Labor plays wedge politics

News reports that Kevin Rudd's Media Adviser encouraged aboriginals to turn their backs on the Leader of the Opposition.

Listen to Neil Mitchell's comment below:

http://www.mytalk.com.au/aspx/pages/mediaplayer.aspx?t=audio&w=6704

Sorry times in Canberra ...

All this talk of saying Sorry made for an interesting visit to our National Capital.

Our new PM says there's a groundswell of support for an apology but do mainstream Australians share his view that our failure to say sorry is "a blight on this nation's soul"?

About 300 people gathered on the lawn outside our National Parliament the day before the national apology.

Below are some interesting photos - suggesting that far from an apology being an "end to division" it will merely be a new beginning.


Of course 'our' ABC was out in force to send us their version of events

but this rally wasn't quite what it seemed

most who attended seemed more likely to have come from near rather than far - leafy inner suburbs and uni campuses perhaps

Memo to Mr Rudd: Those that 'converged' didn't seem to think that saying sorry would be quite enough - they had a few other things on their minds

Compensation was pretty high on the agenda

Also calls to stop the emergency intervention in the Northern Territory

Lots of calls to stop that 'racist intervention'.

Often from people I suspect had never visited the hell-holes in the NT where women and aboriginal kids were beaten, raped and abused before John Howard and Mal Brough sent help last year.

Some supported Lex Wotton, charged with leading the riots on Palm Island when the watch house and court burnt to ground in 2004.

Some spoke of genocide and the evils of white Australians

Some talked of land rights (but conveniently overlooked the very human rights of a 10 year old rape victim in Arukun)

Socialist Alliance was there, drumming up a lot of business

and GetUp of course - promoting their new 'fact' sheets - to dispel a few myths: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaySorry&id=284

and quite a few marxists - "Marxism 2008" should be a great event!

It looked more and more like a Socialist Left/Green Left Weekly/Labor Left demo the longer it went on.

It was certainly a happy recruiting ground with so many 'progressive' people speaking on behalf of aboriginal people.

And while innocent Aboriginal kids who need saving in the Northern Territory didn't get a mention - it's nice to see the planet will be saved.

and while case workers are too scared to remove 'at-risk' aboriginal children in case they're accused of stealing them ...

those speaking on the children's behalf are at least focussing on important issues. Free the Cuban Five!

And let's face it ... what's a good left wing, chardonnay protest without ...

a bit of justice for poor old David?

and the MUA?

and a pro-peace, anti-AFP, end-the-terror travelling bus?

and some complete dickhead who (of course) blames George Bush! "Wanted Dead" - how those on the left so love to hate!

It's sad, but Labor's national apology will divide Australia in the same way Mr Keating did. And the real sorry and damaging part is that more aboriginal children will be bashed, raped, abused and killed because no one will dare save them by 'stealing' them away.