G’day,
The first time I heard of Borroloola was soon after I graduated and joined the geological consultant firm of Cundill Meyers and Associates. At the beginning of the Nickel Boom, U.S. Steel became a significant client of CM&A. I was assigned to U.S. Steel in the Pilbara. Doug Rutledge was sent to Borroloola where U.S. Steel was exploring for Manganese.
A few years later on our way back from Canada, we stopped in Duluth where I attended a Geological conference hosted by the University of Minnesota. A field trip to the Mesabi Range was part of the conference. It doesn’t require a lot of imagination to discern similarities between Duluth and Whyalla in South Australia. In both cases the socio/political/historical development being much influenced by the iron oxide (rust) content of their ranges. A bus load of geologists passed Hibbing which I much later found out was the birthplace of Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan). This then being a perfect excuse to insert a non-sequitur musical link …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ST9TZBb9v8 Joan Baez Diamonds and Rust
The tour was led by the head of the geology department, a wiry enthusiastic gentleman by the name of Ralph Marsden. When Ralph found out I was from Ostrailia he told me he’d spent time there when he was working for U.S. Steel, so I then mentioned I too had done work for U.S. Steel in the Pilbara area and that a colleague of mine had been sent to Borroloola- “Burralooolah!!! Burralooolah !!! Burralooolah!!!” exclaimed Ralph, who then proceeded to tell me a tale of woe how he had ended up on the wrong side of a crocodile infested rising river and it took a week before he could wade across and find his way back to civilisation. Thus it came to pass that whenever Borroloola was mentioned my ears would prick up and I’d pay attention. The story of the Borroloola Library comes to mind (Google it sometime if you have the time and want to be intrigued). Both the building and the valuable books are alleged to have been consumed by termites. I suspect that Borroloola may have at least in part inspired Alexis Wright’s town of Desperance in her brilliant book ‘Carpentaria’
You may recall that in the most recent Dispatch I expressed my repugnance at the appointment of Tony Abbott as a special envoy to Aboriginal Australia.
I sometime despair at the hypocrites getting away with it. Talk about Dracula in charge of the Blood Bank!
‘Stop the Boats’ Tony Abbott ….Bob Marley: Can’t take your slogans no more……. No more sweet talk from the hypocrites…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6C3vX4cSg
Tony Abbott the Judas of Australian Conservative politics.
So every now and then the hypocrites are called out and my despair evaporates in a brief flash of schadenfreude.
This article appeared in the online Alice Springs News
| http://www.alicespringsnews.com.au |
Tony Abbott sent packing on his first Aboriginal envoy trip
Former Prime Minister turned special envoy to Aboriginal Australia was forced out of Borroloola this week after facing heated criticism from parents, educators and elders during his first visit to the community in his new role, according to a media release from the community.
It says it was angered “by Abbott’s hypocrisy, cutting millions from community based services while Indigenous Affairs Minister, and his vision for assimilation through education and punitive policies linking attendance rates to welfare payments.
“Parents, elders and school council members challenged Abbott over his comments that Aboriginal children should not only speak English first, but think in English too, and attempts to force failed direct instruction policies on the school.”
Gadrian Hoosan, a parent and school council member quoted in the release, told Mr Abbott he was not welcome in the community since intervention policies ripped out community funding leaving residents worse off, while denying much needed new housing and basic services.
“He looked like he couldn’t wait to get out of there when we all started bailing up on him.
“He picked the wrong community to try and bully. We have a strong school here and strong families. He’ll be having nightmares tonight. We told him we don’t want him as our envoy.”
STOP THE HYPOCRITES!
Chau,
Frank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEjNggZsWow
Enjoy!