CTar’s comment.
Puffy’s suggestion.
I will add links as they become available. However, the thread starter consists of Noel Pearson’s eulogy, which will resonate down the years.
Thank you, Noel.
And vale to the old man.
(Image Credit: Daniel Munoz; Fairfax)
Paul Keating said the reward for public life is public progress.
For one born estranged from the nation’s citizenship, into a humble family of a marginal people striving in the teeth of poverty and discrimination, today it is assuredly no longer the case.
This because of the equalities of opportunities afforded by the Whitlam program.
Raised next to the wood heap of the nation’s democracy, bequeathed no allegiance to any political party, I speak to this old man’s legacy with no partisan brief.
Rather, my signal honour today on behalf of more people than I could ever know, is to express our immense gratitude for the public service of this old man.
I once took him on a tour to my village and we spoke about the history of the mission and my youth under the Government of his nemesis, Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
My home was an Aboriginal reserve under a succession of Queensland laws commencing in 1897.
These laws were notoriously discriminatory and the bureaucratic apparatus controlling the reserves maintained vigil over the smallest details concerning its charges.
Superintendents held vast powers and a cold and capricious bureaucracy presided over this system for too long in the 20th century.
In June 1975, the Whitlam Government enacted the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Queensland Discrimatory Laws Act.
The law put to purpose the power conferred upon the Commonwealth Parliament by the 1967 referendum, finally outlawing the discrimination my father and his father lived under since my grandfather was removed to the mission as a boy and to which I was subject the first 10 years of my life.
Powers regulating residency on reserves without a permit, the power of reserve managers to enter private premises without the consent of the householder, legal representation and appeal from court decisions, the power of reserve managers to arbitrarily direct people to work, and the terms and conditions of employment, were now required to treat Aboriginal Queenslanders on the same footing as other Australians.
We were at last free from those discriminations that humiliated and degraded our people.
The companion to this enactment, which would form the architecture of indigenous human rights akin to the Civil Rights Act 1965 in the United States, was the Racial Discrimination Act.
It was in Queensland under Bjelke-Petersen that its importance became clear.
In 1976 a Wik man from Aurukun on the western Cape York Peninsula, John Koowarta, sought to purchase the Archer Bend pastoral lease from its white owner.
The Queensland Government refused the sale. The High Court’s decision in Koowarta versus Bjelke-Petersen upheld the Racial Discrimination Act as a valid exercise of the external affairs powers of the Commonwealth.
However, in an act of spite, the Queensland Government converted the lease into the Acher Bend National Park.
Old man Koowarta died a broken man, the winner of a landmark High Court precedent but the victim of an appalling discrimination.
The Racial Discrimination Act was again crucial in 1982 when a group of Murray Islanders led by Eddie Mabo claimed title under the common law to their traditional homelands in the Torres Strait.
In 1985 Bjelke-Petersen sought to kill the Murray Islanders’ case by enacting a retrospective extinguishment of any such title.
There was no political or media uproar against Bjelke-Petersen’s law. There was no public condemnation of the state’s manuover. There was no redress anywhere in the democratic forums or procedures of the state or the nation.
If there were no Racial Discrimination Act that would have been the end of it. Land rights would have been dead, there would never have been a Mabo case in 1992, there would have been no Native Title Act under Prime Minister Keating in 1993.
Without this old man the land and human rights of our people would never have seen the light of day.
There would never have been Mabo and its importance to the history of Australia would have been lost without the Whitlam program.
Only those who have known discrimination truly know its evil.
Only those who have never experienced prejudice can discount the importance of the Racial Discrimination Act.
This old man was one of those rare people who never suffered discrimination but understood the importance of protection from its malice.
On this day we will recall the repossession of the Gurindji of Wave Hill, when the Prime Minister said, “Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof in Australian law that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands this piece of earth itself as a sign that we restore them to you and your children forever.”
It was this old man’s initiative with the Woodward Royal Commission that led to Prime Minister Fraser’s enactment of the Aboriginal Land Rights Northern Territory Act, legislation that would see more than half of the territory restored to its traditional owners.
Of course recalling the Whitlam Government’s legacy has been, for the past four decades since the dismissal, a fraught and partisan business.
Assessments of those three highly charged years and their aftermath divide between the nostalgia and fierce pride of the faithful, and the equally vociferous opinion that the Whitlam years represented the nadir of national government in Australia. Let me venture a perspective.
The Whitlam government is the textbook case of reform trumping management.
In less than three years an astonishing reform agenda leapt off the policy platform and into legislation and the machinery and programs of government.
