Quote:
This draconian outrage has shaken Australia awake
John Howard's Aboriginal plan has rebounded, finally recommencing the debate about our nation's historic wound
Richard Flanagan
Thursday June 28, 2007
The Guardian
Among his many achievements, John Howard is sometimes credited with the invention of "dog whistling" politics - whereby, without any objectionable or racist idea being directly stated, the dog hears exactly the message meant.
Whatever the truth of such claims, throughout his long career the Australian prime minister has left himself open to the accusation of racism. From questioning Asian immigration in the 1980s to initially welcoming the racist comments of the far-right MP Pauline Hanson, Howard was widely perceived to play the race card to great effect.
Under Howard, federal government support for black Australia slowly dried up. Services were slashed, native title restricted. By 2000 official figures revealed that more than 41% of indigenous women and 50% of indigenous men could expect to die before they reached 50. Still nothing was done. The condition of many Aboriginal communities - frequently and accurately described as third world - grew only worse. The dreamtime was a grog-ridden nightmare. In the last few years black leaders, government agencies and welfare bodies have been talking of a growing crisis in traditional communities and calling for immediate action. But not until last week did Howard, less than six months out from an election and facing polls pointing to, in his own words, "electoral annihilation", discover this "national emergency".
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This draconian outrage has shaken Australia awake | Guardian daily comment | Guardian Unlimited
One of the more intelligent articles I have read on this.
The author of the report Howard is reacting too seemed very puzzled on ABC TV the other night wondering why most of his 97 recommendations had been ignored and the whole approcah had been so heavy handed.
The poor guy after spending a year talking to aborigines in remote communities, gaining their trust etc seemed genunely bemused by Howard's response.
