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Dear Alan B,

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You wrote :

« A nation divided against itself cannot stand! »

Abraham Lincoln was advocating against slavery in the United States, in his bid for a seat in the Senate, when he made that famous speech in 1858 at the Republican State Convention in Springfield, Illinois.

What he actually said was :

« A house divided against itself cannot stand » - a concept familiar to Lincoln's audience as a statement by Jesus of Nazereth, recorded in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).

The deep division between north and south in the US at the time, on the question of slavery, was on a scale incomparable to our discussions here in Australia on the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to speak on behalf of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In modern democracies, social differences do not lead to social divisions, and even less to civil wars such as occurred in the US during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Democracy and diversity are no longer allowed to become antagonistic to such a large extent and on such a large scale.

That is why I am confident that a satisfactory solution will be forthcoming in the not too distant future in respect of the proposed establishment of a Makarrata Commission or similar organism.

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@Banjo Paterson

Tah Roddy

Most of it sounds reasonable until:

"undertake to consult the democratically elected national organism of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and carefully consider its requests, proposals and comments on all and any matters concerning our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in a concerted effort of mutual agreement."

Which essentially gives the aboriginal council almost veto powers on all legislation.

Hi SM,

Of course. Even if a body of 'representatives' were to be confined to a large building in a small town for the duration of its existence, as long as it had access to the media, if any proposed piece of legislation would receive the collective eyebrow-raise of regret, that would be the end of it. Enlarging the powers of local council in relation to dog-licences ? You bet. The permissible size of oysters ? Sure. Everything would be fair game.
\
People have the power to elect their representatives to various councils and parliaments. If some people think that there isn't enough Indigenous representation, then they should run for parliament or whatever, or get behind someone who is.

One person, one vote. No special, let alone unassailable, representation for anybody.

Cheers,

Joe

But SM and Joe

Doesn't Australia need a privileged master race [1] selected on racial lines?

As this master race is officially "Black" racism never applies, not even a suspicion. Every Lefty Dropkick knows that, Aye Rodney?

Fortunately Turnbull is sensible enough not to buy Rodney's racist delusions.

[1] Holier than Thou, in Rodney's calculations
and consisting of a special 2.8% of Australians
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians

Yuyutsu,
Good for you.
I have been away for some time but I had to come back. I have just sent a draft book off to the publishers and in it is a section exposing the "BS" around the Mabo decision. The man was a pedophile. The Mabo decision was an accident in law that changed the face of Australia for all the wrong reasons.
Information that I have received is that the 'greatnguru' Noel Person has decreed two goals for the indigenous populations (no matter what you blood count is) First is that all girls must have at least five babies before they are twenty (The government will support you well) so that in twenty or so years there will be enough indigenous voters to take over government