Post by MacBeth on Jan 25, 2009 16:32:52 GMT -5
Stephanie Peatling and Erik Jensen
January 26, 2009
WITHIN minutes of accepting the Australian of the Year award yesterday, the indigenous leader Mick Dodson told the Rudd Government it needed to move the date of Australia Day because January 26 represented a "day of mourning" for many of his people.
The Opposition's indigenous affairs spokesman, Tony Abbott, laughed at the proposal and said other indigenous leaders would have been more worthy of the award. He said Professor Dodson had a very "1990s view" of reconciliation.
"While I'm absolutely delighted for Mick Dodson - it's a great honour and it's terrific for him - if I had been a selection committee of one I would have much more inclination to pick Noel Pearson or Warren Mundine," said Mr Abbott, breaking the norm of bipartisan support for the appointment.
Professor Dodson, a lawyer, also called for financial compensation for the stolen generations and for changes to government policy, including on the Northern Territory intervention.
A Yawuru man, he said he felt so strongly the current Australia Day excluded indigenous people that he considered refusing the nomination for the award but decided to accept it after listening to his family. Australians were "mature enough about it now" to consider moving the date, which currently commemorates the First Fleet's arrival in Sydney - "the day on which our world came crashing down".
Professor Dodson suggested February 13, the date the Rudd Government last year formally apologised to stolen generations.
But another Aboriginal leader, Warren Mundine, an Australia Day ambassador and former national president of the Labor Party, took a swipe at Professor Dodson. "The best news today was Sydney FC's four-nil defeat of Newcastle," he said.
While Mr Mundine congratulated Professor Dodson, he said Australia needed to focus on practical reconciliation, not symbolism. "He has no practicality whatsoever and that's why he's been ignored for 13 years," said Mr Mundine, who was at the forefront of reconciliation talks during the Howard years.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, immediately ruled out changing Australia Day's date, which he called "an inclusive day, celebrating the identity and achievements of all Australians".
"Mick Dodson is a great Australian and a truly worthy recipient of the 2009 Australian of the Year award," a spokeswoman for Mr Rudd said. "The Government values his advice and his counsel. However, the Government has no plans to and will not be changing the date of Australia Day or the name of Australia Day."
Professor Dodson, co-chair of Reconciliation Australia, said the movement for change would come from the public: "We should have a conversation about it. If the Government want to be part of it, well and good."
The Government has also ruled out compensating the stolen generations, whose plight Professor Dodson highlighted when he co-authored the Bringing Them Home report. Yesterday he said these people experienced "loss of life in a different sense" and were entitled to compensation.
From the ACT, he was given the award over seven other nominees, the cricketer Glenn McGrath (NSW), the indigenous singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (NT), the gardener Peter Cundall (Tas), the indigenous community worker Ivan Copley (SA), the African-Australian community leader Berhan Ahmed (Vic), the geriatrics specialist Penny Flett (WA), and the literacy advocate Bronwyn Sheehan (Qld).
Professor Dodson's appointment brings him in from the political cold. During the Howard years, he was shut out because of his advocacy for a formal apology to the stolen generations in favour of more conservative indigenous men such as Noel Pearson, a Cape York leader, and Mr Mundine. Mr Pearson did not return calls last night.
Supporters of Professor Dodson said he would be a challenge for the Government and would not temper his opinions. Lew Griffiths, a close associate of Mr Pearson and an adviser to the Cape York Indigenous Association, said: "Mick's not doing his job if he's not at loggerheads with everybody. I've known Mick for 30 years and I've never known Mick not to be at loggerheads with every government."
Ian Chubb, vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, where Professor Dodson heads the National Centre for Indigenous Studies, said: "He has tirelessly combined advocacy, diplomatic and academic roles. He has overcome prejudice and blazed pathways for indigenous Australians."
It is reminiscent of Tim Flannery's tenure in the role during the Howard government, when he devoted his time to criticising its climate change policies.
