People holding up certain identities as paragons of particular groups should be careful not to overlook the fact that one of those people was forced to retract a false 'stolen' generation claim.

Mal Brough, what a poor choice of minister. Bet he really wanted defense. An officer cadet gradute from Portsea, living in Caboolture he probably has never spoken to an indiginous australian before his annointment.

He has learnt well in his ministerial role, how to bully, how to make funding bribes, how to pretend to do something, just standard Liberal operating practise.

Leigh, if you had watched Lateline last night, you would have seen a classic example of a smug white collar white guy clod bloodedly absolutely "stiffing" both taxpayers and the uneducated but usually decent people he was entrusted , no doubt at a good salary, to help.
As the yanks in the Deep South say, there is is only one thing worse than black trash and that is white trash. Because unlike the blacks, the whites have no excuse.
Ok, that is crude, but some white people disgust me and non more than someof the so-called genteel middle classes.
No doubt if Mick had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and gone to some upper-crust Grammar school he'd have talked with a plum in his mouth, with the best of them. But would he have ever said anything?
And is talking with a plum in your mouth your paramount criterion of moral worth?... Scuse me!!
Leigh, how do you think Mick's morals and character stack up compared to some of the sleek white scum represented in Lateline last night?

This article and most of the posts from others have the usual "ring" about them. Just keep blaming the Government and the Minister of the day and everything will be turn out alright when a different Government gets into power. Ignore all the things that Mr Brough is trying to achieve, that's just part of Aboriginal sacred culture.

I find it interesting that when someone has the courage to tell it how it is he or she is lampooned for daring to confront a difficult issue head-on. Whatever is wrong with a Minister seeking an assurance that people who are being provided with taxpayers funds should at least keep their area clean and tidy? If people want more Government assistance surely they can demonstrate that the extra houses or whatever will be looked after in a reasonable manner.

Come down out of the clouds, and get into the real world.

No Leigh, that was simply a spiteful campaign run by the appalling Andrew Bolt and has no basis in fact.

You should talk to the lady before you open your vile mouth.

Lowitja is a great and grand lady and you and your mate Bolt are not fit to lick her feet.

Steve Madden, Mal Brough knows plenty of Aboriginal people and may well be part-indigenous himself http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20023254-2702,00.html Certainly his sister identifies herself as Aboriginal.

Whatever his background, Brough has been a complete embarrassment as a minister, lurching from one gaffe to the next. The worst of these was the disgraceful Greg Andrews/Lateline debacle. A good summary may be found here http://www.nit.com.au/news/story.aspx?id=7512 which perhaps explains why Broughey isn't on speaking terms with the National Indigenous Times.

Sniggid, I personally believe Brough has not demonstrated sufficient maturity to deserve his place in Cabinet. You may see him as courageous for "daring to confront a difficult issue head-on." I see him as a bull-in-a-china-shop, making policy on the run and mouthing off without thinking.