otb,

What difference does it make what tribes.
Or how they may have fought amongst themselves.
The fact remains they were here first. This was
their country since time immemorium and the
settlers fought to establish British authority
over Australia. The continent did not just fall
into their laps. They killed and destroyed to acquire
it.

I really can't understand why some Australians find
it hard to respond to the destruction of Aboriginal
society.

And the sad thing is that its obvious
that these same people still seem to prefer to defer from
dealing with these great problems today and in doing so
bequeath these problems to their descendents.

Foxy,

So you would be opposed to diversity then? Y'know, the diversity-Australians-have-to-have?

Do you say too that the Aborigines were xenophobes and racists for opposing settlement and not wanting to share with the poor and vulnerable displaced and transported from their own familiar land?

Plenty of space for that 'Open Door' immigration policy you support. Or is that different too?

What about all of those new restaurants to relieve the 'Nullaboring' culture and cuisine back then? You are the one who goes on about Australia being stiflingly 'Nullaboring' before diversity right?

Obviously it takes a compartmentalised mind to be 'Progressive'. It sure helps to promote that black armband view of history, eh? -But only where criticism of 'whites' is concerned (you mean people from the UK, don't you?).

Back to the thread, the unforseen negative consequences of Whitlam's self-imposed apartheid for Aborigines were horrendous for women, children and youth especially and many whistleblowers had their careers and lives destroyed trying to publicise the fact.

otb,

Talking about compartmentalised minds.
Your post is a perfect example of yours.

You have to realise old chap that it is now
possible to explore the past by means of a
large number of books, articles, films,
novels, songs, paitings, and other primary
sources. We can now know a great deal
about the history of indigenous-settler
relations. But knowing brings burdens which
can be shirked by those living in ignorance.
With knowledge the question is not longer what
we know but what we are now to do, and that is
a much harder matter to deal with. It will
continue to perplex so many of us for many years to
come.

BTW: The Nullaboring reference that you seem to
enjoy citing in an attempt to demean me - was
as you know - made by Philip
Adams from a speech he made , as I explained to
you several times in the past. It has to be taken
in context of the conditions that did exist at that
time. Adams was referring to Pre-World War II
Asutralia - before Multiculturalism. And as you know
those were very different times in Australia - that
were indeed "boring," and primitive. As Geoffrey Robertson
explained on "Q and A," the other night - Gough Whitlam
in 1972 managed to drag Australia into the 1960s.

Once again - you misrepresent my views and your assumptions
about me are also wrong. Still I choose to let that be
your problem, not mine.

Adams' and your own sneering contempt and cultural elitism do not detract from the achievements of the pioneers and the courage and self-denial of the men and women who made the best of it and soldiered on through the Depression and WW1.

You and the cultural cringing Adams are both content to live off their hard work and achievements of course

otb,

Telling it as it was and what were Government policies
at the time can by no means be construed to be
"sneering contempt," by any rational person. I'm
afraid Sir, the contempt is entirely in your mind, and
for that none of us can be held responsible.
It's been pointed out to you by some many posters on
this forum that you are a master at misrepresentation
and your displays of faux
righteous indignation has certainly worn thin.
I suggest you try a new approach. Preferably one with
some intelligence.

You only have to compare Gough Whitlam and his achievements with those of his immediate predecessor William McMahon (Billy Big Ears as we liked to call him). I was fortunate enough to have met both, Billy came across as a very nice bloke.

McMahon was an MP from 1949 to 1982, 21 years a minister and PM 1971-72 a little less than 2 years. What do we remember about McMahon's prime ministership? US President Nixon famously forgot his name at a White House dinner and his good wife Sonia wore a rather hot numbers for the times, a dress with a split, was all the talk in Washington.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/a-love-beyond-understanding/story-e6frg6z6-1111114526775