During one of the PM's recent media conferences whilst he was in the Torres Straight, he said something which to me was of particular significance. Surprisingly though, I have not seen it picked up in the media at all (but not that I read a lot of it)

If I don't misunderstand, what he said was something to the effect that the Original people should not be relegated to solely traditional practices upon their land, but rather that their land needs to become an integral cornerstone of their ongoing development and future economic success.

That to me, sounds like a most excellent idea, if indeed what was meant is a proposal for a newer and fairer form of land rights.

That depends on whether you are suggesting that Aborigines and Islanders, or at least their elders who aren't that keen on white fullahs (apart from the $$ assistance flowing forever from the Great White Guilt), should be allowed to impose a similar apartheid on their communities as existed after Gough Whitlam's meddling.

The Black Curtain that descended as a consequence of that interfering, patronising fool Gough and prevented media scrutiny of what was going on in black communities was a tragedy for women and children and the inheritance will linger for many years more.

Frankly the situation regarding land before Gough, Mabo and activists, where indigenous could go places they wanted was far better for indigenous IMHO. If politicians were desperate to make laws that people didn't need I guess they could have confirmed that existing effective arrangement.

There is NO prospect of uneducated indigenous ever breaking out of their self-limiting, often self-destructing, attitudes as long as there are educated middle class professionals making hay and careers out of black discrimination.

To take an example, there was a hews report yesterday decrying the poor state of aboriginal hearing. Nowhere to be seen though was the simple statement that children persist in cleaning their ears with sticks as trained to do so by mum. Well chlorinated swimming or plunge pools in larger communities could prevent a lot of the ear infections (but not if the eardrum is already perforated).

What about the UN's highly successful soap and water campaign that has been so successful in undeveloped countries to conquer dysentery and other bugs?

Land title is one of the distractions of politicians and activists - including the many academics, bureaucrats and private professionals whose careers depend on 'discrimination'.

Dream On,

I don't listen much to anything Abbott says these days. But if he said what you report, he is a bigger damn fool than I thought he was.

Land can never be the 'cornerstone' of aboriginal development unless it is worked. Aborigines, in remote areas do not have a work ethic, and our economy is not such that we can do the hard yards for them. Apart from the majority of them - yes, the majority - who have got off their backsides of the own volition, there is no hope for these people who are having too much fuss made of them.

If they don't have a work ethic, how is that they survived for 60,000+ prior to being invaded?

And if the genocidal crown maintains the dispossession and imposes a land rights regime upon them which is less than everyone else who owns land, then I would say that the current generation is every bit as bad as those who inflicted untold atrocities against them.

After everything that has been done to them, I am of the view that the prevailing establishment has no legitimate right to tell these people what to do at all.

Thus, if they were to be afforded better land rights, and they wished to withdraw, then that is entirely a matter for them.

And whilst they have their issues, much of that and the present condition has come about as a consequence of what has been done to them.

But why focus solely on the negatives. ABC this week reports this week the opening of a new cafe which is doing well, and there are plenty of Blakfellas busting to get in and have a go in the cattle and beef export industries, and the list goes on.

As for those who deny the history, you are no better than those who deny the Jewish holocaust.

DreamOn,

Survival has nothing to do with the work ethic. Millions of people in the world survive on welfare. How do you think remote-dwelling aborigines survive?

The work ethic stems from democracy and civilization, neither of which existed until white settlement.

Your talk of genocide is too absurd to warrant a response.

True, hunting grounds and food gathering areas were interfered with through ignorance. But the aborigines accepted with alacrity handouts from settlers. No work ethic, you see. And why should that have had it after 60,000 years of hunter gathering. No cause for criticism of them there.

Now, most aborigines do have a work ethic, and demonstrate that in cities and towns, providing for themselves and their families. Why can't you celebrate their achievement instead of moaning, groaning and trying to foment ill-feeling on behalf of a few people who want to waste their lives and those of their children living in the Stone Age, at our largesse, with a few luxuries that they didn't have for 60,000 years: grog, drugs, and four-wheel drives. They are bludgers, my good man.

So, the ABC and undoubtedly other media outlets reported a "cafe" that is "doing well". I assume, because you don't say, that people aboriginal descent are involved. Good. They are the people I referred to in the above paragraph. Where is the cafe? Unless it is in an urban area, it is doomed to failure - more money lost - because there is no scope for business enterprise in remote areas. And, of course "Blackfellas" are good stockman, as long as they don't go walkabout, as they often do.

Finally, how dare you come the "no better than those who deny the Jewish Holocaust" with me! I do not "deny history": I have studied the history and I understand it ­- unlike you, who seems to have received his 'learning' from the ABC and twisted Left wing anarchists. I grew up among aboriginal Australians, you cheeky blighter, and I have never, ever denied the Holocaust, another outrage by Socialism.

onthebeach,

"There is NO prospect of uneducated indigenous ever breaking out of their self-limiting,
often self-destructing, attitudes as long as there are educated middle class professionals
making hay and careers out of black discrimination."

You left out the class benefiting the most via position,status and cash.
That particular class of half and quarter caste educated culture that seem the be running
all the organizations that supposedly have indigenous welfare at there heart.

I used to run a pun in central west QLD and every weekend a dozen or more new turbo
V8 Land Cruisers would turn up for a weekend of total boozing. They were all more white than black mate,