I know many Aboriginal people and not ONE of them wants to return to pre-1788 culture.
Many of them are extremely grateful that they were taken away from their families (for whatever reason) and the opportunities that were opened up for them.

It's now almost fifty years since Australia voted for Aboriginal people to be treated the same as other Australians; there is no cultural excuse for breaking Australian law.

Dear Is Mise,

And they probably look upon you as the Great White God. Especially given that you are one of those omniscient engineers you and Aidan are always raving on about. All hail Is Mise! All bow to Is Mise!

Hi Saltpetre,

You suggest,

"Why then do you dismiss global warming (or at least any significant human contribution to this)? Or, may you have revised your position on this?
(Or, is my memory in error in this?)

"Since you are a person of great knowledge, and much wisdom, why is there so little concern being expressed generally about the future impacts of population growth and accelerating industrial development?

"War, mass-migration, climate-change, China, North Korea ....
Where are the three (or more) wise men?"

You may have me confused with someone else, but anyway:

* No, I'm a genuine sceptic about global warming (perhaps current early autumn-winter weather here in Adelaide reinforces this); when the sea-level rise tops an inch in fifty years, I'll take it seriously: at that rate, I know I'll have barely two thousand years before I'm very suddenly flooded and drowned;

* Population growth: perhaps from people living longer, rather than increasing birth rates. But you're partly right: native populations in developed countries, even Australia, are barely rising and even declining - while migrants, being young, have much higher birth-rates. But I suspect that, for example, the Indigenous population in Australia is rising at barely the same rate as that of non-Indigenous Australians, 1-1.4 % p.a.;

* 'accelerating industrial development' ? What, in Australia ? You mean Arrium, General Motors, Ford, another company every week ? Or do you mean 'how can we find ways to accelerate industrial development' ?

Oh well, BTT: as you write, "....I do not agree that native title should universally entail full transfer of ownership and entitlement to any developmental purpose or sale."

Obviously, a problem with group 'ownership' and sale, is who benefits ? Given the Indigenous predilection for self-promotion, elitism and corruption, and the attenuation of urban population from cultural knowledge, especially about specific group land rights and boundaries, how can a situation be avoided where the squeaky wheel gets the bounty flowing from land 'ownership' and - if it was allowed - eventual sale ? We need to learn from NZ mistakes.

Joe