I too get tired of commentary talking about better policy development and programs.

Cheers

Pearson’s “model” is not proven or accepted by all the communities around the Cape, so it was very premature to “roll it out”. It would appear he has now also burnt a few bridges.

Forget the preamble. Indigenous Australians deserve a section in the body of the Constitution. And a treaty. And the word “sorry”. And consultation.

They don’t need a paternalistic racist “intervention” that treats them all equally badly with $100k pa bureacrats telling them what to do.

More has now been spent on the NT “intervention” than the money required to boost existing health services to a standard equivalent to that which non-indigenous Australians enjoy.

Cape politics:

I would qualify my observation by suggesting that Cape Communities may well vote on the same issues regardless on whether they vote in a federal or state or local election.

The repudiation of Pearson’s approach to land privatisation in 3 communities is well known. His megaphone diplomacy skills are also well known if not legendary in the Cape.

The manufacturing of consent around Pearson’s ideas enjoys more consensus here in the urbs, often with people I thought would be intuitively more inquisitive and critical. One must also remember that the readership of the Courier Mail and Australian in these communities is non existent. Politics in communities happens at very much more intimate levels in Aboriginal communities in the Cape and its not just about traditional ideological calibrations of Left or Right.

National politics:

Pearson has regularly attacked so called latte lefties here in Brisbane who have alternative views to his and this is cleverly deployed wedge to position himself as a progressive centrist.

This will not change once a national Indigenous body emerges – which will provide some ideological clarity, not just of the black politico but also of how federal and state government see their respective roles and responsibilities

I sense we will see a mix of utilitarian blackocrats and some traditional Rights advocates making up the state and federal teams.

The old guard vs. the new progressive youth? Political generation change happens much faster in our communities.

One thing is for sure, Pearson will not play ball with an emerging national leadership culture and his ideological alliance to individual leaders are already bedded down.

The black culture wars have only just begun – meaning they will become more public than usual.

Cheers

The one comment I will pick up on is the reference (from Mark B) to Labor’s promise to create a national representative body.

In my view the lead up to and announcement of this body will set in place how and which Aboriginal leaders Labor will allow to represent its policies. Howard chose an eclectic set of conservative unknowns for his National Indigenous Council.

Who will Labor choose to win over Aboriginal confidence for a new body? Remember ATSIC elections only enjoyed less than 20 percent of voluntary voting in its elections.

Labor cannot ignore those Aboriginal leaders who have held the line against Howard over the past 11 years. And Pearson is not one of them.

There are many past models of representation such as the NAC and of course ATSIC to choose from.

Bear in mind that Labor has also promised to ratify the UN’s declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

What would Pearson’s response to this be?

Remember he has not been a part of any elected Indigenous body for many years and has instead chosen to create the voice of a public intellectual (with lots of help from the Murdoch Press)

What Jim Tornier (elected member for Leichhardt /Cape York) thinks of Pearson will be telling. Will he has his own views or will his views be sanitised by Labor minders?

Pearson’s dislike of Rudd goes back to the late 80’s early 90’s and Pearson is loathed by many Aboriginal activists but they also know that without him in a leadership role at the top it leaves their flanks open to his attacks.

My sources tell me jockeying has already begun within the Aboriginal politico (as one would expect) but for me what will be interesting is what role Pearson plays in declaring his opinion on the structure of a new body. I think he will be happy if he heads up a regional Cape York agenda rather than partaking in a national body.

I think other regional leaders would prefer this as well and they would rather design these regional zones than have them imposed as did ATSIC’s electoral zoned mapping.

How this is played out in urban areas where the majority of Indigenous people live will be interesting and especially with the backdrop focus on remote communities.

I think the real brawl will not be between Pearson and Labor but between Pearson and whatever the next “Frankenstein like” Aboriginal rep body Labor it gives life too –especially if it threatens to disenfranchise his own quango.

What ever you think of him Pearson’s opinion on this new body will matter – but only insofar as his views are supported by his own constituents communities in the Cape.
The huge drift to Labor by Aboriginal communities in the Cape on the 24th suggests he is very unpopular. But I may be wrong.

I had a dream last Thursday night that although ALP won the election, Howard held Bennelong and somehow it was my fault. From Carlton I managed to fuck it up and could do nothing about it.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

“please explain”. What is racist about my comment?

It seems to me that criticising Aboriginal leaders for not conforming to the expectations of white political schisms is racist, as is attacking Aboriginal leaders on the basis of generalisations about the school or university they went to.

It is one thing to critique Pearson’s (or Langton’s) plans, it is another to throw mud.

Er what about “Uncle Tom” Now that can’t be racist surely?I mean shit, it’s in house so to speak,he’s one of ours.Most Aboriginals I know,and I know lots of em,can read this man like a cheap novel.A nuance, a nuance, my land rights, for a nuance.

“Pearson is an opportunist in the tradition of the hunter gatherer and the guerilla warrior.”

I think that is an unnecessarily coarse and racist perspective. If anything Pearson’s tactics are those of the GPS private school boy and sandstone university graduate. It is no coincidence that Pearson and Marcia Langton are so like-minded.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/gallery/0,25198,5027659-20581,00.html

Look for Pearson himself in image 8

imho, there was something in the core of Pearson’s approach & attitude that bothered me no end. I’m not saying he didn’t have some good ideas & he obviously cared enuff to desire change for the dispossessed & abused…but I always felt there were other motives underlying his support for the Libs. But i’m a suspicious bugger at the best of times.

Btw, I thought your post-election piece for New Matilda re: Australia not being the 51st State after all, was effective. All I can say is “thank Gawd for that!”…let’s hope it stays that way…the less i see of NY-based attempted manipulation of our media & elections…& Holy Rollers in glass houses selling CDs the better…:)

Havin’ a long weegend buzz on w/ friends (mates)…w/ the barbee sizzlin’ & plenty of beer/wine & spirit hittin’ the spot…on the verandah/patio…after a mornin’ hike or swim…talkin’ about the latest alternative/innovative/exciting music, movie, book, cricket match, TV show, blog, science discovery, festival, art display, theatre performance…& fall from grace by dumbo celebrity or pollie…is enuff of a spiritual experience for me.

I don’t need the BIG Extravaganza, BIG Show, BIG Sell, BIG Billboards, BIG Glass House, BIG finger-pointing pontification, BIG Game…that why i reckon this is the “best Country in the World”…let’s keep it that way.