. | Community, church and indigenous groups in Australia are meeting in Canberra to voice concern over a plan to curb child sex abuse in Aboriginal communities. |
| The radical plan was announced last week by Prime Minister John Howard. | The radical plan was announced last week by Prime Minister John Howard. |
| It includes a six-month ban on alcohol and pornography in communities in the Northern Territory, where paedophilia and juvenile prostitution are rife. | It includes a six-month ban on alcohol and pornography in communities in the Northern Territory, where paedophilia and juvenile prostitution are rife. |
| But many of those who have gathered in Canberra call the plan unnecessarily authoritarian and overbearing. | But many of those who have gathered in Canberra call the plan unnecessarily authoritarian and overbearing. |
| Australia's 'Katrina' | Australia's 'Katrina' |
| Some 50 community, church and indigenous leaders are meeting in the Australian capital. | Some 50 community, church and indigenous leaders are meeting in the Australian capital. |
| Mr Howard stands accused of riding roughshod over the very people he is trying to help, with critics of what are being called his shock and awe assault on child abuse criticising both his methods and his motivation. | Mr Howard stands accused of riding roughshod over the very people he is trying to help, with critics of what are being called his shock and awe assault on child abuse criticising both his methods and his motivation. |
| CHILD ABUSE REPORT Abuse is serious, widespread and often unreportedAboriginal people not the only victims or perpetrators of sexual abuse Contributing factors include poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, gambling, pornographyHealth and social services desperately need improving Full report [6500k] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | CHILD ABUSE REPORT Abuse is serious, widespread and often unreportedAboriginal people not the only victims or perpetrators of sexual abuse Contributing factors include poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, gambling, pornographyHealth and social services desperately need improving Full report [6500k] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| There have already been reports from some aboriginal communities that mothers are fleeing with their children, fearful they are going to be taken into care. | There have already been reports from some aboriginal communities that mothers are fleeing with their children, fearful they are going to be taken into care. |
| But Mr Howard continues to defend his proposals, likening Australia's failure on indigenous child abuse to the Bush administration's botched response to Hurricane Katrina in the US in 2005. | But Mr Howard continues to defend his proposals, likening Australia's failure on indigenous child abuse to the Bush administration's botched response to Hurricane Katrina in the US in 2005. |
| Australians had been aghast at the crisis in New Orleans, he said, but a similar kind of lawlessness had taken hold at home. | Australians had been aghast at the crisis in New Orleans, he said, but a similar kind of lawlessness had taken hold at home. |
| "We should have been more humble. We have our Katrina here and now. | "We should have been more humble. We have our Katrina here and now. |
| "That it has unfolded more slowly and absent the hand of God should make us humbler still," Mr Howard said. | "That it has unfolded more slowly and absent the hand of God should make us humbler still," Mr Howard said. |
| The prime minister has also been accused of politicising the issue in an election year, especially since his proposed ban on alcohol and pornography lasts only six months. | The prime minister has also been accused of politicising the issue in an election year, especially since his proposed ban on alcohol and pornography lasts only six months. |
| Many in the opposition Labor party have said his programme is a short-term political gesture rather than offering a long-term solution to the problem. |