Antinuclear

Gough Whitlam’s exceptional legacy for Indigenous Australians

Gough Whitlam remembered: a true leader for Indigenous Australians, Guardian, 21 Oct 14 
Gough Whitlam was the first prime minister to campaign so openly for Indigenous people and to listen to their concerns For Aboriginal people across the country, Gough Whitlam was our giant among former prime ministers. He was the first leader to campaign so openly for us. During his short term in office he and his government made momentous decisions to include Aboriginal people within the fabric of the nation.

In 1972 I was working in the then department of interior, native welfare branch. The prevailing values and the approach taken within that bureaucracy were still anchored in assimilation policy.

But for several years change had been coming:the Freedom Rides; the bark petition to Parliament House from the Yolngu people of Yirrkala, and later their legal action against Nabalco for mining their country; an Aboriginal tent embassy erected on the lawns opposite the old Parliament House in Canberra………

Gough visited the tent embassy and promised that when elected he would legislate Aboriginal land rights. He kept his word, at least in the Northern Territory, where he had Commonwealth authority – state governments jealously protected their power over land administration matters. With input from the central and northern land councils, which were set up after the Woodward royal commission’s first report in July 1973, Commonwealth legislation was drafted.

Gough personally gave land title deeds to the Gurindji people, and on that day Merv Bishop took his famous photo of Gough pouring a fistful of dirt into Vincent Lingiari’s hand……….

Gough also created the Aboriginal Loans Commission, the Aboriginal Land Fund Commission and the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC). The NACC was the first opportunity for Aboriginal people to elect their own representatives to a national committee to directly advise the federal government.

On the day of Gough’s dismissal I had just dropped around during my lunch break to see my uncle Charlie. We were both shocked and dismayed at the story leading the ABC news. We knew it was going to be a very different ball game in Canberra for our people and our country. We knew the mining lobby was much better resourced than we were and their might was brought to bear on the Fraser government in getting the amendments to allow mining on Aboriginal land. Nevertheless, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, while amended many times, has stood the test of time and it has served our people in the Northern Territory very well.

Gough knew his job was to lead people. He would not be dragged down by widely entrenched racist views. He was clear about his commitment to improve our lives and give us long overdue recognition.

Patricia Turner, an Arrernte and Gurdanji woman, was deputy secretary of the department of aboriginal affairs (1989) and the department of prime minister and cabinet (1991-92). She was chief executive of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander commission from 1994 to 1998. http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/oct/21/gough-whitlam-remembered-a-true-leader-for-indigenous-australians

October 21, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, history