Last weeks comments on the Referendum from ‘No’ voter Tim Harrington, like many other ‘No’ voters, demonstrates misunderstanding of both the process and the result.
The years of wide consultation of Australia’s First Nations peoples, put both of the proposals for Constitutional recognition and for an Aboriginal/Islander committee to sit in Canberra to work on resolving issues with the government of the day. The Prime Minister respectfully acted on the subsequent Uluru Statement from the Heart (USFTH) resolve.
While Mr Harrington and his ilk continue to see Aboriginal people as being subject to their will, it wasn’t down to the Prime Minister, or any other white fella, including Mr Harrington, to modify the USFTH request from this representative body.
The ‘No’ voters are falsely emboldened. They were a diverse group holding extremely divergent views, ranging from Blak Sovereignty to white racism, but what Mr Harrington has missed is that a large proportion of the ‘No’ voters, while they didn’t support the referendum, have nevertheless expressed support for addressing the social and cultural standing, and the gaps in health and justice, of Australia’s Aboriginal residents.
While the ‘No’ vote was a disappointment, I reckon the situation raised the issues that now 75 per cent of Australians are focused on resolving – so we have got somewhere. Mr Harrington, you and your ilk need to either get on board or consider if your minority really are decent members of this society.
The north coast was sold off by white people in Sydney, who didn’t own it, only 130 years ago – it was illegal under British Royal Law, British Parliamentary Law and International law to colonise already occupied land. If you buy a stolen car, it gets returned to the actual previous owner.
The USFTH was an Aboriginal initiative that trod lightly on not attempting to throw the colonised baby out with the bathwater, and we can see in the daily news where confrontation over land can lead to parties ceasing to consider each others’ babies.
Due to the spare capacity of cruise ships, the Invasion Day Committee has organised a First Fleet Back. I have sent your name to them, Mr Harrington. But don’t worry, the Europeans are very friendly, and there are good jobs there, and if you have kids there is arrangements for their care in camps where they will be provided with plenty of flour and sugar so they won’t go hungry.
For those that want Australia to move forward to address the wrongs of the past, the local mob and reconciliation groups will again be at Main Beach Byron Bay on the 26 January for the 20th annual Survival Day event.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
