This post was first published on 19 december 2010.  The racist Intervention continues with white Australia’s complicity.

Salve amici

I wasn’t going to do another Dispatch in 2010, but like a pair of mushrooms two vehicles appeared parked out the front of the Yuendumu Police Station, with large signs inside their windscreens:

In your face!

A moot point but the “seized” signs are legally inaccurate.
A car cannot be seized and forfeited for transporting drugs, although it can be retained as evidence, and it may be seized and forfeited if the Police establish that it was acquired in whole or in part from the proceeds of  sale of drugs.

The power of Police to seize and forfeit vehicles under the NT Liquor Act on “Restricted Areas” has been in place for decades and precedes the “No Alcohol No Pornography” provisions applying to “Prescribed Areas” of the NTER (Intervention) Federal Legislation. The NTER Legislation as far as I’m aware does not include the power of seizure.

Yuendumu is on both a “Restricted” and a “Prescribed” area.  Non Warlpiri people continue to apply for and be issued with Drinking Permits under the NT Legislation.

I doubt that there is a single adult Aboriginal person in the NT that isn’t aware of the risk of having your vehicle seized for “grog running” (a single can is sufficient).

If the purpose of this display is to act as a deterrent it’s an utter failure.

A friend sent me this: “…… the failure to understand the Yappa view of the car:  I have always been impressed at the total ‘utility’ approach to cars, as opposed to a non-Yappa ‘utility/valuable asset’ approach. If the car is only a utility item, the loss of the car is not felt as a ‘financial’ loss ….. So displaying the seized cars, crushing them or selling them etc., has virtually no deterrent effect……” Verissimum

If it’s purpose is to once again rub Yappa’s noses in it and further stigmatize Yuendumu society, it is a roaring success.

What is a visitor to Yuendumu to think when entering our town?

First there is a large sign warning “Look for People” (how bloody patronising!)

1.   Then there is the Intervention’s “No Alcohol No Prohibited Material (Pornography)” sign (the one graffitied with “F**king Racists”)

and finally making up the Trifecta of Respect and Discretion:  The mushroom cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn1HC2XXEF8

I do ponder, how would citizens of say country NSW react to such signage and displays on the outskirts of their towns?

I remember a sign at a Victorian Country town that said “No Skylarking”… I thought it had an old fashioned charm….. “This vehicle has been seized by Victorian Police for Skylarking”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D59ZWa8ehgI

So should we retaliate by displaying “This vehicle has NOT been seized by Police for grog/drug running” signs on all the other Yuendumu vehicles?

My Sister is a proud grandmother, her seven year old grandson wrote to Santa at his school:

Dear Santa,
How are you going?
Are you coming to my house?
How is Santa going at the North Pole?
Are you ready for the big trip?
How are the reindeer?
From
Jeremy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n12CEblpwGY

And for next month’s wedding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWnWgQmODbs

and for those that won’t be attending:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJMW7cfNaSU

Felix nativitas Christi ad vos omnes

(Decode Google Translate from Latin),