Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2037 ..

MS MacDONALD (continuing):

Funding for important indigenous services is lacking, with many vital services underfunded and most much needed services getting nothing. A bottomless pit of money is never the solution, but well-resourced and well-managed facilities are. Mr Howard and his government, however, have chosen to play wedge politics and divide the Australian community in a shameful bid to advance themselves.

The Bringing them home report should have been seized as a wonderful opportunity to advance Australia, heal our country and take a unified nation into the 21st century. Instead, we saw prejudice and political expediency rule the federal government decision-making process. It is remarkable that Mr Howard can continuously call on the Labor frontbench to apologise for minor comments but stand firmly by his decision not to even say sorry to those thousands of Aboriginal people who were removed from their parents.

Making claims that there would be financial ruin and saying that an apology means responsibility and therefore leaves the government open to land claims and monetary compensation is both shameful and misleading. In New South Wales, Premier Carr gave an immediate apology on behalf of the government and to this day, even after a test case in the courts, not one cent or one square inch of land has been ordered in compensation. Why consider morality when you can consider re-election? I think that is what Mr Howard believes.

They then had the audacity to state that the term "stolen generation" was misleading. I quote-

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ms MacDonald, we are coming back, I trust, to the matter of public importance: the importance to the Canberra community of the state of Aboriginal health?

MS MacDONALD: Yes, we are, Mr Deputy Speaker.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you.

MS MacDONALD: I quote: "10 per cent of a population is not a generation." It does actually go to the matter, Mr Deputy Speaker. I take some small consolation in the knowledge that future generations of Australians will look at the period of the Howard government with contempt and embarrassment. John Howard will be treated by history in the way he deserves, as a small man who chose to exploit this nation's most vulnerable groups for political advantage.

Howard's approach to indigenous issues is three-tiered: blame them for it, run a campaign of misinformation and then tell the voter you are going to get tough on it-no solutions, no responsibility and certainly no compassion. If you just slip in a grass covered skateboard ramp next to the National Library, voila! You have instant reconciliation.

But you are right, Mr Deputy Speaker, I do digress. The health concerns, indeed, the health facts regarding indigenous peoples are akin to a third world country health crisis. As the average Australian now lives comfortably to their 80s, Aboriginals are dying nearly 30 years earlier. Thirty years, Mr Deputy Speaker. With census statistics showing

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .