-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thursday, May 11, 2000 10:03 AM Subject: [atsic] Speech: OCCASIONAL ADDRESS DR CHARLES PERKINS, THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY GRADUATION CEREMONY, GREAT HALL, SYDNEY UNIVERSITY, MAY 11 2000 > >OCCASIONAL ADDRESS >DR. CHARLES PERKINS >THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY GRADUATION CEREMONY >GREAT HALL, SYDNEY UNIVERSITY >MAY 11, 2000 > >CHANCELLOR, LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND GRADUATES, > >I ACKNOWLEDGE THE EORA PEOPLE - THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THIS LAND WE ARE >NOW ON. > >I WOULD ALSO THANK THE SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY AND THE UNIVERSITY >AS A WHOLE FOR THE HONOUR BESTOWED ON ME. I AM MOST GRATEFUL. > >I RECALL WITH GREAT EMOTION WHEN I WAS LAST HERE IN THE GREAT HALL TO >RECEIVE MY DEGREE IN 1965. IT WAS AN OCCASION I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. > >TODAY I ACCEPT THIS HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTORATE OF LAWS ON BEHALF OF ALL OF >MY INDIGENOUS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, PARTICULARLY THE STOLEN GENERATION. > >AND THE MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS WHO HAVE ASSISTED ME THROUGH OFTEN >DIFFICULT TIMES. I REFER, FIRST OF ALL TO MY WIFE, EILEEN, WITHOUT WHOM >NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED AND INDIVIDUALS LIKE TED NOFFS, FRED >HOLLOWS AND CLYDE HOLDING. > >ALSO THOSE IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WHO LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE 30 YEARS >AGO, WITH A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO. I TAKE THIS >OPPORTUNITY TO URGE ALL AUSTRALIANS TO SUPPORT THE AUSTRALIAN KIDNEY >FOUNDATION AND THE DONOR SCHEME. > >THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION PROVIDES ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE >STATE OF, AND FUTURE DIRECTION OF OUR NATION, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO >INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS. EMBODIED IN SUCH COMMENTS IS OBVIOUSLY THE QUESTION >OF LEADERSHIP OF OUR COUNTRY. > >AUSTRALIA IS A YOUNG, VIGOROUS AND DYNAMIC NATION. > >THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AS WE ENTER THE NEW MILLENNIUM WE HAVE A WONDERFUL >OPPORTUNITY. TO CREATE THE SORT OF SOCIETY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF- A >SOCIETY THAT IS TRULY MULTICULTURAL, COMPASSIONATE, SKILLED AND SENSITISED >TO PEOPLES NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS. COUPLED WITH THESE OBJECTIVES IT SHOULD >BE THE FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR SOCIETY TO ENSURE THAT NO PERSON, >BLACK OR WHITE, IS BURDENED BY POVERTY. > >AS WE ALL UNDERSTAND, BEFORE BRITISH COLONISATION, ABORIGINAL AND TORRES >STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE HAD DEVELOPED A MOSAIC OF COMMUNITIES AND GROUPS WITH >A RICH AND ENDURING CULTURE CENTRED ON AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND >AND SEA. > > >SINCE THEN LIFE HAS BECOME A MATTER OF ENDURING A HOSTILE AND DESTRUCTIVE >SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. > >AS PROFESSOR HENRY REYNOLDS IN HIS NUMBER OF BOOKS POINTS OUT, THE >UNRELENTING PROCESSES OF DISPERSAL AND DISPOSSESSION HAVE DESTROYED MUCH OF >THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETIES. > >TODAY, MANY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE LITTLE OR NO STAKE >IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE NATION OTHER THAN WHAT GOVERNMENT MAY CHOOSE TO >PROVIDE. > >THIS IS A NATIONAL SHAME. >CLEARLY, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE. > >THERE HAS BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN THE RANGE AND SIZE OF >GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AIMED AT OVERCOMING OUR COLLECTIVE DISADVANTAGE. HOWEVER >THE DEPTH AND EXTENT OF DISADVANTAGE CAUSES SUCH EFFORTS TO HAVE MINIMAL >EFFECT. WE ATTACK SYMPTOMS AND NOT CAUSES. > >THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ATSIC AND ITS REGIONAL COUNCILS HAVE BEEN A STEP >TOWARDS INDIGENOUS EMPOWERMENT AND SELF DETERMINATION. > >RECOGNITION OF NATIVE TITLE AND THE ELIMINATION OF THE CONCEPT OF TERRA >NULLIUS HAVE POINTED THE WAY TO BROADER APPRECIATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF OUR >FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. > >DESPITE THE BATTERINGS OF TWO CENTURIES OUR CULTURE DOES ENDURE AND >CONTINUES TO GROW IN STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE. > >THE VIGOUR OF INDIGENOUS ART IN ALL ITS FORMS IS BASED IN THE PRIDE OF OUR >PEOPLE IN THEIR CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS. > >NONETHELESS THE EVIDENCE OF CONTINUING SHORTCOMINGS IN THE ACTIONS OF >GOVERNMENTS IS STARK AND PERVASIVE. > >FOR THE MAJORITY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, THE SCOURGE OF >POVERTY IS A DAILY REALITY. > >THERE HAS BEEN NO LACK OF EXPRESSION OF GOOD INTENT FROM GOVERNMENT, BOTH >LIBERAL AND LABOR. > >WHO COULD FORGET THE PROMISE OF NATIONAL LAND RIGHTS? > >WHO COULD FORGET THE PRIME MINISTER WHO TOLD US NO CHILD WOULD LIVE IN >POVERTY? > >WHO COULD FORGET THE PROMISE OF A TREATY? > >WHO COULD FORGET THE ELECTION NIGHT PROMISE BY MR HOWARD TO SEEK TO ACHIEVE >"TRUE RECONCILIATION? > >ALL OF THESE PROMISES HAVE GONE UNFULFILLED. > >ALL HAVE BEEN BYPASSED FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY. > >IN THIS, THE YEAR 2000, DESPITE ALL THIS, THERE IS NO GREATER OPPORTUNITY >TO CREATE THE TEMPLATE AND ESTABLISH THE GUIDELINES THAT WILL PROJECT OUR >SOCIETY IN THE DIRECTION WE ALL DESIRE. > >FOR ALL THE GRADUATES HERE TODAY THIS IS YOUR FUTURE, YOUR WORLD WE ARE >TALKING ABOUT. DO NOT LET THE OLDER GENERATION, PARTICULARLY POOR QUALITY >POLITICIANS DESTROY THAT FUTURE. > >WE SHOULD TOGETHER CREATE A SOCIETY WHERE THERE IS A PLACE IN THE SUN FOR >EVERYONE. WHERE EQUALITY AND EQUITY HAVE REALITY. > >WHERE A SOUND ECONOMY PROVIDES EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF >THE INDIVIDUAL FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR TOTAL SOCIETY. > >SURELY ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS IN SECURING ANY FUTURE FOR ANY SOCIETY IS >LEADERSHIP. WHETHER THIS BE IN GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE ENTERPRISE OR IN THE >COMMUNITY. > >YOU CAN PROVIDE SUCH LEADERSHIP. TO MY MIND WHAT WE ARE LACKING AT THE >PRESENT TIME IS POLITICAL LEADERSHIP WHICH WILL PROVIDE VISION AND >INSPIRATION FOR THE FUTURE. > >OUR CURRENT PRIME MINISTER IS OBVIOUSLY UNSUITED TO LEAD THIS COUNTRY AT >SUCH A CRITICAL TIME IN OUR HISTORY. > >HE HAS NEITHER THE CHARACTER, THE VISION OR THE COMPASSION TO UNDERSTAND HIS >ROLE AT THIS POINT IN TIME . > >HE HAS FAILED IN A NUMBER OF CRITICAL AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE; HIS RELUCTANCE TO >SAY SORRY, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT, TO THE STOLEN GENERATIONS, OF WHICH >HE DENIES THE EXISTENCE , AND ALSO, FOR THE TRAUMATIC HISTORY OF BLACK / >WHITE RELATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY IS ITSELF A GREAT SHAME. > >FURTHER, THE ISSUE OF MANDATORY SENTENCING INVOLVES LEADERSHIP AND MORALITY. >IT DENIES THE BASIC RIGHT OF TREATING EACH PERSON AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND >DENYING JUSTICE BY EXCLUDING THE JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES FROM DECIDING A FAIR >AND JUST PUNISHMENT. > >IT DIRECTLY ATTACKS THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH YOU AS GRADUATES HAVE BEEN >EDUCATED IN THIS GREAT INSTITUTION TO VALUE. IT IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR >ABORIGINAL PEOPLE. WHEN APPLIED TO YOUTHS IT IS AS REPREHENSIBLE AS ANY >OTHER EVIL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. > >AS AUSTRALIANS WE SHOULD STAND FIRM AND DEMAND THAT IT BE SEEN AS >UNACCEPTABLE IN ANY WAY IN OUR LAWS. DECENT PRINCIPLES SHOULD NOT BE >OVERRIDDEN BY STATES RIGHTS; PEOPLES RIGHTS SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT AND THIS >PRINCIPLE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL OF OUR PARLIAMENTS. > >ON THE QUESTION OF THE STOLEN GENERATIONS HE PROVES ONCE AGAIN HIS LACK OF >COMPASSION. TO CLAIM 'ONE ABORIGINAL CHILD REMOVED IN TEN' IS JUST PLAYING >WITH STATISTICS. IN NSW IN THE 1950'S THE FIGURE WAS ABOUT ONE IN THREE. >IN THE 'PROBLEM' RURAL TOWNS IT WAS ONE IN FIVE. > >ALONG THE STUART HIGHWAY IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY FROM 1920 TO 1960 THE >REMOVAL RATE WAS CLOSER TO TEN OUT OF TEN. I ESTIMATE THAT LESS THAN FIFTY >PERCENT OF REMOVED ABORIGINAL CHILDREN EVER MADE THEIR WAY HOME. > >HE IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE COMPENSATION THAN THE SYMBOLISM AND >PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GESTURE. COMPENSATION IS A MATTER FOR THE COURTS. > >THOSE MISSING CHILDREN ARE AN ALMOST INCALCULABLE LOSS TO THE ABORIGINAL >PEOPLE - THOSE MOTHERS WHO CRIED THEIR WAY TO THEIR GRAVES, THOSE CHILDREN >SO BRAINWASHED NEVER TO WANT TO IDENTIFY AS A PROUD ABORIGINAL CITIZENS OF >AUSTRALIA. > >EVERY ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN HAD AUNTS AND UNCLES, MOTHERS, FATHERS, COUSINS >AND SIBLINGS WHO GRIEVED FOR THEM, CRIED OVER THEM, AND SOMETIMES DID NOT >EVEN RECOGNISE THEM WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY DID RETURN. > >CLEARLY WE WILL NEVER HAVE RECONCILIATION UNTIL AUSTRALIA ADMITS THE >DREADFUL NATURE OF THESE POLICIES, WHAT IT DID TO US, AND IN A DIFFERENT >WAY, WHAT IT HAS DONE TO US AS A NATION. IT IS OUR ETERNAL SHAME. > >I FIND IT ASTONISHING AS WE TAKE OUR FIRST STEPS INTO A NEW CENTURY AS A >NATION THAT THERE ARE THOSE AMONGST US, INCLUDING THE PRIME MINISTER, SOME >LEADERS OF INDUSTRY AND A RACIST GAGGLE OF MEDIA COMMENTATORS WHO STILL SEEK >TO DENY OUR HISTORY.THIRTY YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIP BY MANY HANDS IN NUMEROUS >DISCIPLINES HAS ESTABLISHED WHAT ABORIGINES HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN - WHITE >AUSTRALIA HAS A BLACK HISTORY. A HISTORY WHICH WHITE AUSTRALIA HAS TRIED TO >HIDE, AND HIDE FROM. > >THE DESTRUCTION OF INDIGENOUS SOCIETY AND THE VIOLENT LAND GRAB WAS CENTRAL >TO THAT HISTORY AND NOT JUST AN UNFORTUNATE BLEMISH AS THE PRIME MINISTER >WOULD LIKE US TO BELIEVE. >IT WAS THE FOUNDATION, THE BED ROCK EXPERIENCE ON WHICH EVERYTHING ELSE >RESTS. > >TO ACCEPT THAT TRUTH IS NOT AN EXERCISE IN GUILT BUT A NECESSARY COMING TO >TERMS WITH EVENTS, ACTIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS WHICH STILL SHAPE THE WAY WE >LIVE, WHAT WE BELIEVE, HOW WE FEEL. > >NATIONAL MATURITY DEPENDS ON ACCEPTANCE OF THAT HISTORY - AN OWNERSHIP OF >THE PAST - A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IN AUSTRALIA >FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRST INVASION. > >TEN YEARS AGO WE TALKED OF THE FIRST CENTENARY OF THE AUSTRALIAN >CONSTITUTION, JANUARY 1, 2001, AS AN APPROPRIATE TARGET FOR FINALISING >ARRANGEMENTS RECOGNISING ABORIGINAL ENTITLEMENTS. > >IT IS NOW NEARLY TEN YEARS SINCE THE HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA EXPLODED THE >MYTH OF TERRA NULLIUS IN THE HISTORIC MABO DECISION. > >BUT TWO CENTURIES OF DISPOSSESSION PRECEDED THE DECISION. > >IT IS MORE THAN A MATTER OF LEGAL THEORY THAT OUR PEOPLE, HAVING BEEN >DISPOSSESSED, WERE INCLUDED AMONGST THOSE WHO AGREED ON JANUARY 1, 1901 TO >UNITE IN AN INDISSOLUBLE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. > >WE DID NOT. > >THERE NEVER WAS AN AGREEMENT. > >IN THE EUROPEAN COLONISATION OF AUSTRALIA THERE WERE NO TREATIES, NO FORMAL >SETTLEMENTS, NO COMPACTS. > >WE HAVE NEVER CEDED SOVEREIGNTY TO OUR LAND. > >IT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM US. > >IN A LITTLE OVER A FORTNIGHT---ON MAY 27-WE WILL "CELEBRATE" THE THIRTY >SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE REFERENDUM WHICH REMOVED THE TWO ADVERSE >REFERENCES TO ABORIGINES FROM THE CONSTITUTION. > >UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NOW NO MENTION OF ABORIGINES OR TORRES STRAIT >ISLANDERS IN THE CONSTITUTION. > >IT DOES NOT PROTECT OUR RIGHTS AS THE FIRST NATIONS OF THIS COUNTRY. > >THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WITHIN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM TO PROTECT OUR RIGHT TO SELF >DETERMINATION WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN NATION. > >WE, THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS, HAVE A RIGHT TO ASK WHY? > >IN MABO THE HIGH COURT SET RIGHT THE LAW OF THE LAND. > >WE STILL NEED TO SET RIGHT THE LAWS WHICH CONFER RESPECT ON EACH OTHER'S >LAWS AND CULTURES. > >FOR THE PAST TWO CENTURIES ALL GOVERNMENTS HAVE LET PASS THE OPPORTUNITY TO >FORGE THE NEW NATION I SPEAK OF. > >IT CAN ONLY BE FORGED THROUGH A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE RELATIONSHIP >BETWEEN THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS AND ALL WHO LATER CAME TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY. > >THE CONTINUING DISADVANTAGE OF MY PEOPLE IS A MANIFESTATION OF THE IMPACT OF >OVER TWO CENTURIES OF DISPOSSESSION, DISPERSAL AND DISCRIMINATION. > >THIS INVOLVES THE DENIAL OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN >AUSTRALIA THE CONSTITUTION MUST INCORPORATE A BILL OF RIGHTS TO PROTECT NOT >ONLY THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BUT THOSE OF ALL AUSTRALIANS. > >A NEW NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO EQUITY IS REQUIRED. > >TO CONCLUDE THEN, IF AUSTRALIA IS TO DEVELOP TO THE SOCIETY WHICH WE CAN >ALL BE PROUD OF WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE RECOGNISE HISTORY FOR WHAT IT WAS. > >HERE WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF A NEW MILLENNIUM AND AUSTRALIANS FIND IT HARD TO >COME TO TERMS WITH THE PAST AND TO RECOGNISE THE EVILS THAT HAVE OCCURRED - >AND OUR SOCIETY LACKS THE LEADERSHIP AND DETERMINATION TO MOVE CONFIDENTLY >TO A NEW FUTURE. > >WE SHOULD NOW BE IN A PERIOD OF CREATIVE NATIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT IDENTITY >AND THE KIND OF SOCIETY WE WANT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. IT >SHOULD BE A TIME OF OPTIMISM AND CONSTRUCTIVE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. > >I SEE LITTLE EVIDENCE AROUND ME OF THIS. > >WHAT I SEE IS A NATION BECOMING MORE ISOLATIONIST AND INTOLERANT. > >WHERE IS THE POLITICAL OR PUBLIC WILL TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION - A >CONSTITUTION THAT STILL REMAINS A RACIST DOCUMENT? > >AS FAR AS THIS NATION'S CONSTITUTION IS CONCERNED WE DON'T EXIST. > >WE HAVE STRUGGLED MANY YEARS FOR OUR BASIC RIGHTS - THE RIGHTS TO OUR LAND, >THE RIGHTS TO OUR CULTURE, BUT CONSTITUTIONALLY WE ARE STILL DENIED THE MOST >BASIC OF RIGHTS - THE RIGHT TO EXIST AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. > >Until Australia fixes this issue it is the height of hypocrisy to sit down >at THE UNTIED NATIONS AND SIGN DECLARATIONS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR THE >PROTECTION OF PEOPLE'S RIGHTS WHEN THE VERY DOCUMENT THAT IS THE >CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE NATION IS SO FLAWED AND RACIST. > >THERE CAN BE NO GOING FORWARD AND CERTAINLY NO RECONCILIATION UNTIL THE >NATION RECOGNISES THE RIGHTS OF THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS. > >WHILST THE CONSTITUTION REMAINS AS IT IS, RACISM IS INSTITUTIONALISED AS A >POWERFUL FORCE IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE AND IN THE FABRIC OF THE >LIVES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. > >THE INITIATIVE LIES WITH THE GOVERNMENTS OF THIS COUNTRY - PARTICULARLY THE >FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND AS SUCH OUR PRIME MINISTER, JOHN HOWARD. > >IN SUMMARY I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT OUR PRIME MINISTER DELIVER ON BEHALF >OF THE NATION AN UNEQUIVOCAL APOLOGY TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THIS >COUNTRY. > >WITHOUT THIS APOLOGY. THERE CAN BE NO REAL RECONCILIATION AND THE >CONSCIENCE OF THE NATION WILL NEVER REST IN PEACE. > >WHY SHOULD WE LEAVE OUR CHILDREN A LEGACY OF HATE AND DIVISION. > >it can be so easy to create the good society in this country. > >ALL IT NEEDS IS THE COURAGE AND VISION ALL AUSTRALIANS HAVE SHOWN IN TIMES >OF CRISIS. > >TODAY WE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF OUR COUNTRY AND AN IDENTITY FOR OURSELVES >AS AUSTRALIANS AND A FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------ 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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