Professor Dodson supported the Government's plans to reinstate the application of the Racial Discrimination Act to cover the Northern Territory intervention. But he said further changes were needed to ensure it did not breach Australia's international human rights obligations.
www.smh.com.au/news/national/change-australia-day/2009/01/25/1232818247982.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
January 26, 2009
WITHIN minutes of accepting the Australian of the Year award yesterday, the indigenous leader Mick Dodson told the Rudd Government it needed to move the date of Australia Day because January 26 represented a "day of mourning" for many of his people.
The Opposition's indigenous affairs spokesman, Tony Abbott, laughed at the proposal and said other indigenous leaders would have been more worthy of the award. He said Professor Dodson had a very "1990s view" of reconciliation.
"While I'm absolutely delighted for Mick Dodson - it's a great honour and it's terrific for him - if I had been a selection committee of one I would have much more inclination to pick Noel Pearson or Warren Mundine," said Mr Abbott, breaking the norm of bipartisan support for the appointment.
Professor Dodson, a lawyer, also called for financial compensation for the stolen generations and for changes to government policy, including on the Northern Territory intervention.
A Yawuru man, he said he felt so strongly the current Australia Day excluded indigenous people that he considered refusing the nomination for the award but decided to accept it after listening to his family. Australians were "mature enough about it now" to consider moving the date, which currently commemorates the First Fleet's arrival in Sydney - "the day on which our world came crashing down".
Professor Dodson suggested February 13, the date the Rudd Government last year formally apologised to stolen generations.
But another Aboriginal leader, Warren Mundine, an Australia Day ambassador and former national president of the Labor Party, took a swipe at Professor Dodson. "The best news today was Sydney FC's four-nil defeat of Newcastle," he said.
While Mr Mundine congratulated Professor Dodson, he said Australia needed to focus on practical reconciliation, not symbolism. "He has no practicality whatsoever and that's why he's been ignored for 13 years," said Mr Mundine, who was at the forefront of reconciliation talks during the Howard years.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, immediately ruled out changing Australia Day's date, which he called "an inclusive day, celebrating the identity and achievements of all Australians".
"Mick Dodson is a great Australian and a truly worthy recipient of the 2009 Australian of the Year award," a spokeswoman for Mr Rudd said. "The Government values his advice and his counsel. However, the Government has no plans to and will not be changing the date of Australia Day or the name of Australia Day."
Professor Dodson, co-chair of Reconciliation Australia, said the movement for change would come from the public: "We should have a conversation about it. If the Government want to be part of it, well and good."
The Government has also ruled out compensating the stolen generations, whose plight Professor Dodson highlighted when he co-authored the Bringing Them Home report. Yesterday he said these people experienced "loss of life in a different sense" and were entitled to compensation.
From the ACT, he was given the award over seven other nominees, the cricketer Glenn McGrath (NSW), the indigenous singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (NT), the gardener Peter Cundall (Tas), the indigenous community worker Ivan Copley (SA), the African-Australian community leader Berhan Ahmed (Vic), the geriatrics specialist Penny Flett (WA), and the literacy advocate Bronwyn Sheehan (Qld).
Professor Dodson's appointment brings him in from the political cold. During the Howard years, he was shut out because of his advocacy for a formal apology to the stolen generations in favour of more conservative indigenous men such as Noel Pearson, a Cape York leader, and Mr Mundine. Mr Pearson did not return calls last night.
Supporters of Professor Dodson said he would be a challenge for the Government and would not temper his opinions. Lew Griffiths, a close associate of Mr Pearson and an adviser to the Cape York Indigenous Association, said: "Mick's not doing his job if he's not at loggerheads with everybody. I've known Mick for 30 years and I've never known Mick not to be at loggerheads with every government."
Ian Chubb, vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, where Professor Dodson heads the National Centre for Indigenous Studies, said: "He has tirelessly combined advocacy, diplomatic and academic roles. He has overcome prejudice and blazed pathways for indigenous Australians."
It is reminiscent of Tim Flannery's tenure in the role during the Howard government, when he devoted his time to criticising its climate change policies.
Professor Dodson supported the Government's plans to reinstate the application of the Racial Discrimination Act to cover the Northern Territory intervention. But he said further changes were needed to ensure it did not breach Australia's international human rights obligations.
www.smh.com.au/news/national/change-australia-day/2009/01/25/1232818247982.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
