ttbn, "Senators are supposed to be representing their state, not promoting racism and identity politics" sadly we'll just have to put up with the Lovely Pauline for a little while longer. "keep voting for the same lowlife, career politicians." But Corny Banana is giving it away, retiring on all that dosh from the sucker bait, that joined up, and parted with the cash, btw how's the party, a rather sad ending to the Australians Conservatives would you say. Could count their votes at the last election on one hand.

Indy, haven't asked for a few years, but how's those book sales of yours going? Now what was the title, oh yes; "Road Kill Recipes for the Unsuccessful Hunter" Loved the 'Squashed Wombat with a BBQ'ed Koala Sauce', my all time favourite.

BTW, My son reckons he's heading out to Wellington, going to make contact with the tribe, have you ever been to Euchareena (pop 300), told the lad to blow in there, and look up the cousins, wont be hard to find.

Is our new senator really an aborigine ? She does not look it.
True aborigines seem to be fading into the past.
Look at the writer that the ABC is promoting, he seems whiter than
Santa Clause. The whole business is getting sillier and sillier.

Some forms ask if you are aborigine, what if I said I am, and collect
some discriminatory money how are they going to prove it ?
I could say that my father told me that his grandmother was aborigine.
I couldn't prove it or disprove it. DNA ? Perhaps, perhaps not.

Another 100 years, who cares ?

That old chestnut from that side of politics; "Is our new senator really an aborigine ? She does not look it". True aborigines seem to be fading into the past." Nah she doesn't look like Truganina what so ever, should all Aboriginals fit your stereotype? Do you fit the Captain Cook stereotype?

Pray tell, what does a European Australian look like? Hair, eyes, features, etc. I see all sorts of people claiming to be Pommy Australian, yet they all look so different.

That Paul, is just my point !

Australian Aboriginality is changeing. I witnessed this change personally over 40 years. In the late 70's any Indonesian, Malay, Japanese, PNG, New Caledonian, Solomon islanders, Samoans & some part Maories fiercely objected to being called Aborigine or TS islander .
As of about 20 years ago they just as fiercely now identify as Indigenous.
I have no experience with Aboriginals from other continents & if they're going through a similar change or not.

Indy,

I'm not familiar with any Islanders or Maori who identify as Aboriginal Australians. There are many people throughout the world who identify as indigenous, about 5% of the worlds population. Indigenous being the people originating from a particular place, see the link below for more detail. What is your point in saying "As of about 20 years ago they just as fiercely now identify as Indigenous", they were always indigenous, are you saying they are in some way trying to claim Australian aboriginality?

You did say you are not a native born Australian, so are you something else, are you indigenous from somewhere else?

http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples