RSVPixie said:
i agree entirely. Even when native title was recogised, indigenous australians still had to deal with Howard's prejudice against them with his ten point plan.
What about the people who were currently living on the land. The ten point plan was a move to ensure that the Wik decision didn't have adverse effects on Australians currently occupying the land.
According to Howard it was to 'water down the Native Title Act'. It's just crap, to claim that this was actually racist or the result of an unfair prejudice. It's claims like that, which helped make Pauline Hanson popular in her time and undermine the idea of equality in Australian society.
In my opinion, Aboriginal people already have their fair share of land. This from the government's own website:
"Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (who represent under three per cent of the total Australian population) own or control approximately 20 per cent of the Australian continent as a result of statutory land rights schemes and the recognition of native title. This is equal to 150 million hectares."
Many farmers would have been forced to be relocated and they were also putting pressure on John Howard to act. Why shouldn't they have security?
RSVPixie said:
the aboriginies, once the Wik decision was made by he High Court, were wary of the government's response. John Howard started off the justification of his "10 point plan" by trying to numb the audience before shoving the knife in. He started off saying he sympathised with the indigenous australians and what they had dealt with. Then, straight after that, Howard outlined his plan, aimed entirely at watering down native title. This all happened at the Aboriginal Reconciliation Conference in Melbourne, and Howard was not just booed and shunned [people actually stood up and turned their backs on him during his speech], but he got flustered and started yelling. If you get a chance, watch the end of his speech where he declares the convention open. He is so furious its hilarious.
Well I would be furious to do be honest.
I don't like Kevin Rudd at all, but what a disrespect if people turned their backs on him while he was talking to them. To be honest, I think John Howard's response was actually quite reasonable, he was trying to be heard over the loud boos and shouts interrupting his speech. There is nothing more annoying than trying to speak to an arrogant and ignorant audience, with the maturity of 4-year-olds, who don't understand the complexity of one's position and the different interests and groups one has to cater to. This might surprise you, but John Howard was PM of all Australians, not just Aboriginal people (who represent 3%).
People were turning their backs on him as he tried to talk to them. We've all seen 'The Howard Years' too, by the way... In any case, it was absolute rudeness on the part of the audience and John Howard showed great restraint in simply not walking out of the room...
As for Howard being an idiot. Let me put it bluntly. The only idiots here, are you, and anyone that supports such a primitive and polar view. These are complex issues, they're not black and white. John Howard had no choice but to consider all parties involved, even if you would like to completely ignore any interested party who is not Aboriginal.