What Do Aborigines Think
'Letters to the Editor'
The Weekend Australian, 27-28/11/1993
From Part 1 of 'The High Court In Mabo ' by LJM Cooray (1995)

Arnold Franks, Aboriginal Elder and Lawman, Leinster, WA
As an Aborigine who has lived in the Kalgoorlie electorate all my life, I support Graeme Campbell on the Mabo issue. He has been the only member of the Federal Government who has taken time to get the views of his Aboriginal elders and prepared to put those views.

He knows we don't want Mabo and he is supporting Richard Court's plan because that's what we traditional Aboriginal people in his electorate want.

Next federal election, those Labor Senators who are supposed to represent us won't get our support. They are standing by when the only Federal Labor Member who knows what is going on in Aboriginal affairs is crucified for representing us as we want him to.

Don't Listen To Aboriginal Industry — Aubrey Lynch,JP, Kalgoorlie, WA
Graeme Campbell is right when he says that the Federal Government has only listened to the Aboriginal industry which is full of white advisers, anthropologists and apologists who get more of the money than the Aboriginal people it was intended for. The large bulk of people throughout Western Australia prefer the option put by the State Government.

I have been a member of the State Government's Social Justice Committee for some months along with several other respected Aboriginal people.

We have had the opportunity to speak directly to the Premier on no less than three occasions and I can tell you that he is genuinely concerned about the current state of affairs with Aboriginal people, and absolutely determined to fix it.

On the other hand, the Federal Government has refused to even listen to the member of parliament who knows more about what Aboriginal people throughout Western Australia want — Graeme Campbell.

In fact, it appears they will expel him from the party because he choses to represent our views instead of toeing the policy line agreed in Canberra.

Graeme holds the respect of Aboriginal people, while those who advise Keating on Aboriginal issues are despised.

Unfortunately, the only Aboriginal views you read in the paper are put by people in the Aboriginal industry like Robert Riley. If Robert Riley concentrated on delivering legal services instead of playing politics, maybe Aboriginal people in the country could get legal representation, instead of being told there isn't any money.