I rarely bother to read inevitably remote delivered exchanges of ignorances I encounter on sites where Aboriginal advancement issues are discussed; it is too painfully frustrating an exercise, but on this occasion I encountered one Jacques Chester who clearly knows his stuff.

Jacques, there are things happening that you should be a part of. Please contact me on tonyryan43@gmail.com, or (07) 54 754 009.

As to the issues raised above; CDEP hides grotesque Aboriginal unemployment and stifles local enterprise, thus preventing the growth of a local and regional economy. Without a regional Aboriginal economy there can be no genuine freedom, self-determination or self-support. Without these there can be no pride or dignity. And, yes, I was there when CDEP commenced and objected accordingly.

And ABTA: this was intended to fund viable Aboriginal initiatives; all of which died under CDEP. The croc farm proposal is manifestly neo-colonialism and plundering of local resources.

The NLC and other land councils were always intended to introduce western style leadership and representationalism, and smother the original and traditional clan consensus protocols. For those whose propagandisation successfully launches approval of representationalism, please consider alternative phraseology… who in their right mind would elect a person who owes them nothing, to do their thinking for them.

It is putting power over your own life into the hands of another and, inevitably, this power will corrupt vis a vis Lord Acton’s observations. Sum up politicians?

Finally, Allison Anderson, unlike other “Aboriginal” MLAs and lobbyists, speaks a number of Aboriginal languages; demonstrating that she is culturally Aboriginal. Those who do not are merely trading on colour and, by definition racist, ruthless, unethical and exploitative. Of course you can disagree with me, and redefine anthropology while you’re at it.

Speaking of anthropology, give some thought to the reality that only a handful of anthropologists bothered to learn Aboriginal languages. So how do they manage to define what they cannot see? Not unnaturally, they hate Elkin and other competent anthropologists who disparaged monolingual pretenders and poseurs.

Ahhh, that felt good.

Kindest regards, and sorry to butt in,

Tony Ryan

This blatant misguided half-cocked disgraceful attempt to re-steal Aboriginal land has serious international implications for all of us. Wonder what excuses we will hear from Mr J Howard and Mr M Brough WHEN the United Nations Intervention Force compels the Commonwealth Of Australia to withdraw from the so-called Northern Territory and grant it independence?

That’s the sort of thing that happens when you let mediocre draughts players get into a chess competition against winner-takes-all master players.

Indeed. This was a critical moment in the debate and broadcast.

Why. Well it unearthed the kind of whitefella moral panic (supported by Gordon) for so called ‘traditional people’.

Just who decided when degrees of remoteness should be an indication of ‘traditionality’ and thus more deserving of national attention?

Bear in mind most ‘remote’ youth did not speak their traditional languages but rather share an interest in the same popular culture as their urban cousins of the same age.

When self determination does not exist for Australiaâ??s first nations people this vortex of externally imposed definitions becomes the norm, the accepted, but also the unspoken ofâ??.

Gordonâ??s jibe was interesting in that she positioned herself not being traditional but something else that was not an authentic Aboriginal. Instead she declared herself to be something that was â??legalâ?? and thus objectiveâ?? and non racialised or radicalised.

Black moderate intellectualisation is the new Black in the white political fashion world.

Not an Aboriginal person but something that once was an Aboriginal person no defined by white laws and protocols and ethics.

This was a very dangerous positioning that spokes directly to the assimilation and white privilege that she also purports to fight against.

Not quite white and not quite black but authentic enough for white governments to use and support their own agendas. The acceptable, middle class professional Aboriginal with moderate views (about taking responsibilities) .

Abandoned are those middle class professional Aboriginal people and leaders with apparently â??radical viewsâ?? (about Rights) and who were apparently brainwashed by the white Left.

I am still unable to catch that part of the replay/transcript.
Cheers.

Most interesting was a recent episode of Difference of Opinion where the anger of both Olga Havnen and Lowitja O’ Donoghue at the intervention/land grab was palpable.

What has been left of the show, on site, is unreflective of the mood amongst the audience who have been pretty much edited out. Question time has been deleted, completely, while Sue Gordon gets a very big free kick to push government policy.

Good news, the question time is there, it’s just that the layout of the page and the titling of the transcript parts is misleading. (I’ve exchanged email with the ABC person, who says they’re looking to rectify the problem). The different bits of the transcript are simply marked “TRANSCRIPT”, instead of “Part 1″, etc.

Here ya go.