The country would change forever. The modern cosmopolitan Australia finally emerged like a technicolour butterfly from its long dormant chrysalis.
And 38 years later we are like John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin’s Jewish insurgents ranting against the despotic rule of Rome, defiantly demanding “and what did the Romans ever do for us anyway?”
Apart from Medibank and the Trade Practices Act, cutting tariff protections and no-fault divorce in the Family Law Act, the Australia Council, the Federal Court, the Order of Australia, federal legal aid, the Racial Discrimination Act, needs-based schools funding, the recognition of China, the abolition of conscription, the law reform commission, student financial assistance, the Heritage Commission, non-discriminatory immigration rules, community health clinics, Aboriginal land rights, paid maternity leave for public servants, lowering the minimum voting age to 18 years and fair electoral boundaries and Senate representation for the territories.
Apart from all of this, what did this Roman ever do for us?
And the Prime Minister with that classical Roman mien, one who would have been as naturally garbed in a toga as a safari suit, stands imperiously with twinkling eyes and that slight self-mocking smile playing around his mouth, in turn infuriating his enemies and delighting his followers.
There is no need for nostalgia and yearning for what might have been.
The achievements of this old man are present in the institutions we today take for granted and played no small part in the progress of modern Australia.
There is no need to regret three years was too short. Was any more time needed? The breadth and depth of the reforms secured in that short and tumultuous period were unprecedented, and will likely never again be repeated.
The devil-may-care attitude to management as opposed to reform is unlikely to be seen again by governments whose priorities are to retain power rather than reform.
The Whitlam program as laid out in the 1972 election platform consisted three objectives: to promote equality, to involve the people of Australia in the decision-making processes of our land, and to liberate the talents and uplift the horizons of the Australian people.
This program is as fresh as it was when first conceived. It scarcely could be better articulated today.
Who would not say the vitality of our democracy is a proper mission of government and should not be renewed and invigorated.
Who can say that liberating the talents and uplifting the horizons of Australians is not a worthy charter for national leadership?
It remains to mention the idea of promoting equality. My chances in this nation were a result of the Whitlam program. My grandparents and parents could never have imagined the doors that opened to me which were closed to them.
I share this consciousness with millions of my fellow Australians whose experiences speak in some way or another to the great power of distributed opportunity.
I don’t know why someone with this old man’s upper middle class background could carry such a burning conviction that the barriers of class and race of the Australia of his upbringing and maturation should be torn down and replaced with the unapologetic principle of equality.
I can scarcely point to any white Australian political leader of his vintage and of generations following of whom it could be said without a shadow of doubt, he harboured not a bone of racial, ethnic or gender prejudice in his body.
This was more than urbane liberalism disguising human equivocation and private failings; it was a modernity that was so before its time as to be utterly anachronistic.
For people like me who had no chance if left to the means of our families we could not be more indebted to this old man’s foresight and moral vision for universal opportunity.
Only those born bereft truly know the power of opportunity. Only those accustomed to its consolations can deprecate a public life dedicated to its furtherance and renewal. This old man never wanted opportunity himself but he possessed the keenest conviction in its importance.
For it behoves the good society through its government to ensure everyone has chance and opportunity.
This is where the policy convictions of Prime Minister Whitlam were so germane to the uplift of many millions of Australians.
We salute this old man for his great love and dedication to his country and to the Australian people.
When he breathed he truly was Australia’s greatest white elder and friend without peer of the original Australians.
(Image Credit: Art Gallery New South Wales)
I shall never see his like again.
(Image Credit: New South Wales Government)
Employment/unemployment figures were released yesterday. No matter what spin the government uses, no matter how they might have tried to nobble the ABS, it’s not good news.
Peter Martin says this –
http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/employment-to-population-ratio-paints-a-bleak-jobs-picture-20141106-11hsye.html#ixzz3IKF8G48v
Remember this, from two years ago?
Tony Abbott, 27 November 2012 –
http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2012/11/28/tony-abbott-press-release-coalitions-jobs-pledge
And –
http://www.news.com.au/national/tony-abbott-promises-to-create-one-million-new-jobs-in-five-years/story-fndo4eg9-1226524825561
Another election promise broken. It’s going to take a very long time, much longer than five years, to get that first 1 million jobs, not to mention the further million with the Abbott government doing all it can to add to the ranks of the unemployed. Don’t forget, all the manufacturing shut-downs and flow-on business closures, all the public service sackings, are still to happen.
The rest of Abbott’s press release is a laugh. No wonder this country is facing a recession and racing towards record unemployment.
