The biggest argument in the country this week wasn’t an argument at all.
In fact, while sitting on the Studio 10 panel on Monday morning, Kerri Anne Kennerley and Yumi Stynes were trying to make precisely the same point.
It began with television host Kennerley embarking on a criticism of ‘Australia Day’ protesters.
How many of those protesters, Kennerley asked, have “been to the Outback, where children, babies, five-year-olds are being raped? Their mothers are being raped, their sisters are being raped. What have you done?”
Her point was inherently flawed.
“You’re sounding quite racist right now.” @yumichild says to Kerri-Anne as they clash over Australia Day & #ChangeTheDate. #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/qI2qBsiT9t
— Studio 10 (@Studio10au) January 27, 2019
If one cannot directly ‘solve’ rape, today, should they do nothing at all? Should one only ever focus on the biggest issue facing a community, rather than making meaningful small steps?
Top Comments
We all know this is a well understood technique to avoid discussing the actual issue being protested, all targeted programs should include members of the group in the design and implementation of such programs, The real Aboriginal industry is the hundreds of thousands of non Aboriginal people making a profit out of Aboriginal misery, and failing on a mass scale also, to conflate to separate issues to shutdown discussion on a subject is outright oppression, suicide levels are shocking and the research shows its helplessness (the Aboriginal misery industry) and discrimination (media demonization) are the major contributing factors, I think that changing the date to include all Australians (not excluding 3%) could help change the warranted feelings of helplessness and discrimination could go along way towards changing other issues faced by first Australians that were forced upon them
Black, indigenous voices need to be centred in this debate. KAK, Yumi, whoever, the focus should not be on what they think or they reckon. Us white people need to be allies, standing behind Indigenous voices and allowing them to direct the conversation and direct change. The rate of disadvantage within Aboriginal communities is extremely high, this is because of colonisation and 200 years of racist policy. The government does not listen to Indigenous leaders, who tell them what they need and how to fix their communities, instead they throw money at organisations, often run by whites, who don't care and who waste money. People are suffering because their way of life for thousands of years was violently ended and replaced with oppression.
They do discuss the strategies with representatives of the communities.
They have been spending billions of dollars to try and fix the problem.
Certainly things need to change, but the government is not doing nothing.
As someone who has spent the last 3 years studying Indigenous history and contemporary Indigenous issues, I can tell you know that the Government is doing nothing of note and I'm not particularly interested in the opinion of a person who doesn't seem to know what the heck he is talking about, based on the absolutely laughable comments you have made on this issue. Maybe shut your mouth and try listening for a change. The remote communities are not receiving adequate funding and do not receive the same level of support as other, non-indigenous rural towns. Indigenous based programs in TAFEs are being scaled back and community organisations are losing money. And this is the present. The level of mismanagement in the past is abhorrent and it's no wonder Indigenous people are still suffering because of it. Aboriginal people need representation at a federal level, in parliament and the power to sort out their own issues. The government still has laws on the books that give them special powers over Indigenous people, for crying out loud. Things aren't changing and this rosy gloss you've put on it is beyond the pale, really.
Only the last 3 years. Interesting.
Rosy gloss? Seriously? I have never said there aren't any problems, that we shouldn't be doing more to fix them.
How brave of you, perhaps you should get out of your comfy city living and see how the people in remote communities live.
Disgusting conditions that do good whited like you believe they should stay in due to 'culture'
No wonder the youngest and most vulnerable believe suicide is the only way out.
You are a fool. a racist fool.