There often, in media reports, is a reference to "Aboriginal leaders". This is a worry to me. Aden Ridgeway is now being touted as a "leader". Yet Aden, a man I admire and respect, is no more an "Aboriginal leader" than I am. He was not elected by Aboriginal people to enter the Senate. He was elected by Democrat voters and other preferences. But the owners of information have conferred upon him the title of leader. The same can be said of other "Aboriginal leaders". Many are leaders of their people. But just as many are crowned by the media, politicians, organisations and individuals who have very little contact with Aboriginal people. I am sure that some indigenous people will see some of these people as leaders. And these leaders will talk about what they see as Reconciliation and an apology and all other aspects of indigenous life. But they may not necessarily be leaders and they may not necessarily be really speaking for indigenous peoples. Many of the people that the dominants elect as leaders have not been elected to that position by indigenous peoples. But so many take up the term as if they have been. A government appointment or an election by the whole Australian public should not confer that title on anyone. Aden's job will be extremely difficult without that title being placed on him I think. There will be expectations from all people placed on him. Let him be what he is - A member of the Democrats elected by the Australian public. Don Clark President Indigenous Social Justice Association PO Box K555 HAYMARKET NSW 1240 There can be no real reconciliation without social justice [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Trudy Bray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: news-clip <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, 26 August 1999 11:28 Subject: The Australian: Ridgeway shows way to be sorry > Ridgeway shows way to be sorry > By DENNIS SHANAHAN and MEGAN SAUNDERS > 26aug99 > > ADEN Ridgeway, one of the nation's newest senators, has > ensured the passage of a federal parliamentary apology by > seeking an expression of "deep and sincere regret" - a phrase > that appears acceptable to the government parties. > > In a measured speech before packed galleries in the Senate last > night, the Australian Democrats senator said an apology was a > key to reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous > Australians. > > "Whilst others may not agree on wording, there should be no > confusion about intent. We must get the wheels of reconciliation > turning again," Senator Ridgeway said. > > Prime Minister John Howard and his deputy, John Anderson, as > leader of the National Party, have committed their parties to > considering Senator Ridgeway's call for a parliamentary apology. > > Members of the Government said last night the matter of an > apology would have to be considered by the Coalition > partyrooms. > > National Party Senate leader Ron Boswell described the speech as > powerful and something of which all Australians could be proud. > > But Labor Aboriginal Affairs spokesman Daryl Melham said last > night that Senator Ridgeway's formula of a "deep regret" did not > go far enough. > > "We believe there should be an unreserved apology," he said. "It's > got to come from the heart on behalf of the nation." > > Aboriginal leaders were reluctant yesterday to be drawn into > discussing the speech, but Kimberley Land Council executive > director Peter Yu said "sorry" was a word Aboriginal people > understood. > > The Prime Minister and the Coalition were opposed to an official > government apology and there was opposition within the Coalition > ranks to a parliamentary apology that suggested today's > Australians were guilty of past wrongs. > > Previous attempts to gain a national public apology, as > recommended in the Bringing Them Home report in 1997, have > failed and are slowing the reconciliation process. > > But Senator Ridgeway, with the support of the Democrats in the > Senate, and with a standing ovation from a gallery including many > Aboriginal leaders, specifically ruled out implying guilt. > > Senator Ridgeway said that he was not a "stolen generation" > member - his mother was prominent in the public gallery - but "I > am mindful of my duty as a human being to acknowledge their > past, their hurt and the consequences of poor decisions, which > left scars in families and an indelible stain on a national character". > > "These are the results of misguided past policy, but I am now > mindful of a moral duty to acknowledge those miseries and to call > upon conscience to put these matters to rest and, through > reconciliation, render justice to all," he said. > > In the "national interest", Senator Ridgeway called on the > Government to: > > RENEW its commitment to reconciliation between indigenous and > non-indigenous Australians; > > REAFFIRM its commitment to addressing the economic and social > disadvantage of indigenous Australians; and > > EXPRESS its deep and sincere regret for the hurt and trauma > suffered by so many indigenous peoples. > > Earlier, Kim Beazley called on Senator Ridgeway not to accept a > second-best option. > > "We should not make an issue of national atonement dependent > on scrabble political compromises," he said before Senator > Ridgeway's speech. > > "What a tragedy it would be if we had to accept second best just > to protect John Howard's back.". > > The Prime Minister has expressed personal sorrow, but has > refused to say sorry or apologise on behalf of the nation. > > > ************************************************************************* > This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without > permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, > scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal > copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of > the copyright owner, except for "fair use." > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." 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