Documents and Papers

Even if there were a constitutional ban on racial discrimination, racism would remain entrenched

Body

Maria Giannacopoulos, a lecturer and researcher in Socio-Legal Studies believes that Frank Brennan's recently published conservative position on Constitution reform, leaves us with a flawed structure and giving us only superficial changes.

Even though the problem Brennan seeks to address is racism, Brennan argues for leaving a racist structure undisturbed. Giannacopoulos believes he may have done this, because he does not view the Constitution through the larger lens of colonisation.

Remote Aboriginal communities: Opposition calls for source of Commissioner's child sex abuse claims

Body

The WA Police Commissioner must explain where he sourced statistics used to support claims of widespread sexual abuse in remote Indigenous communities, the Opposition says. The Opposition's Aboriginal affairs spokesman Ben Wyatt told Parliament the figures were used in a newspaper opinion piece authored by Commissioner O'Callaghan in March. In it, O'Callaghan backed claims by Barnett of sexual abuse in remote communities, quoting statistics from an unnamed publication.

Tasmania: A Timeline of the History of First Nations People

Body

A comprehensive Timeline for the history of First Nations people in Tasmania. Also incded are some copies of John Glover's landscape paintings, including the Last Muster of Tasmanian Aborigines at Risdon. This painting tells the story of the last group of innocent Tasmanian Aborigines that remains in the Risdon Area before they were deported to Flinders Island. Glover thought the Tasmanian Aborigines would be extinct by that period of time, and when he died in 1849, there were only about 40 Tasmanian Aborigines still alive.

The 'Treachery' began in 1770 - the 'Genocide' began in 1788

Body

Captain James Cook Journal - 30 April 1770
As Soon as the Wooders and Waterers were come on board to Dinner 10 or 12 of the Natives came to the watering place, and took away their Canoes that lay there, but did not offer to touch any one of our Casks that had been left ashore; and in the afternoon 16 or 18 of them came boldly up to within 100 yards of our people at the watering place, and there made a stand.

Mr. Hicks, who was the Officer ashore, did all in his power to intice them to him by offering them presents; but it was to no purpose, all they seem'd to want was for us to be gone. After staying a Short time they went away. They were all Arm'd with Darts and wooden Swords; the darts have each 4 prongs, and pointed with fish bones. Those we have seen seem to be intended more for striking fish than offensive Weapons; neither are they poisoned, as we at first thought.

Reconciliation, Nationalism and the History Wars

Body
*/ /*-->*/
Reconciliation Australia

Reconciliation, Nationalism and the History Wars
A paper presented to the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference University of Adelaide
Dr Andrew Gunstone
Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies
Monash University
29 September - 1 October 2004

High Court writ sought to challenge Australian governments acting as a corporation registered in the US

Body

It is our time to take the biggest stand in our history as an invaded people. I believe that Aboriginal people have now reached the point where going forward means challenging the status quo and altering our history.
 
We have two choices: to de-colonize ourselves and become free and independent people pursuing our own chosen destiny through the process of self-determination, or to acquiesce and become assimilated into the invader society, degrading our culture to mere museum pieces in which we perform like trained monkeys for the tourists.