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Wednesday 8 August 2007, Media Release

NSW SENATOR SHOULD APOLOGISE

Statement by NSW Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson Bev Manton

NSW Government Senator Bill Heffernan should immediately apologise to Aboriginal leader Pat Turner for seeking to intimidate her at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday.

Senator Heffernan's attempts to disrupt Ms Turner's news conference at Parliament House were beyond the pale.

It was a disgraceful demonstration of a powerful non-Aboriginal politician seeking to intimidate an Aboriginal woman who was exercising her right to protest the Federal Government's intervention into Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

I have spoken to a number of Aboriginal women who watched this on television last night and were offended.

Many are now asking whether this behaviour is to be expected from the Mission Managers who will be sent into Aboriginal Communities in the Territory when Aboriginal women and men seek to question what is going on.

I applaud Ms Turner's response to Senator Heffernan and her refusal to be intimidated by him.

If Senator Heffernan will not apologise the Prime Minister should direct him to do so.

Further information: Paul Molloy 0419 690 926