The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Thursday 17 January 1957
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Aboriginal control
Canberra
should
take over
ABORIGINAL CONTROL was a job for the Commonwealth Gov ernment - not the States, Miss Shirley Andrews, secretary of the Council for Aboriginal Rights, said last night.
She said the aborigine would never attain his just right - equality in citizen ship - without uniformity in control.
Discriminating1 laws would have to be abolished once full citi zenship was granted "detribalised" aborigines.
Miss Andrews said many well-meaning whites imagined they knew best what was good for tribal abori gines, but these natives
were quite capable of fending for themselves, provided they were left alone in reservations,
"Australians are inclined to look in a self-righteous manner at the inequality be tween white and black in American southern States and in South Africa, but similar inequality exists in our own outback," Miss An
drews said.
Its worse
Tn Perth yesterday. Mr. W. Grayden, M.L.A., chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee which reported on natives In the Warburton Ranges,
said:
"If anything, the posi tion of natives in the ranges is worse than de scribed in our report."
Mr. Grayden was replying to a statement by Mr. S. G. Middleton, Native Welfare Commissioner, who said the committee's report was "grossly exaggerated."
Mr. Grayden asked:
. Where else in the world in 1957 would mothers be forced to kill their infants to save older children form starvation?
'. Where else are mothers forced to breast feed their
children until five or. six years old to give them nour
ishment?
. Where else would people be dying of hunger within a few hours' flying time of a capital city?
. Where else would people be going blind through lack of medical attention?
Mr: Grayden added: "The committee refrained from saying many of the things that'should haye been said.
"The' statemènt by Mr. Middleton that the area is well stocked with game and ringed with missions is fan
tastic.
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