Book Launch – “The Secret War: A True History of Queensland’s Native Police”

by Jonathan Richards
 ”The Secret War” will be launched by Henry Reynolds at the Avid Reader bookshop, Boundary St. West End (Bris) on Wednesday 19th March 2008 at 6.00 pm.
 From the publisher, University of Queensland Press….……
  Henry Reynolds describes Jonathan Richards’ controversial book, The Secret War: A True History of Queensland’s Native Police, as ‘a major contribution to [...]

Reflections on indigenous issues by a non-indigenous person for the consideration of non-indigenous people.

This is a post I have written for the blog “Public Polity” which is Run by Sam Clifford who is an active member of the Queensland Greens.  http://publicpolity.wordpress.com/   I will be writing regularly for Public Polity. 
 Firstly a note on vocabulary.  When I use the word “white” I am speaking of culture and worldview, I am not talking [...]

Kevin Rudd’s Sorry statement has to say why the government is sorry – press release from Michael Anderson

Press release:  Michael Anderson, Goodooga, NSW, 29 January 2008
In a statement from Goodooga in NW NSW, Michael Anderson said today:
“In our family’s experience, my grandmother taken from Angledool, NW NSW in 1914 and had to find her own way home. She always wanted recognition of the government’s cruel judgement to breed out the colour and culture [...]

Political addiction and the 2007 election ( Revenge of the Pseph)

“Well may you say God Save the Queen, but nothing will save the governor General”

I just had to say that on remembrance day. Every time I visit Canberra I have to stand at the front of the old parliament house and recite this mantra. Today is a holy day for political junkies.
I find election night [...]

John Howard’s referendum on assimilation

Yesterday John Howard announced that he will, if re-elected, hold a referendum to amend the preamble of the Australian constitution to include a “statement of reconciliation” and to “recognise indigenous Australians”
The first thing to note about the proposed change to the constitution is that it is legally meaningless. The preamble of the constitution contains no specifics [...]

Hearts and minds

As readers may know I am an occaisional writer for the greenish leaning “Dead Roo” blog. I have also begun writing for  “Leftrights”, a leftish leaning blog.
My first post on Leftwrites is entitled “The Eurocentrism of Australian Socialism”
Here is my most recent comment on that discussion……
The point of real connection with Aboriginal Australia is [...]

Terra Nullius and Ecology

I have been promising for a while to write something about colonial perspectives and the environment movement. However I got caught up in critiques of socialism and the APEC demonstrations and didn’t get around to it. Then I realised that I have never put the following article on Paradigm Oz. It is an old one [...]

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Media release from the National Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation – NACCHO
A TIME TO CELEBRATE?
Last night the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous peoples around the world are celebrating but not in Australia said Mr Councillor, Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation which represents [...]

The war at home

Huey P. Newton – interview from jail.                                                                 Thanks to Whenua, Fenua, Enua, Vanua  for drawing my attention to this video.

The Late Dr. Huey P. Newton was one of the leaders of the Black Panther movement in the 1960s and 70s.
There are many differences between the situation African American people and Australian [...]

APEC protests – A symbol of Terra Nullius, foreign occupation and colonisation.

The blogosphere is now full of self congratulatory reports of the great success of the  Sydney anti-APEC protests.
I am not impressed though.
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was camped at Victoria Park for the duration of APEC but there appears to have been no connection to it or to Aboriginal Australia in any of the protest propaganda [...]

Peter Garrett – Whatever happened to the revolution?

“Whatever happened to the revolution?    We all got stoned and it drifted away”    So sang Skyhooks in the 1970’s about the demise of the anti Vietnam war movement.
The 70’s revolution may seem to have disappeared in a puff of strange smelling smoke but it really went “underground” into the public service and mainstream capitalism and got [...]

Censorship by the Socialist Alliance, What next?

Australian Socialism, Racisim and a tinge of Stalinism.
I have to admit that the motivation for writing this article comes from being censored on “LeftClick” – an Australian socialist blog connected to the Socialist Alliance and the “Green Left Weekly” –  in a discussion about the relationship between non-Aboriginal activists and Aboriginal Australia.    This is the [...]

The N.T. Intervention – a perspective from the other side of the front line

I have just included a new link on the link list – “That Manunga Linguist”
This blog belongs to a linguist working in Southern Arnhem Land and, amongst other things, is documenting the Federal government’s intervention as it happens on the ground.
An excerpt from “The Intervention” 
“The meeting started with a representative from Darwin’s FACSIA office running [...]

Northern Territory intervention – the end of an era.

                                          Prime Minister Gough Whitlam hands back Gurindji land to the Late Vincent Lingiari in 1975     
                                                                                                                           The Late Oodgero Noonuccal, campaigner for the 67 referendum, reconcilliation and a treaty.
                                                                                                                  The Late Dr.  Kumantjayi Perkins, leader of the “Freedom Rides” and architect of Aboriginal self determination in government indigenous policy that lead [...]

Wow, You tube and prime ministers. My, how times have changed!

Paul Keating’s Redfern statement 10/12/92 

This post is not yet another pointless comment about technology changing and politicians’ adaption to it. This YouTube video of Paul Keating’s famous Redfern Statement on December 10 1992 shows how much indigenous policy and understanding of history has changed. Sure there was much howling of disapproval in [...]