A Comment on the "Black Armband" versus "White Blindfold" debate about Australian History

It would appear that the supporters of the heroic and healthy view of modern Australian history would have us forget about the ugly facts, which as far as I am aware, are not in dispute. For the supporters of the sanitised version of modern Australian history, I would like to discuss the following matters.

Terra Nullius

The Latin expression meaning "Land Belonging to No one". Use of this term in early Australian law dates back to 1827. But it appears that settlement or invasion as such, which began in 1788, is based upon the assumption that the Australian continent was not occupied and "up for grabs". Please follow this link to a Wikipedia article on this topic;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_nullius.

However, it does appear that the Aboriginal people have inhabited the Australian continent for at least 35,000 years. For an interesting article on the radiocarbon dating of Aboriginal artifacts, please follow this link;

http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20080705-17280-2.html

It also appears that the Terra Nullius view, that the Australian continent belonged to no one, remained "lawful" until the Mabo judgment by the high court of Australia in 1992. Rather a contrast to the all too common belief that the injustices committed against Aboriginals largely took place 200 or more years ago.

The White Australia Policy

It appears that the roots of this policy began in 1879 and 1880, when the authorities of the day imposed restrictions on both Irish and Chinese immigration to maintain the British character of the nation. Please view these links for further details;

http://www.racismnoway.com.au/library/history/keydates/index-1800s.html

http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/timeline/results.aspx?id=tcm:13-23252

Arguably, this mentality, that is, a preference for a predominately British character for the Australian population is alive and well in 2009. Fully 25% of the area of the modern Australian flag consists of the British union jack. More alarmingly, the modern Australian flag contains no reference to the traditional owners of this continent, the Aboriginals. It is also notable in the opinion of this this author that the referendum held in 1999 for Australia to become a republic was defeated. As such, the Queen of England continues to be the head of state of Australia. If one cares to engage the average Australian on this subject, more often than not, one will discover that the "If it's not broken, then don't fix it" mentality prevails.

It also appears that during the 1800's, the Aboriginals were treated as native fauna and protection was supposedly provided under the Aborigines Protection Board established in New South Wales in 1883. However, Aboriginals continued to be massacred, dispossessed of their land and their way of life, while generally being rounded up and contained into reserves, separated from the growing non-indigenous population. The official end of the "white Australia policy" did not eventuate until the 1960's under the Holt government. Considering the ratios of Anglo Protestant males who occupy corporate executive positions and government and ministerial positions, the casual observer could be fooled into thinking that the "white Australia policy" was still officially in place to this day.

Aboriginals granted the right to vote

This right or civic responsibility which is taken for granted by mainstream society, was not extended to the Aboriginal people federally, until 1962 on a voluntary basis. Further, it was not made compulsory, as is the case for other Australians until 1984. Please follow this link to the Australian Electoral Commission website for further details;

http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Media_releases/2004/franchise_right_vote.htm

Once again, the recent nature of these events is of concern to this author. I re-iterate this point, as it is an all too common misconception, that atrocities and inequities in general concerning the Australian Aboriginals, are aberrations which occurred hundreds of years ago.

The long and shameful list of Aboriginal massacres

Going into a blow by blow account of the long and shameful list of Aboriginal massacres would be beyond the scope of this particular post. For further information on Aboriginal massacres, please read this Wikipedia article;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_Aboriginal_massacres

http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-history-timeline-early-white.html

I do wish to make mention in this post of one particular massacre which occurred in 1816. Like so many of the conflicts between the Aboriginal traditional owners and the white settlers, this dispute began over the scarcity of food. The hostilities escalated until the governor of the day, Lachlan Macquarie ordered the military to attack the Aboriginals. This resulted in the deaths of 14 men woman and children of the Dharawal people. The men were beheaded by the military. Local white settlers then trampled on the woman and children with their horses and drove the remaining people over a cliff at Broughton Pass near Appin in New South Wales. For a full account of this massacre, please follow this link;

http://www.phansw.org.au/ROPHO/broughton.pdf

This particular governor, who ordered the attacks, lives on in Australian history until this day. Rather than being remembered for, or tried for his crimes against humanity, this governor has a famous street named after him in Sydney. Indeed, the New South Wales parliament building, along with many prominent medical specialists are located on Macquarie Street Sydney. There is also a university named after him in New South Wales. There is also a lake and a river named after this individual.

The Challenges to Aboriginal equality in 2009

The recent productivity commission report into Aboriginal disadvantage is a damning indication of the injustice and inequality faced by Indigenous Australians today. Life expectancy for Indigenous Australians is 20 years less than the national average for both men and women. Rates of infant mortality, diabetes, alcoholism, other substance abuse and incarceration rates are all at huge multiples of the national averages.

More alarming and quite possibly directly linked, is the uncaring and racist mentality of the Australian public. While Indigenous Australians are not the sole recipients of this prevailing national consciousness, they are the most disadvantaged members of modern Australian society.

For those who wish to dispute that modern Australia is a bigoted, racist, unequal and largely uncaring society, please consider the following;

- Women across all industry sectors earn approximately $10,000 less than their male counterparts. Further details;

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/wages-up-but-women-still-earn-less-than-men/2007/05/17/1178995324045.html

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/executive-style/executive-women/women-still-trail-in-pay-stakes-20090830-f41o.html

- United Nations declares that Australian government intervention into Aboriginal affairs in the Northern Territory is racist and contrary to Australian obligations under international human rights conventions. Further details here;

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/27/2668915.htm

- Indian students studying in Australia viciously bashed. Indian students protest in Melbourne. Further details;

http://www.smh.com.au/national/indian-student-bashings-on-the-rise-in-sydney-community-leader-20090529-bpxy.html

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/shame-over-foreign-students-in-melbourne/story-e6frf7jo-1111116298285

http://www.theage.com.au/national/indian-anger-boils-over-20090531-brrm.html

- Proposed Muslim school in Camden New South Wales rejected by local council. Proposed Muslim school in Bankstown New South Wales rejected by local council - brothel approved. Further details here;

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=14173

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2257133.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2185494.htm

Cronulla race/hate riots 2005. People in the Sydney beach side suburb if Cronulla go on the rampage - attacking anyone supposedly of middle eastern appearance. Further details here;

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mob-violence-envelops-cronulla/2005/12/11/1134235936223.html

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1528707.htm

A note to the doubters within Australia - The world is watching!