Never a number
On the ground floor of the Art Gallery of NSW I saw one of the most moving pieces of sculpture I can remember visiting. It did not surpass the sublime…
31 Comments
May 20, 2013
Australian Aborigines / Commonwealth Government / Democracy / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Law Enforcement / Neo-Colonialism / Racial Discrimination Act / Racism / Rule of Law / White Australia / Xenophobia
#Racism: Time to cease emulating the ostrich
"He was a remarkably effective prime minister for a while. The most difficult time was in 1997 and, to give credit to the government, they tightened the supervision over the…
April 21, 2013
ACT Government / Australian Aborigines / Australian Federal Police / Bill of Rights / Commonwealth Government / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Former Commissioner / Government / Human Rights / Law Enforcement / Police / Racial Discrimination Act / Racism
A fish rots from the head
The most recent public airing of a racist attack on a Korean man and his aunt visiting from his homeland has prompted another round of self-reflection on the Australian psyche.…
April 9, 2013
Asia-Pacific / Australian Federal Police / Commonwealth Government / Culture / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Genocide / Government / Human Rights / Indonesia / International Law / Law Enforcement / Racism / Rule of Law / Shared humanity / United Nations / West Papua
West Papua – time we were #idlenomore
“We recognize international law …” Every country that is a member of the United Nations recognizes international law, Bob, at least as far as it serves their purposes. It seems…
March 6, 2013
ACT Government / Australian Aborigines / Australian Federal Police / Commonwealth Government / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Domestic Law / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Human Rights / Law Enforcement / Northern Territory Intervention / Racism / Rule of Law
“May it ring for justice and change”
I like to learn how to say people’s names properly. Not that I have a particularly good memory for pairing names with faces, but I believe it is a sign…
February 17, 2013
Australian Aborigines / Australian Federal Police / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Human Rights / Law Enforcement / Racial Discrimination Act / Racism / Respect / Stolen Generation
Cradle to grave #racism – it’s not just Sydney
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you…
February 9, 2013
Australian Aborigines / Commonwealth Government / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Health / Human Rights / Northern Territory / Queensland / Racism / Respect / Shared humanity
#Indigenous self determination and alcohol
The news of the week in #Indigenous Affairs is the annual report card on Closing the Gap. Julia Gillard states that she is disappointed with the progress is addressing #indigenous…
February 8, 2013
Discrimination/Racism / Human Rights / Racism / Refugees / Religion / Shared humanity / Terrorism / Xenophobia
Fatima, Australian of my year
She is a very beautiful young woman, quiet, reserved, cautious and courteous. Her parents have sent her to Australia to undertake tertiary studies, full fee paying tertiary studies. She has…
January 26, 2013
Accountability / ACT Government / Australian Aborigines / Australian Federal Police / Bill of Rights / Corruption / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Equality / Ernst & Young / First Nations/Indigenous / Former Commissioner / Government / Human Rights / Justice / Law / Law Enforcement / Racism / Rule of Law / Sexism
Hypocrisy underscoring the ACT’s Bill of Rights
''Quite often before they get there [to court] they have done something quite serious. It becomes quite difficult because the offending behaviour is the first point that you've got to…
January 13, 2013
Accountability / ACT Government / Australian Federal Police / Corruption / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Justice / Law Enforcement / Racism / Rule of Law / Sexism / Xenophobia
Resistance is futile – like hell it is!
I couldn’t resist writing this post. I just couldn’t. Because since well before the whole Destroy the Joint thing has started, Blak and Black has been fighting to draw attention…
January 2, 2013
ACT Government / Australian Aborigines / Australian Federal Police / Commonwealth Government / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Former Commissioner / Government / Justice / Law Enforcement / Mental Health / Racism / Rule of Law / Sexism / Stanhope Government / Xenophobia
A Contributing Life: the reality of Australia’s first people
“… people with mental health problems want the same thing as everyone else. Even the disadvantaged should be able to lead a contributing life. This can mean many things. It…
December 25, 2012
Asia-Pacific / Australian Aborigines / Disability / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Human Rights / Indonesia / Pacific Neighbours / PNG / Queensland / Racial Discrimination Act / Racism / Religion / Respect / Shared humanity / Solomon Islands / United Nations / Vanuatu / West Papua / Xenophobia
Promises and passages – it’s all an illusion
Promises and passage, that what’s they were sold. A truth not realized, the loss of all that was family and home. The South Sea Islanders who came to Australia…
December 8, 2012
Asia-Pacific / Australian Federal Police / Commonwealth Government / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Genocide / Government / Human Rights / Indonesia / Law Enforcement / Racism / Shared humanity / West Papua
West Papua: Remembering 51 years of oppression
Dusk is falling across Melbourne and West Papua, but not over the dreams of the Papuan people. Today, remembering 51 years of oppression having been denied the right to self-determination,…
December 1, 2012
Corruption / Culture / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Former Commissioner / Fred Martens / Human Rights / Julian Moti / Justice / Racism / Religion / Rule of Law / Sexism / Shared humanity
Right versus religion
Last week one comment on twitter to some of the Blak and Black crew resulted in considerable discussion about the underlying intent of this wee blog. The commenter, apparently thinking…
November 21, 2012
Accountability / ACT Government / Australian Federal Police / Commonwealth Government / Corruption / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Equality / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Human Rights / Justice / Law Enforcement / Racism / Respect / Rule of Law / Sexism / Shared humanity
Destroy the Joint, schmoozing and the hypocrites
The announcement of a Royal Commission into child abuse by clergy is as big an issue as was the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption, if not bigger. This is…
November 15, 2012
Accountability / Corporate profit / Corporate responsibility / Corruption / Culture / Environment / First Nations/Indigenous / Genocide / Government / Human Rights / Law / Mining / Neo-Colonialism / Rule of Law / WA government / Yindjibarndi
Another Whistleblower Drops FMG Mining Deal Bombshell
Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation—BULLETIN http://yindjibarndi.org.au/ Wednesday 31 October 2012 No amount of corporate spin, bulldust or threats can save Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) from the continuing revelations of whistleblowers and freedom…
November 1, 2012
ACT Government / Australian Federal Police / Bill of Rights / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Equality / Equality of opportunity / Government / Human Rights / Law Enforcement / Racism / Respect / Rule of Law / Sexism
Ain’t I a woman?
If I could share a meal at a table with a small group of people from any time in history, Isabella Baumfree would be one of them. Perhaps, just perhaps,…
October 26, 2012
Accountability / ACT Government / Australian Federal Police / Bill of Rights / Commonwealth Government / Corruption / Discrimination/Racism / First Nations/Indigenous / Government / Human Rights / Law Enforcement / Racism / Sexism
Sisters, will the real misogynist please stand up?
Misogyny is a nasty word. It implies much more than sexism; it indicates a hatred of women. That’s why, in the overall view of the current political debates I must…
October 11, 2012
Monkey see, monkey do
“Behead all those who insult the prophet!” So read the banner in Sydney on Saturday, in a protest ignited by a film released in the United States. Really, the lack…
September 17, 2012
Asia-Pacific / Discrimination / Discrimination/Racism / Equality / Genocide / Human Rights / Justice / Law / Rule of Law / Sexism / Shared humanity / West Papua
Kristallnacht: Why human rights is everyone’s business
Tell me who you are, what you stand for what you mean Tell me what the lines and whirls upon your hand do mean Show me plain the markings of…
September 9, 2012