My favourite bit? When Gordon panicked and blurted out “What I am feeling is that there’s a move that people don’t want change for traditional people in those remote communities.” Surrounded by committed Aboriginal activists, I thought this was a rather brave move.

This is nonsense. Whatever Brough is or isn’t he is no racist.

Really? So why did he suspend the Racial Discrimination Act to get this bill through? Because it is racist and it would have contravened the Act. So suspend the Act, change the rules to allow racist legislation to pass.

Good post Tigtog. I can understand why the Maningrida community is so pissed off – one of the the Little Children are Sacred Report’s recommendation is that their successful Community Action Plan – going for nearly 1 year – be implemented across all communities.

Instead, Brough pulls the funding for it!! Then he sends in the police and army to Maningrida to “ask them what they want” and supposedly to “protect their children”. Well, this is what the MCAP was doing. Brough can’t pretend he doesn’t know this detail – it is in the report. Brough is a shyster and a hypocrit.

Pearson’s “model” is still not even proven across the Cape York communities where it is supposed to be operating, despite all the grandiose claims that are being made about it.

There is no evidence that removing the permit system will provide ANY benefits – and anecdotal evidence that this will provide plenty of negatives. Brough said “it wasn’t protecing children so we got rid of it”. This is moronic. Following this logic, speed signs aren’t stopping speeding so we should get rid of them all too!!

We need a treaty, recognition of indigenous Australians in the body of the Constitution, and we need a process that empowers and engages the indigenous community, not one that takes their lands and tramples on their rights.

The ALC’s, native title claimants, other traditional owners and local community representatiives are pretty much it in NT in 2007. Why, I wonder?

Go cry your crocodile tears elsewherem Jacques.

And don’t have the nerve to blame Aboriginal people for your larger, stronger, infinitely more powerful and richer communities’ fuck ups.

Just on the ABA ‘pot of gold’ that Brough has his arms grasped firmly around – have a look at the deal done in Alice Springs where $4 million (if my memory serves me correctly) has been taken from the ABA to fund the redevelopment of the local swimming pool (part of, I believe an $8 million job to which the Feds, the town council and the NT government have contributed).

The ABA ‘contribution’ has been justified on the basis that greater numbers of Aboriginal kids will use the pool – I have no idea how that idea was arrived at and what current or projected use by local Aboriginal people might be but I have some concerns that this money is being used for and whether any real benefit will flow to local Aboriginal people – particularly the kids – will there be dedicated learn-to-swim classes for local Aboriginal kids for example?

I agree with Michael’s comments about Brough’s (and Howard is in this up to his neck as well) bull-headed approach really rubbing many people up the wrong way – the whole notion of ‘intervention’ rather than ‘cooperation’ set the seeds of failure and pain in this show right from the start.

I too hope that some positives flow from this but it is a bloody hard way to win hearts and minds if you steal their land, open their towns to any blow-in and pinch their money. I also agree with David about the media access issue – up until very recently the mainstream media had little more than passing interest in issues on the ground outside of Darwin or Alice (unles there was a riot or rape) and while some of the recent comment has been thoughtful and considered, much of it still seems driven by Ministerial briefings and releases rather than a genuine attempt to find and report worthwhile news.

I’ve just had a quick look at Jacque’s home page for his candidacy (following his link above) – I’d noticed his comments in the past but quickly passed over them as being more concerned with beating up on blackfellas rather than being interested in progessing their lot – after looking at his comments on his site I see that little has changed. A tip Jacques – rather than just visiting Aboriginal communities and complaining about the “…hell on earth. Poverty, grog, violence, dependency” try to spend some time with the people that live there and go out on country with them – you just might learn something.
Good luck with the election Jacques – I think you’ll need it.

Yeh, thanks Jacques, you wouldn’t want to waste all your energy patronising Leftys, when door knocking is such a valuable tool and good for the wasteline.
It has probably been a surprise to you on this fleeting visit to see that others might have a few clues on matters you are undoubted master. Na, you would not want to take in others views…. they may get in the road of your ready preconceptions.

Those apparatchiks are actually employed by the representatives of the people. You may not like their decisions. Neither might I on occasion but then it is not my land – nor yours.

It has been my experience that there is no lack of desire among Aboriginal people for economic development on their land. Rather, the problem has been that there just aren’t squads of business people desperate to get out there. I hope that the intervention brings a few who aren’t carpetbaggers. That would be a positive.

As for media access I have observed the reality. A request comes in to a group of traditional owners. ‘Is he that bloke who wrote all those lies about … Tell him no.’ Or ‘does this mob normally tell the truth? OK let them come.’