Oldfield recites policy void: ATSIC AAP -- One Nation MP David Oldfield's maiden speech to state parliament last night was condemned by an ATSIC commissioner as nothing more than a whinge filled with garbled cliches. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner John Delaney said Mr Oldfield's recitation of the usual tired cliches and complaints did not hide the absence of policy in his speech. "The people who voted for him have a right to expect more from their elected representative than the smug self-promotion exhibited tonight," said Commissioner Delaney, who represents the Sydney metropolitan zone on the ATSIC Board. "Mr Oldfield has been in parliament for six months now and still hasn't found a purpose for being there. "His speech piled garbled cliches onto empty slogans. Instead of offering vision or direction, he preferred to whinge and complain." Mr Oldfield said multiculturalism was the cause of division and the breakdown of potential social cohesion. He launched a scathing attack on assistance given to Aboriginal communities and the "sympathetic" media treatment of NSW Senator Aden Ridgeway. He also attacked the government's role in Aboriginal reconciliation, calling it "ridiculous". Mr Delaney said Mr Oldfield's attack on reconciliation and Aboriginal achievement failed to conceal the absence of policy in his speech. "Whether he likes it or not, reconciliation has taken hold in the Australian community and attracts considerable more support that he does," Mr Delaney said in a statement. During his speech on reconciliation, more than 10 members of the public gallery walked out after initially turning their backs on Mr Oldfield. ------------------------------------------------------- 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." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