Speaking of employment. How is Abbott’s promise to create 2 million jobs going ? Admittedly it was a fraudulent promise as natural population growth would deliver the sort of numbers promised. On the other hand we have a bunch of incompetent clowns in charge there is every chance they will screw up such a ‘tap in’ .
Tony Abbott: Ebola’s best friend.
I usually keep several windows going, even when not directly using. One or two these when idle for long periods will default to an old link I’d used. At the moment my Canberra Times window defaults to “Abbott booed at Whitlam Memorial”, which I rather enjoy.
Leone re NDIS thanks
Leone,
How is Miss Molly today? Hope all is well with her recovery.
Janice
Miss Molly is doing very well. The same cannot be said for her slave. Molly is not taking kindly to being confined to barracks, even though she always spends most of her time inside anyway.
This morning she wanted to go out. Understandable. These cats came house-trained and, since being allowed/brave enough to come indoors have always gone outside to do what cats need to do, they have never been interested in litter trays. After a couple of hours of door scratching, pitiful meowing, an aborted escape attempt and death glares Mesma would envy I finally managed to convince Molly to use the (very expensive) new litter tray. After that much-needed relief she had a second breakfast and is now fast asleep. If she follows her usual routine she will sleep until some time this afternoon. Then we will begin the performance all over again.
I don’t know if I can take two weeks of this. We go back to the vet’s next week for a check-up. I’m hoping she gets the all-clear to go outside then.
This is fantastic!
The story –
http://www.nocarnofun.com/took-6-years-to-build-this-airbus-a400m-atlas-rc/#ixzz3IKrUldWF
Nifty.
Bushfire Bill will probably want one for Christmas.
leonetwo
Thank you for that link . It was amazing.the level of detail. I particularly liked the parachutists. And the different camera views.
Wonder what the cost was
Bushfire Bill will probably want one for Christmas.
Me Too.. Please Santa
BB wouldn’t be the only one. I know at least three family members who would kill for one of those. Wouldn’t mind one myself.
I have an idea –
Instead of mini paratroopers you could have mini Abbotts and Murdochs and they could be shoved out with faulty parachutes. That could be very cathartic.
joe6pack
They have carefully avoided mentioning the cost.
A very funny bit of news from lizzie over the road.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/egyptian-bus-driver-gets-shock-after-using-wifes-urine-for-drugs-test-20141106-11i9y9.html
😀
If Abbott loses the toss will he be Put in?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/07/russian-government-hints-at-vladimir-putin-and-tony-abbott-meeting
TLBD
Vlad is limbering up already.
All those years struggling to get Darling Daughter’s fine hair into pony tails and buns for ballet – why didn’t someone tell me I could have used the vacuum cleaner.
I don’t think that trick would be safe with a Dyson. Those things would leave a bald head.
l2
Fond memories of a single father dealing with precious Ms hair for around a decade and a half.
The cost is probably immaterial as the parts were probably taken out of Airbus stores and the model assembled on Airbus premises with the proud approval of the bosses.
It was possibly built by the aircraft model making apprentices
Please don’t think I am mocking that model or the skill and technical know-how that went into its manufacture – just envious that Australia has probably lost that skill-set
From Lefty @ pollbludger
Good campaign here to stop ‘primary health networks’ (aka private insurers)screwing up medicare, which every right-thinking Australian should be concerned about.
https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/medicare/primary-health-networks/profit-driven-health-is-no-future-for-medicare
They’ll pretend its a public service improvement, but in fact its only to advantage their own private health fund members. US style managed care.
from Lizzie @ pollbludger
During the hearing, Liberal senator Cory Bernardi sparked anger from Greens senator Larissa Waters when he told representatives of the state’s oldest women’s refuge they were not “experts” and there were times it was appropriate for a man to put his partner in a headlock.
Women’s House Shelta’s Barbara Crossing told the hearing a man had a protection order taken out against his partner using evidence she bit him under the arm.
Ms Crossing, a support worker since 1991, said the injury could only have been caused by the man having the woman in a headlock.
Senator Bernardi said police considered headlocks an “appropriate means of deferring an aggressor” and Ms Crossing was second-guessing the police who were the “experts”.
Senator Waters said Ms Crossing was the expert and a headlock was an example of domestic violence.
http://m.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/putting-a-woman-in-a-headlock-sometimes-justified-cory-bernardi-tells-domestic-violence-inquiry/story-fnn8dlfs-1227115178445
Billie,
Bernardi probably believes that, deep down, the little woman really enjoys a bit of rough and tumble.
Our Niemöller moment?
