Thanks. Arthur Bell.

BRISBANE BLACKS, CLEAN UP YOUR OWN BACK YARD!

” Unfinished Business in Brisbane ”

A major problem and impediment to progress is the Black Bureaucracy. That layer of people between us and the Government (read money) the middleman (or woman) Mainly Administration and Management of Aboriginal and Islander and associated organizations. i.e. Legal Services, Health Services, Hostels, Youth Services, Education etc, their Supporters in the Public Services, including the mainly Black, One-Eyed Academics.This is why people like Michael Long and others feel the need to Communicate Directly with heads of Government. To Circumnavigate These People. It is the Failure of These People that led directly to the Loss of A.T.S.I.C. There is Absolutely No Doubt! about this. The Accumulation of Blatant Maladministration, Mismanagement and Gross Incompetence in A&I Organisations in Brisbane for instance, led to the Loss of Musgrave Park Aboriginal Corporation (M.P.A.C), a major service provider that was responsible for two A&I hostels in Brisbane. As well as being a day and drop-in center for many A&I and non Indigenous homeless and street people. EVERYONE !!!! in South Brisbane including Non-Indigenous Locals, The Police, the A&I Community, the People that Accept and Accepted the mantle of Community Leaders and Spokespersons and so called Role Models, Was Aware of the Ongoing Maladministration, Mismanagement and Corruption including drug-dealing, Associated With This Organisation, And for years! Yet, NOT ONE !!!! was prepared to say or do anything about it! Many were on the board of M.P.A.C. at various times. A lot of these people are, Still on the Boards of, Running, and Employed in, A&I organisations in Brisbane and Handling 100s of Thousands of Dollars! Everyone Knows Who They Are, and it is No Secret. Inquire of these issues to the so called, Local Leaders and Spokespersons, and they will declare, that they are, Blind and Deaf. This is the reason for the Deafening Silence on the Demise of A.T.S.I.C. Accountability Thrown Out The Door! Yet, With Employment and Funding Secure. It was the same with the dismantling of the Aboriginal Development Corporation (A.D.C.) Much properties and infrastructures, unknown to the general public or discussed, was passed on privately, and to Boards of Organisations. Much was lost! Including monies advanced to staff and management, and unsecured loans. Many people were (a lot still around) Let Off the Hook! And now it looks the same with A.T.S.I.C. Many have been around for to long. The Old Guard a lot of them. Still clinging to their past achievements. A lot done a lot of good. But now it is time for them to Move On. They certainly have No Answers to the Problems in this Country. It is Extremely Doubtful, if they even know what the Problems Are! And some even, Responsible For Them. This is why in the main, A&I people including street -people and the paint sniffers, have No Respect for Them and their, Oppressive, Tunnel-Visioned, One Dimensional, Agendas, and A&I Organisations and Services in general. ( alb.c, 6/03 )

(A comment to Richard Downs today 21/10/09. A.L.B.)

...] Branding the blacks – a “community of thieves” and the tyranny of … [...

Transparency and Disclosure in the Affairs and Dealings including financial, of All Aboriginal and Islander Organisations and Services, must be made Compulsory. As entities that Receive Public Monies, In the Cause of, and In the Name of, The Advancement and Betterment of the Aboriginal and Islander People of Australia. For instance, A&I Organisation AGMs, that No-one knows about! Closed meetings where the same people keep getting elected all the time! And the staff that have been there for Years! Many, not necessarily suited to, or suitable for the positions! And, Definitely Not Experts in Their Field!!!! as they are wrongly accepted as, or stated to be. An insult to people that studied and done it hard for years to obtain knowledge and qualifications in their Chosen Field!!!! What Managers of Organisations are, on the Board of Others? What of the issue of, Conflict of Interest? It is very difficult to obtain any information from Government funding bodies, Indigenous PSs and Administration and Management of A&I Organisations and Services re funding issues, who was at meetings, who’s the board members, or, the general state of affairs. Information that any Responsible Member of the Indigenous Community, Should Be Entitled To. Lack of Openness and Disclosure has no doubt assisted the Loss of A&I Organisations Services and Property In The Past. The ‘Us and Them’ mentality and attitude is Prevalent. We must Avoid, Administrators being appointed, De-funding of A&I Organisations and the Further Losses of Valuable A&I Property and Services. And Address the Blatant, Maladministration Mismanagement and Incompetence that is a Major and Ongoing Problem in many A&I Organisations and Associated Services in inner City Brisbane for Many Years. Lack of Accountability has Assisted this. Aboriginal and Islander People of Australia are not only Way behind Everyone else in Australia In Every Area, Health , Employment, Education, Socially, but we are actually going backwards! According to the People that speak for us in the Media. Many employed in these Financially Secure Areas for many years and must accept some responsibility. As Elders, Leaders and Spokespeople, We must, not only Confront and Deal with These Issues, But Accept Some Responsibility For Them. No-one is entirely Blameless… to be continued. ( alb. c. 6/06 unedited )

Lies, Dammed Lies and Statistics !!!! A good title????
What about, No Problem Solved !!!! ???? think i’ll use both !!!!

A lot of false claimants were, and were not, paid. There is, Absolutely No Doubt about this !!!! You won’t hear about this from A.N.T.A.Rs associates though !!!! They don’t want to, Hear or, Know, About This !!!! Numbers is all they want. And they don’t care how they get them !!!! How many claimants done the same after the 74 floods? A few went to jail with some outrageous claims !!!! One famous ( and true ) story involved a prominent Murri claiming $35,000 for a stud bull !!!! ( he ended up in jail! ) All this stuff is, Public Knowledge !!!!
Including the Major Fraud perpetrated from within the Commonwealth Bank in 2000 by Many, Mostly, Murris !!!! Including, Administration, Management and Staff, of Numerous A&I Organisations, in inner city Brisbane !!!! All submitting, False and Misleading Information, to secure the $3,000 that was being Offered and Arranged, by a Corrupt Bank Employee !!!! She received $300 ( under the table ) for every application that she processed and gained approval for !!!! And there were Hundreds !!!! You won’t hear the local Leaders and Spokespeople mention this though !!!! or the Crime and Misconduct Commission!!!! ( C.M.C. ) The Blind and Deaf !?!? This is the major damage. Getting money out of the government ( or white fella ) is perceived to be, taking money ( or resources ) away from the enemy !!!! And as they say, ” All’s Fair in Love and War !!!! People play on this sentiment and inherited attitude. (A.V.I.) These people that deliver financial outcomes see themselves and are perceived to be Leaders and even Heroes taking it up to the enemy !!!! And sharing the spoils !!!! But not all the time !!!! (the money!)

It is impossible for anyone to move on or anywhere. With all the benefits, including financial, on offer these days for putting one’s hand up as a victim !!!! Any, or even, All Categories !!!! Money Money Money !!!! And much more still to come !!!! Quote First Contact News, sept. 04 edition. “Old wise man say you keep giving me drink of water I go nowhere. You keep giving me chow I definitely go nowhere. I am Contented!” unquote. Is this relevant? Certified Victims are Popular and Welcome People !!!! Assured Income. Probably in the, Money to Come Category, Knows where to get all the free tucker and food vouchers. All the free meals and clothes. The Coffee Lady. Who’s likely to be Sympathetic ( with a good story ) to Assist with phone, gas and electricity bills, Who’s Not. Even the Hare Krishna. And can legitimately claim to be Homeless! ( doesn’t own a house! ) It’s a Good Lurk and a Good Life !!!! Chad Morgan devoted a song to it !!!! Why Move On !?!? This truly is, The Lucky Country !!!! and we Australians, truly are, The Lucky People !!!!

The Agenda is pursued, not by The People, but mainly, by a hand-full of misguided moral postures. Including, Aboriginal advisers. Offering no more than eternal victim hood where they can continue to deliver some limited outcomes ( financial, with no problems solved ) to continue and to maintain their personal profile and lifestyle !!!! Promoting the (publics) view of Aboriginal Hypocrites that take money (under the table?) from the people that they criticize and condemn, even on the world stage. All mainly very fair skinned people, that would have had a lot more opportunity and would not have lived under remote communities conditions. **And if they did, would have been candidates to be removed for their own protection. This is where many racists reside! Not the White- Fella! the Yella- Fella! He does all the talking for his Full-Blood Brother !!!! And he don’t even like him !!!! cause he’s, Tooooo Blaaaaak !!!! A case of , You Can’t Choose Your Relations !?!? Check out All the prominent and successful, Aboriginal Leaders, Spokespeople, Academics, Public Servants on the scale of ‘ If you’re White you’re Right If you’re Brown hang round If you’re Black get back! Is this Color Prejudice???? A lot operate ( and receive money ) under the banner of Reconciliation or Christianity, quote Martin Luther King, but pursue Alabama’s George Wallace’s, ‘Segregation now Segregation Tomorrow Segregation Forever’

**This no reflection on the Character, Good Intention and Dedication of these people. But it was a fact that the mothers of fair skinned offspring were in a lot of instances if not ostracized, derided and condemned for their liaison with a white man
( Shaaame! ) The child was an embarresment. And as a consequence suffered through negligence. And was abused and fair game. Especially females. And as Slim Dusty said, It was a relief to all, when he left town! In a sense. ( alb c. 06 unedited )

I am a full-blood Torres Strait Islander and very proud of my race. I left Thursday Island many years ago and I lived in Cairns for a few years before moving to Darwin. About four years ago my two daughters and I moved to Singleton, New South Wales. It has been quite a learning experience for my children and I. Since being here I have seen a lot of division amongst our indigenous race, which is sad. We all need to work together as the two indigenous races of Australia to better ourselves as people and to help our young ones. I have found that not only is there division in the two races, but that there is division in the Aboriginal organisations in different towns. For example, in our small town, the three Aboriginal organisations ( that I know of ) don’t all get on. We need to put aside all our differences and greediness and work together to better ourselves as the two important races of this Country. Being negative to one another is not good at all. It’s like we have to put up with racism, ignorance and put-downs from our white brothers and sisters and the division from our own Indigenous race. I’m sure that if we as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people walk together, we can show the world that we are the fair dinkum, true blue Aussies. Yvonne Dunn. Singleton, N.S.W. ( A frustrated Indigenous woman )….