Michael Mansell: Gillard will be remembered for doing nothing for our people

Tasmanian Aboriginal leader Michael Mansell and his granddaughter Katana in Canberra for PM Rudd’s apology in 2008.

Paul Wiles CAAMA News 28 June 2013

Transcript of Michael Mansell and CAAMA's Paul Wiles - from CAAMA Radio News.

Paul Wiles: First Nations rights campaigner Michael Mansell says outgoing Prime Minister Julia Gillard will be remembered in the context of Aboriginal Affairs as a woman who did nothing for his people.

Mr Mansell said, under Gillards leadership the government extended the Northern Territory Intervention by 10 years and refused to give Aboriginal people a genuine political voice that had the ability to seriously represent Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders in a meaningful way.

"Across the board I think that her real failing was her willingness not to do anything positive to help Aboriginal people and I think that's what her legacy will be," Mr Mansell said. "With enormous power and influence and financial clout that the Federal Government have got they could have done a lot in land returns, promoted the retention of language and culture," he said "They could have insisted that the mining companies, who are ripping billions of dollars out of Aboriginal lands where Aboriginal people get jobs, (the Gillard government) could have done more - there could have been partnerships."

... Kevin Rudd will be looking for an issue that separates him from the past couple of years under Julia Gillard, and Aboriginal affairs is a prime issue that Kevin Rudd is likely to grab hold of ...

Paul Wiles: Mr Mansell has urged his people to meet with Mr Rudd to discuss the state of Aboriginal affairs and what changes he might make.

"I think we have to be quick, we have to accept that the timetable for action is a very short one," Michael Mansell said "but in our favour is that Kevin Rudd will be looking for an issue that separates him from the past couple of years under Julia Gillard, and Aboriginal affairs is a prime issue that Kevin Rudd is likely to grab hold of."

"If people present him with something that's within reach and something that will make him look good and I think we are in an advantageous position to be able to do that, but we have got to act quickly."

Michael Mansell is a Tasmanial Aboriginal lawyer and activist, who has dedicated his life to social, political and legal reform to improve the lives, rights and social standing of First Nations peoples in Australia.
See more: Michael Mansell Wikipedia

The Federal government stood by and watched the Victorian government close down the last remaining Aboriginal school in Melbourne. The Victorian Education Department closed Ballerrt Mooroop College down following a process of deceit and manipulation and gave most of the land to a new disability education centre. Nothing has been done to rectify this situation despite the Aboriginal education recommendations in the Gonski report. - Related.

Disrespect for First Nations people
Moments before Julia Gillard was whisked away from the angry crowd on 26th January 2012, losing her shoe in the process, she began an awards ceremony speech with these words: "Can I start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and in the spirit of reconciliation pay my respects to elders past and present." - Yet she did not take the trouble to walk 100 metres from her ceremony to say hello to the largest ever gathering of traditional owners in Canberra since she had become Prime Minister. - Article