I want to thank Jaqueline Pata for sharing her great experience and insights into how to develop a strong and respected voice for indigenous people. The US model is being carefully examined around the world and in Australia and not just by our indigenous people. Australia's ethnic communities including the Macedonians can also learn and benefit from the wisdom, knowledge and experience of the National Congress of American Indians. Keep up the great work.

Hi Jaqueline, I am an Australian of the white "Macca" tribe, and I would like you to mind your own business, because you do not have single, solitary clue about what is happening with "indiginous" people in this country.

Australians are leery of "indiginous" organistions because we had to disband one called ATSIC, because too many "indiginous" leaders got gaught with their fingers in the till.

As for "self deturmination" of indiginous Australians, don't make me laugh. We tried that and all we got was anarchy on every remote aboriginal settlement where the homicide rate may even exceed those areas in the USA populated entirely by US blacks.

"self deturmination" for aboriginal Australians has seen incredible levels of spouse and child sexual abuse, with children as young as three being screened for STD's. One Federal government inquiry found that all 45 aboriginal setlements in the NT had endemic child sexual abuse with the result that there were now 24 year old aboriginal grandmothers. 90% of aboriginal children in remote areas failed their literacy testing and that despite aboriginal children recieving three times more education funds that the average Aussie child.

One Australian, politician, was confronted by aboriginal activists who claimed that the Federal government "intervention" violated the Human Rights Act, The Anti Discrimination Act, and The Land Rights Act. Mal said he couldn't care less, all he wanted to do was save aboriginal children from starvation ,being bashed, and living in horrendous circumstances.

Onya Mal.

I find it ironic that 'indiginous" people demand equality and then demand that they should be given "human rights" different from everybody else. Still, I can understand your concern. you probably have a nice job in your "indiginous" tribal organisation which gives you a good wage and other perks, and all you have to do is go around telling the "indiginous" how wonderful they are, and how bad their "oppressors" are.

Thank you for your article and goodbye

Thanks for this article. It is good to hear the perspective of someone with as much insight and experience as Jacqueline has.

As for LEGO's ignorant rant, he simply demonstrates why organisations like the National Congress are needed in Australia, and how much work is still to be done in strengthening our nation's future.

LEGO's assertion that Jacqueline doesn't have a "single, solitary clue about what is happening with Indigenous people in this country" is shown to be a lie by her Jacqueline's own words, so barely needs rebuttal. Mind you, it wouldn't be hard to know more than LEGO, who knows less than nothing and clearly cares even less.

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Sorry, I'm inclined to support LEGO on this one.

Maybe I'm damned forever now.

Joe Lane
Adelaide

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