Australia is'a racist society'
Paul Osborne June 15, 2007 - 6:00PM
Australia remains a racist society, allowing governments to erode many of the gains made since the landmark Mabo decision, a leading Aboriginal academic says.
"A key barrier in achieving social justice for Aboriginal people ... is the prevalence of racism in Australian society," said Professor Larissa Behrendt tonight.
The author was in Brisbane delivering the Mabo Oration - a speech in honour of Eddie Mabo and the decision by the High Court in 1992 which recognised native title.
Prof Behrendt said racism had enabled governments to get away with eroding indigenous rights, including those gained through the Mabo decision.
"Studies increasingly show that Australians are resistant to the notion that they are a racist society and resent the use of the term 'racism' to describe their attitudes and actions to any sector of the community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders," she said.
"But it explains why it is that the government can loosely and misleadingly assert that 'they are not going to throw any more money at the situation' and many Australians agree.
To read the full article from The Brisbane Times, click on:
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/06/15/1181414534562.html?from=top5
Australia remains a racist society, allowing governments to erode many of the gains made since the landmark Mabo decision, a leading Aboriginal academic says.
"A key barrier in achieving social justice for Aboriginal people ... is the prevalence of racism in Australian society," said Professor Larissa Behrendt tonight.
The author was in Brisbane delivering the Mabo Oration - a speech in honour of Eddie Mabo and the decision by the High Court in 1992 which recognised native title.
Prof Behrendt said racism had enabled governments to get away with eroding indigenous rights, including those gained through the Mabo decision.
"Studies increasingly show that Australians are resistant to the notion that they are a racist society and resent the use of the term 'racism' to describe their attitudes and actions to any sector of the community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders," she said.
"But it explains why it is that the government can loosely and misleadingly assert that 'they are not going to throw any more money at the situation' and many Australians agree.
To read the full article from The Brisbane Times, click on:
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/06/15/1181414534562.html?from=top5
posted by Pax Christi @ Saturday, June 16, 2007
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