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The Forum > Article Comments > Talinguru Nyakunytjaku - has Australia been hoodwinked? > Comments

Talinguru Nyakunytjaku - has Australia been hoodwinked? : Comments

By Ross Barnett, published 25/6/2010

Tourists, tourism operators and coach drivers are less than enthusiastic about the new $21 million Talinguru Nyakunytjaku Viewing Area of Uluru.

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Finely written.

Rudd is out and Julia Gillard has the opportunity to say Sorry to both white and aboriginal voters who have seen such money wasted for generations. There are people who cheat others in every culture.

In the end its white consultants, white public servants and white construction crews who get the lion's share of the money earmarked for aboriginal welfare (or, in this case, a genuinely sacred site). The government realises that money spent in this way (on whites) translates into tangible political support especially in isolated electorates (eg. in NT).

Abbott, despite his High Church penchant (failings), seems to have devoted more thought to this issue than Labor.

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Friday, 25 June 2010 12:09:43 PM
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To build a viewing platform that disregards the position of the sun especially at Uluru is like the Khmer Rouge constructing canals that flow up hill, The same contempt of what people want is exhibited by Parks Australia , their patronising and cultural "concern" for the Anangu is nonsense , If they or the politicians really cared about the Anangu they would be building a swimming pool , decent housing , schools and creating job opportunities.
Posted by JOSHHHH, Friday, 25 June 2010 6:07:39 PM
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Hi JOSHHHH

I agree with you - umm all accept for the part about poor construction decisions over Uluru being compared to the Khmer Rouge's activities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_Fields

Bit like comparing the Nazi Holocaust to the road through Daintree. Moral or murder relativism needs some perspective otherwise the perpetrators of genuine genocide can criticise planning decisions in democratic countries from a "OK, who's worse?" position.

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Friday, 25 June 2010 11:37:41 PM
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The main issue is how to cut through the obfuscation and bring these nest-feathering public servants to book. For years they have hidden behind the smoke and mirrors of "caring for cultural and environmental heritage" while vandalising the country with their viewing platforms, interpretive signage, and dishonest restrictions on photography.

It will take someone with more guts and intelligence than Peter Garrett to bring some sense to a situation which has been allowed to get out of hand. The overpaid public servants behind this fiasco will do anything and spend any amount of money to cover their tails and hang on to their jobs. They need to be made answerable for their actions.
Posted by 42south, Saturday, 26 June 2010 12:17:32 AM
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Ok I was being a tad provocative comparing the stupidity of a $21million viewing platform in the wrong place with the stupidity of constructing uphill canals by the KR. On the other hand this is the tip of the iceberg in terms of destructive policies and actions by successive governments for decades, This is not just about getting good photographs and seeing Uluru from the best viewpoint (I am a photographer too though). Would anybody agree that an apartheid system has been created throughout vast areas of the NT, WA and Queensland in particular, have you seen the signs "Aboriginal land $5000 fine if you enter" , I am not saying anyone should be free to go wherever one likes on Aboriginal land but total exclusion to through roads is wrong and the isolation of these communities is unhealthy to say the least.
Why shouldnt the grey nomads be free to travel these roads to Aboriginal run art centres, shops ,businesses and tourist ventures, ? why should you need a permit ?, I agree with Noel Pearsons attitudes , Why shouldnt Aborigines be part of main stream Australia if they choose to be , Why do we insist they return to the stone age and eat bush tucker and get paid "sit down" dole money? why arent they being educated ,housed and given job opportunities. These consultants, public servants,politicians ,Parks Australia, and the rest of the Aboriginal Industry parasites , need to be brought to account . We all know where most of the money allocated to Aboriginals goes too.
I also smell a rat with this $21million fiasco, Was the correct tendering process adherred to,? Was there a proper consultation process? Who really pushed this through? Why did some Anangu suddenly have an issue after decades with the old viewing site? Could there be any corruption and kick backs involved in this ? or is it just incompetance like roof insulation.
cheers ,
Posted by JOSHHHH, Saturday, 26 June 2010 2:03:14 AM
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JOSHHHHH,

Those roads that you write about - were they developed and are they being maintained on public money ? Do they lead to communities with publicly-funded schools, stores, houses, clinics, workshops, shedding, council offices, ovals, and/or airfields ? Then, in law (somebody jump on me if I'm wrong), they are public roads.

Back in the 1920s, here in SA, after the Government took over the two missions 100 miles north and south of Adelaiade, the Protector complained about Afghan traders coming freely into the now-settlements and propose that the laws be changed and that the roads be declared 'closed', so that the traders could be banned from the settlements. It was pointed out that the settlements both had Education Department schools and, by law, roads to public schools were public roads, they could not be closed by anybody: there had to be free access to those publicly-funded facilities for all members of the public. So the initiative lapsed and Afghan traders were left free to trade, as long as they stayed on the roadways.

The gist seemed to be that publicly-funded facilities had to be available to ALL the public, and connected to the outside world by a public road, on which all could travel, to those publicly-funded facilities. I guess, Apartheid by any other name did not get a free run.

Those schools had been operating since 1860 (Raukkan) and 1868 Pt Pearce), as mission schools until the 1890s, then as Ed Dept schools; they are both still operating. The one at Raukkan is up behind the church that is on the $ 50 note :)

So, despite the overtones of apartheid in the current set-up, non-Aboriginal people are (?) legally able to travel on public roads, publicly-funded roads, into and through Aboriginal communities. And more ominously for the pseudo-Left, my erstwhile colleagues, Aboriginal people are not confined to remote communities, but can travel on those roads to the big smoke, to the world of opportunity, if they wish.

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Saturday, 26 June 2010 4:38:12 PM
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