The following link may be of interest. It is
based on the 2016 Census and tells us what's
changed for Indigenous Australians.
It's worth a read for those wanting a broader
perspective:

http://theconversation.com/census-2016-whats-changed-for-indigenous-australians-79836

Dearest Foxy,

Thanks for this ABS document. Isn't it amazing how much more the Indigenous population grows from one Census to the next, over and above the natural growth from births ? That population can grow rapidly even though the number of births barely increases year by year, and in fact may be declining ? There certainly are geniuses at the ABS.

Those maps were very illuminating: the concentration along the east coast, and the constant movement away from remote areas to the cities, are aspects of actual real-life choices that promoters of separatism might reflect on.

In the Education section, it might have been a positive move to point out that Indigenous university graduate numbers had gone up from barely 29,000 in 2011, to nearly 49,000 in 2016. A map of where those graduates were on Census night would have been useful too.

Love,

Joe

Foxy,
Pardon for going off topic, but just to remind you that Andre Rieu will be in Melbourne in November. Bookings now open. I am flying down for date with my step daughter and hubby. By the way, I'd like your opinion of Amira Willighagen. I can't believe how quickly she has gone from a little girl to a woman and am enthralled with her voice.

I may be 'in love' again!

The First Fleet had 211 marines commanded by Major Robert Ross. They first built a redoubt then Fort Bennilong and Fort Phillip and later one at Parramatta.

They were relieved in 1791 and succeeded by the notorious New South Wales Corps consisting of over 300 men plus officers. After governor Phillip left in 1792 the colony was under their complete control with their chaplain telling their commander William Paterson that the Corps was the most violent and outrageous of any British regiment in histoy.

In 1795 near Richmond Hill they fought a pitched battle against the Dharuk people. Then suffered a defeat at Toongabbie in 1797 but victory at Parramatta against the Eora.

After deposing of Bligh in 1808 they ruled for 2 years until the arrival of the 73rd Royal Highlanders after which they were sent back to England.

27 Imperial regiments served in Australia from 1788 to 1870 with the typical regimental strength being 800 men.

Some of the early ones were the Royal Highlanders who served for 17 years. South Devon Regiment (46th) for 4, Northhamptonshire Regiment (48th) for 7, The Buffs (3rd) for 4 and the 2nd Somersetshire or 40th Regiment.

At the time the imperial regiments were finally withdrawn those in service were the Buckinghamshire, the Royal Irish and the Royal Artillery.

Of course there were many duties including guarding prisoners and holding territory from foreign forces but their principle activity, especially in the first 30 years was protecting the colonists from the local inhabitant. Many regiments were shifted from battle to battle, from NSW to Tasmanian for instance.

The resistance in Tasmania forestalled the settlement of Victoria for 30 years. The British Army and its colonial auxiliaries were engaged here for nearly 100 years.

This was not a peaceful settlement of a near empty country, it was an invasion.

Suggestion number...

Invite aboriginal leaders to kick off Naidoc Week on the 26th January, the anniversary of its founding in 1938. Coupled with whiteman's anniversary celebration of his arrival, with appropriate ceremonies we'd have an annual reminder of all the good and all the bad that is our joined history.

Waiting for the date of a treaty, along the lines of returning sovereignty as covered at https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/selfdetermination/would-a-treaty-help-aboriginal-self-determination#ixzz54nX7E4JD
, will be waiting for Godot, IMO. Wouldn't 26th January be an appropriate date for beginning any treaty as, like it or not, it's the anniversary of whites and aborigines becoming entwined.

I'd have no issue with a national postal plebiscite determining whether 26th January should remain the date of Australia Day, and offering alternative dates for those answering "no". It has to be better than allowing the far left to dictate at local gov't level where they don't indicate their allegiance or intention to electors before they vote to dump Australia Day, and do so on the back of very low voter turnout

Dear Banjo,

Thanks for letting me know about Andre's coming to
Melbourne. Hopefully we'll be able to get hold of
some decent tickets. As for Amira Willighagen -
I think she's wonderful!