Why did Tony Abbott retract his comments about it being time for the Aboriginal Tent Embassy to move on? John Turnbull comments.
It started out as your standard photo opp, where Tony Abbott stands in front of something interesting (in this case the Opera House) and says something insightful and vote-attracting. At least, that’s the theory. In reality, these media calls usually result in banal soundbites and the image of the opposition leader in an orange safety vest — but this time Tony had a surprise up his sleeve.
Asked whether he thought the tent embassy was still relevant, Mr Abbott responded in a predictably wishy-washy manner, vaguely implying that the Aboriginal community should perhaps move on from problems that afflicted them forty years ago. This did not go down well with the denizens of the tent embassy, who interpreted these comments to mean the Tent Embassy should be closed down, and rallied to make their case in the most appropriate venue possible — outside a restaurant.
Things went from bad to worse when the protesters tried the old ‘bang on the window and chant’ approach and the AFP freaked the hell out and decided to exit, stage left.
It was at this point that Ms Prime Minister proved herself the bigger person when she reminded her AFP protectors that perhaps Tony might need some protection as well, seeing he started the whole thing in the first place.
As Gillard’s shoe-losing exit made headlines around the world, Abbott backpedalled as fast as his legs would carry him, denying that he said anything offensive, and even if he did he didn’t mean it. It was a predictable display in this era of pollies who try to avoid making a statement on anything of substance, but you have to wonder why he bothered.
It’s not as if the inhabitants of the tent embassy were ever going to vote for big Tony and his Liberal musketeers. And even if they did, we’re not exactly talking about a huge number of people. Sure there was a good turnout there on Thursday, but if you walk past the tent embassy on most days you’ll find four tents, around a half-a-dozen people and maybe a mangy dog or two. Oh, and there’s also a caravan.
They’re Greens voters, Tony. Make a statement and stand by it. People might respect you more.
Not me specifically, but some people.
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Seriously, Abbott and his minders must be rolling around on the floor laughing over this. He says ‘the aboriginal community should move on’ (whatever he means by that), it gets reported by a Labour staffer that he said the tent embassy should be ‘closed down’, and now Julia is on the back foot because of leaks in the Labour camp. One has to wonder if a certain K. Rudd is not rolling around on the floor with Abbott.
My first reaction to those scenes of indigenous activists pounding on the glass of the restaurant in which Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott were attending a function was ‘They’ve lost me’. It looked ugly and the sight of our Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition being ushered and half dragged to safety is not one I am comfortable with. One thing Australian’s should be proud of is the relatively relaxed interaction of our political leaders with the people.
I am sympathetic to the cause of aboriginal people. I have wept at stories of their mistreatment and felt shame that in this country people have been lied to about their ethnicity, such as was the case with Sally Morgan who tells her story in ‘My Place’ and my own adopted cousin. There are projects I support as I am able that will hopefully make a difference to these Australians.
All Australians should be concerned at the health statistics of our indigenous people and no one can deny the social disadvantage many experience. And we should support and expect our politicians to enable efforts to alleviate this disadvantage. But we all know that politicians seem to be more motivated by what will get them re-elected rather than what is in the best interests of the people. And, sadly, but not unexpectedly, the indigenous community itself is divided politically.
Yes, the 26th January 1788 may in the eyes of this country’s original peoples be seen as invasion day. But how many of those first white settlers were here by choice? According to the history I have read aboriginal people were horrified at the brutal treatment handed out to the convicts.
All my great grandparents were born in this land. I don’t know why they came here but I have read some of the history of the England they left. Enclosure acts had forced many of the peasant class off the land their families had lived on and worked for centuries. These were forced into the cities and to survive they worked as little more than slaves in factories and mines. No wonder they left when they had the chance for they themselves were displaced persons with no future in the land of their birth. Today we would probably call them refugees. And for those of us who are descended from these people this is our land – for we have no where else to go.
It is history that forced our peoples together – not choice. And that history cannot be undone. The future of this land is our collective future and it is for us to determine what that future is.
Out of respect for the indigenous people that I know – and of many others like them – I do not pass on those emails that stereotype them as drunken dole bludgers. While I cannot verify the facts I have read that in terms of percentage alcohol is less of a problem for these people than for the rest of us. Among the ranks of Australia’s indigenous people are many that are great role models for all Australians.
I don’t understand indigenous politics and I definitely don’t know what the solutions are to the social problems they experience. If they were simple someone would have come up with them by now and claimed the credit.
This I know. The cause of indigenous Australian already has my heart and mind – as I am sure it has many other Australians. I am more than happy for the Tent Embassy to continue as long at it is meaningful to those it represents. Continue to tell your story and seek to gain the good will of the broader Australian community. But the actions I saw portrayed on Australia Day do not, in my opinion, do the cause of Indigenous Australia any good at all.