Er, Paul - that job was in Townsville, where I believe it was that you grew up. It was with 'street kids' back in the 1980s and was a community-based program that attempted (and mostly failed) to prevent those kids growing up to be the park people about whom you write.

Incidentally, you give the impression that the majority of Townsville's Indigenous population spends its time drunk in the city's parks, which is untrue. The itinerants who live rough in the parks and shelters comprise only a small proportion of the overall Indigenous population.

I lived for nearly 20 years in Townsville, and it's the most racist place I've ever lived. I used to know Gracelyn Smallwood, and while she may get up the noses of racist whites, she is an effective advocate for Indigenous people in North Queensland.

As it happens I now live in a very small country town in southern Queensland where I'm in contact wuth Aboriginal customers, acquaintances and friends daily. Almost without exception they work, pay rent or own houses like anybody else.

"How can it be racist for the police to ask you where you are going and what you have been doing. "

It certainly is if you single out people to harass on the basis of their skin colour - just as it is to ask people to vacate accommodation simply because they are Aboriginal.

Like many North Queenslanders, Paul, you're deeply racist but you're in denial. In fact, along with Mr Right you're exactly the kind of person that Megan Davis writes about.

Paul.L
Townsville hey?
You think its not racist. Remember Mulrunji and Hurley? What about the young murri bloke that was reversed over by a male (you couldnt call it a man) who got a slap over the wrist for causing a death.

I know not all white people are bad, I have some as friends and they sometimes come to my home, I even have dinner with them and a few of the ones you can trust I even allow to sleep overnight - oooh

I suggest that mr alright and paulllll give it a rest. You folk are dinosaurs that do not promote a good image of Australians.

I see that Paul.L has deserted this thread once he was shown up to be the mendacious racist that he is. Surprise surprise... not.