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/perverse-migration-bill-shreds-the-rule-of-law-20141106-11h7m7.html#ixzz3ILUjcIR1
We’ve all been saying this for a year now. it’s good to see we are not the only ones, even if others have been slow on the up-take. Paywalled, I couldn’t decide what to leave out so I’ll have to quote it all.
‘Ditch toxic Tony!’ — and other headlines you’ll never read
http://www.crikey.com.au/2014/11/07/ditch-toxic-tony-and-other-headlines-you%E2%80%99ll-never-read/
Fiona that article actually says
and I think to Australia’s shame in 1938 we refused to allow Jews to migrate to Australia and set up a colony in the Kimberleys
Billie,
I agree.
“…set up a colony in the Kimberleys”….But that would mean a military invasion of the Princedom of ..Victoria River Downs !!
Sorry…Hutt River…Here’s the official website..
http://www.principality-hutt-river.com/
I like the ” Princess Shirley”…..that’s sooo front bar !
Like this…
Shirley was quite old when I met her by accident, dropping in for a cool beer to the saloon bar on the corner of Jetty Rd. and The Esplanade there by the Brighton jetty. She had that sharp, dry wit of an experienced woman that could cheer highly or cut deeply depending on the occasion or the person…I used to go to the TAB. , drop a few bets and then listen to the races there on a quiet day when things weren’t busy…I remember I was there at the bar one day…while Shirley was wiping the bottles in the fridge and this too obvious “high-camp” chap rushes in and buys several tins of UDL. pre-mix and then just as quickly rushed out…
“What do you make of THAT?” I casually commented. Shirley just leant on the bartop staring blankly out at the chap crossing the road.
“What’s TO make of it? …these days, what with the surgery they do, a couple of clips and snips and bango!..Bob’s your aunty”….she swished the cleaning cloth at an idle fly and went back to work. I could imagine her getting home and the old man asking her how the day went.. “Oh..the usual…five drunks, three proposals, two-on-a-promise and too few tips!” But she was sensitive to the dark soul…I.ve seen a bloke come in to the bar..a local…not looking good (and you’d bet Shirley’d know the problem), order a beer, put some coins on the mat and Shirley put her finger on the coin and pushed it back into the pile with a knowing wink…it doesn’t take a grand gesture to prop a fellah up…a good soul was Shirley.
Your Government was born with a particular vile form of Cretinism. One should be grateful, I suppose, that its parents, News Limited, are looking after it very tenderly.
Yeah, I remember the vacuum cleaner trick until the girls got old enough to do their own hair for ballet lessons.
I think they only let me do it once. So then I used to vacuum the German Shepherd.
ctar1
I wish I knew about the pony tail trick when I was 12. I suppose I could try now if I tied my hair into a pony tail but it would only be about 5cm long …
re – Gough
OH spoke to a nurse today. She said that a number of doctors were appreciative of Gough. And she – the nurse – said “We wouldn’t have a job around here if it hadn’t been for Gough.” Nice.
The vacumn on the hair trick..I used to use it for my dandruff before I went out .
I even considered the idea if you could make a fitting that could go on the head of a pimple…but then you’d lose the thrill of the “long-distance-shot” onto the mirror..my record’s about one foot…what’s yours ?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/07/g20-australia-resists-international-call-supporting-climate-change-fund
Lenore Taylor reports that the draft communique for G20 currently reads:
Well providing sustainable economic growth and certainty for business and investment is going well isn’t it Tony with SMH reporting that business confidence is down and Peter Martin reporting that workforce participation rate has fallen.
Its quiet here, I have just checked the Country Fire Service website – all quiet there, let’s hope it remains that way
http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/warnings_and_incidents.jsp
I just rang Dymocks and found out about the JG book signing on 24 December. They are not issuing tickets as such, but I ordered a book for the night, and gave them my name to make sure I get a spot. I might have to sleep on the cheap chinese bricks they used to replace the good Adelaide Hills bricks (even if the life of the imported bricks is declared to be half that of Adelaide Bricks,) to be first in line. 😆
Billie 11…just another pile of “motherhood statements”.
Super hot…trapped inside at the computer…a bit quiet today…..might go check the ice cubes..
“Chinese bricks” you say, Puff’…how about that !
jaycee
How’s the lockdown going, any fires near you?
Read and weep, Jaycee. Someone should be flogged in the middle of the mall for this decision.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/sa/a/16321046/anger-over-imported-rundle-mall-pavers/
Don’t you hate that, no comments here for a while, then when I type question to jaycee, he’s already answered it.