Bi-partisan Neglect
The Labor Party has not been particularly vigorous, during the past 10 years, in championing a better deal for Aborigines. They have done little to press the Government, even where there are clear failures, such as the fall in the number of Aboriginal students in our universities in the years since this Government came to power. Now Aboriginal people are asking whether this Government initiative is aimed at disempowering them even more.
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I clearly remember the then leader of the opposition, Kim Beazley, weeping in the parliament after reading the “Bringing The Home” report. He, as leader, beseeched the Prime Minister that something be done. Nothing was.
Until the government of Australia formally apologises to aboriginal people all policies will fail. Only then will blackfellas see anything that comes out of the whiteman’s mouth as genuine. I believe a formal apology is Labor party policy and it would behove them to remind the public of that now.
It is for this reason that suspicions of land grabs prevail, regardless of the intentions of the government or not. They have lied too many times.
I fear Mr. Fraser is correct. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s we experienced a period of “downward envy” where people expressed great bitterness towards our minority groups sitting on the bottom of the socio/economic ladder. The likes of Pauline Hanson popularised the idea of “reverse discrimination”.
I was once at a cocktail party in Port Douglas which was attended by wealthy business people in 1996. “If I were a black, one legged lesbian single Mother,” quipped one diamond studded matron, “I would never have to worry about money!”
After all the laughter had ended, I asked, “I wonder how many black, one legged lesbian single Mothers live in beachfront condos in Port Douglas, drive a 4WD and have fingers full of diamond rings? Does anyone know?”
Needless to say, my question didn’t go down very well.
It is my belief that the Labor Party has responded to this “downward envy” by neglecting to develop positive policies on aboriginal issues.