I had already thought, “What a gloater”, before I got to Stephen’s, “I know it’s not chivalrous to gloat.” I hope that doesn’t mean I have an ESP relationship with him!

Chivalry is a long outdated word; so is the action or concept itself. So, it’s probably fine to gloat these days.

What surprises me is that Stephen actually seems to believe the new Government will be better for his aboriginal cause. Sure, Rudd will say ‘sorry’ for something he has no need to be sorry for, but so what? It will not make any personal difference to Stephen judging by this: “I’m not sure of the demographics of the street I live in but gauging by the lack of proportionate excitement I gathered they may have had their money on the losing team.”

Stephen is telling us he lives among dreadful Coalition voters who, according to most OLO posters, are wealthy and don’t care about aborigines or anyone else. No wurley or wrecked public housing on a reserve for Stephen. He is a university lecturer, and is about as remote from the people he purports to champion as most of the Australian population. He should not be listened to any more than a white do-gooder should be listened to. The fact that he continually laments the demise of ATSIC, a remote (from real aborigines) and corrupt organization is a whopping black mark against him in itself.

Stephen reckons that Howard’s ‘promise’ on aborigines didn’t have the “charismatic ring” that Keating’s had in 2003. Well, stuff charisma, but what did Keating do for aborigines? Keating did Jack for aborigines, unless you call increased handouts, more reliance and positive discrimination, good for people’s self esteem and advancement.

Incidentally, but importantly, I wonder how many aborigines out in the remote lands watched the election telecast.

Continued....

….continued

But, the silliest thing about this article is that, by the half way mark, Stephen Hagan doesn’t really trust Rudd to say ‘sorry’; he just thinks he should. Maybe it was Stephen, not his neighbours who really backed the wrong horse. Howard said that he would give us a referendum to deal with aboriginal questions. That way, all Australians would have made it clear what they thought, not just a few politicians like Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard with her girlish, “…(It is) Labor policy to say ‘sorry’”.

To give Stephen Hagan his due, he does actually mention the cost to taxpayers of this futile, grandstanding exercise. Finally, it is admitted that it is really about money, no matter what the hordes of aboriginal ‘leaders’ have been saying for years.

However, Stephen is still not satisfied, and wants a further $5 billion put aside for “victims of the stolen generation”. Will that make them ‘unstolen’?

Note the little slip: “Victims of the stolen generation”. I’m sure Stephen meant victims of the actual ‘stealing’.

However, he inadvertently highlights one, big truth. Australian taxpayers will certainly be victims of the stolen generation when that nice young Mr. Rudd says sorry. And, like so many things decided on by politicians without public consultation, they won’t be able to a thing about it

In all of my years in the Northern Territory I have known hundreds of people who, during the period of Government policy when children of mixed heritage were 'taken'and placed in institutions.

I remarked to a Barrister who was involved in the Cubillo / Gunner test case in 2002 that you cannot generalise the effect of being taken . I offered to introduce him to people I knew who had told me
"Thank god I was taken. If I hadn't been taken I would have died."

There is no doubt others suffered extreme trauma, mostly due to the manner in which they were forcibly taken and when Government Policy changed, made every effort to find their mothers. Sadly,many arrived too late to find their mothers deceased but pleased to meet other relatives. Some chose to return to their roots and have become articulate spokesmen and women

The Retta Dixon home on Bagot Road has been demolished but the children who were raised there have a unique bond who still identify as the 'Retta Dixon Mob' as they became a 'family' . Most got on with their lives and have raised their own families. To them ,having the Prime Minister simply say 'Sorry' on behalf of past Governments is an important symbol.

I don't think the payment of conscience money will make them pleased they were taken. It should also be recognised that for years, there has been positive discrimination in favour of children with Indigenous ancestry through such programmes as Abschol which enables access to higher education on scholarships that are not available to the non-indigenous population.

When are we going to get on with reconciliation and put the black armbands away.

Alms, just $3 billion this time.

When will some people get to understand, there is no dignity to be found in continually looking for handouts.

I like the notion of quoting Margaret Mead, good move Stephen, however, I prefer something else which is attributed to her

“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.”

That is were anyone who needs to bolster their self esteem and self worth will find real reward.

Relying on government to “provide” is similar to those who purposely cut themselves,

it is a self harming process which fails to produce any beneficial outcomes and longterm only scars the practitioner..

And just who are the victims of the "stolen generation"?

The most recent victim is fairly clearly the ten year old girl who was returned to her family in Aurukun because there were too many people who could, and should, have kept her away from her family but who failed to do so for fear of being accused of repeating the stolen generation.

In our society, children are commonly removed from their parents if the children are at risk. It is a reasonable expectation that a substantial proportion of those children who in past times were removed - stolen, some would claim - were saved from a similar or worse fate. While the process was clumsy, mismanaged, and at times abused the thought behind it was for the general good.

Stephen, I have to say that most people in southeastern Australia think it was a good thing for the Army to march into aboriginal communities to protect the little children from peadophiles.

Southerners do not know or care about the axing of CDEP or CHIP. They don't have any idea about the appalling conditions the stolen generation grew up after being removed from their mothers.