Prime Minister John Howard said (last night): “Tonight I call upon each of you attending this dinner to kick a goal for indigenous employment by employing indigenous Australians,” he told a dinner ahead of last night's "Dreamtime at the 'G" AFL football game.This from a man who would not know what "to kick a goal" means (not really, anyway) - it is such a Victorian expression.
I hate superficial political speeches. I have helped draft a few of them, but never stooped to that level, I swear.
New.com.au reports today that: "Mr Howard said all his government's policies over the past 10 years had been directed towards reducing the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians."“But it is a long process. It is not helped when Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory knock back a $60 million from the Government to fix their housing,” he said, referring to this week's case involving Alice Springs town camps.
“I mean, it is that kind of attitude that impedes progress towards narrowing the gap."
Source: News.com.au
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Talk about blaming the victims! Howard has no idea of what he speaks. All he can see is a $ signs. So, he thinks that throwing a few $s, (and in terms of Government programs I mean only a few $s) should solve the problems.
He and Mal Brough MP, (Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs), have no understanding of the value of land to Aboriginal peoples, and the need for fair dealing with the Aboriginal communities.
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