Protesters Gather in Central Melbourne, Opposing Closure of Remote Aboriginal Communities

A protest against the closures of indigenous communities in Western Australia forced road closures and a disruption to public transport in Melbourne’s CBD on the afternoon of April 10.

The Western Australia premier Colin Barnett flagged that 150 of 274 indigenous communities in remote areas may be shut down. He was backed by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whose controversial statement that the government could not “endlessly subsidize lifestyle choices” created a major backlash and prompted accusations of racism in recent weeks. Organizers of the protests argue that indigenous communities have lived on their land for thousands of years and closure of their communities would lead to high levels of homelessness. Credit: Instagram/peacheydream