Underlying all of the continued injustices against our people is racism. This racism is pandemic. The attitude of racial superiority, which existed when this continent was claimed as terra nullius, is still in evidence as government controls Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.

The people, the media and the government in Australia each have a deep-seated bias. The Australian population is at large ignorant of, wary of, and unsympathetic towards Indigenous rights, the media is owned and controlled by white profiteers with no moral or ethical concern with our rights, and the government does not and can not represent the interests of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

While the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 has been a part of Australian law for 21 years (and during that time overt racist laws and practices have been dismantled) no notable step has been taken to restore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and rights which had been systematically stolen, destroyed, desecrated or denied by racist practices for the previous 187 years. the only redress has been in the High Court decision to recognise Native Title in Australian Common Law. This judgment has since been exasperated by governments and economic powers to prevent any adjustment from the status quo.

Contemporary political claims of self management and equality are the modern adaptations of the policies of assimilation of one hundred years ago. The only opportunity offered to us is to become like white Australians, and on their terms.

The Howard government has claimed Aboriginal health as its primary agenda for the next three years, and has led attacks on the organisations run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The changes being made by the Howard government are intended to dismantle any moves for Indigenous rights

Pauline Hanson has gained wide notoriety in white Australia by public black-bashing. She does not otherwise contribute to the government of Australia or propose any ideas for improvement of the lives of black or white Australians. Pauline Hanson's openly racist attack is (in reality) harmless to us because she has no profound argument and and no power. She relies upon ignorance and innuendo. Her shallow and idiotic utterances on race issues are as elaborate as she can muster.

Our real concerns should be the many people in Australia who commit acts of racial discrimination without being open about it. These people are often in positions of power and influence, and can cause much damage in little time through negative decisions concerning our rights and affairs.

The popular movement toward overt expressions of racism is a pathetic defence for Australians having the highest standard of living in the world while our people have the lowest. We are blamed for being a burden on white taxpayers money when in fact their wealth and standard of living has been the colonial burden on our resources and well being.

In the last twenty years since the end of the Whitlam Government there has been no change in our situation of dependency upon government patronage and handouts.

FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation Phone +61 7 3391 4677 • Fax +61 7 3391 4551 • email letterbox@faira.org.au Post Office Box 8402 Woolloongabba Q 4102 Australia 37 Balaclava Street Woolloongabba