Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Hansard source

The whole of Australia is intrigued by parliament and government. When I walk into a pub, they say, 'Who's driving the bus?' As best I can, I try to give an honest answer—which is not characteristic of politicians, I suppose!—and I say, 'Well, nobody.'

We have some 100,000 people living in the community areas of Australia. These are fair dinkum blackfellas, not make-believe blackfellas like me, who get a bit dark and run around claiming that they're blackfellas. They are fair dinkum. They speak language. They live out there in communities that were once mission stations run by the much-maligned missionaries. If it wasn't for them, my race of people would have been wiped out. I know because my parents were pioneers. They go back 150 years in Kalkadoon territory, and the Kalkadoon held the whitefellas at bay for 60 years. How about that? They stood up against the invader and held them at bay for 60 years. Now, these people have a life expectancy of 56, and no-one in this place could give a damn.

I have not seen one single act by successive governments to do anything to help these people other than have inquiries and write reports. I got agreement on market gardens off the last Prime Minister 4½ years ago. They did a series of reports, and they had to consult with tribal elders. They couldn't find tribal elders in most cases, but, when they did, it just went on and on and on. We had to protect their cultural identity and we had to protect the environment, and, in the meantime, people were dying.

I come here today to praise the heroes. A bloke called John McCracken was transferred out to Doomadgee on some job, and he said: 'Mate, given the cost of fruit and vegetables here, I'm going to starve to death. Why don't we put a market garden in?' One of the great leaders, in my opinion, Troy Fraser, ran the rugby league at Doomadgee. We had to travel 1,800 kilometres, and we played Hughenden. I was president of the rugby league in those days. Troy could get a team together and get them training. I know that people have a view of them all lying around doing nothing and being drunks. Well, they're lying around doing nothing because they can't do anything, because, if you drink, you can't get a blue card and you can't own any land. So there's no private enterprise in any communities, because they can't own private land. The only jobs available are government jobs, but, because you had a few beers, you can't get a blue card. My son goes on and on about it. But nobody listens to us.

Now, John McKracken— (Time expired)

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