NGAMBRI man Paul Girrawah House and other local members of the Ngambri have launched proceedings in the ACT Supreme Court to stop the ACT government discriminating against the tribe. 

He said the proceedings in the ACT Supreme Court under the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT) was to stop the ACT government from denying the existence of the Ngambri people and their connection to country.

House said he was born on Ngambri Country, at the old Canberra Hospital on Acton Peninsula.

“I firmly believe the ACT’s overt ‘one-tribe’ policy of recognising only the Ngunnawal is contrary to s.27(2) of the ACT Human Rights Act 2004 and Articles 25, 31 and 33 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” Paul House said. 

“For the past two years, my mother, Dr Matilda House and I, have been trying to meet with the ACT government to have our identity and ancestry as Ngambri recognised by the ACT government. Our attempts at reconciling with the ACT government have come to no avail.” Paul House said. 

“We have irrefutable evidence of our ancestry and connection to Canberra and surrounding region that can be traced back to the time of first European settlement in the 1820s. But the ACT government refuses to accept this evidence and consistently acknowledges only the Ngunnawal. The fact remains that the name Canberra is derived from the name of our people and country: the Ngambri.”

He said that under the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT) and under Articles 25, 31 and 33 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage and traditional cultural expressions. They also have the right to determine their own identity or membership in accordance with their customs and traditions.

“We believe it is time for the ACT government to come to its senses in an atmosphere of mutual respect and recognise our ancestors and our right to determine our identity,” said House.

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