Erica Jolly
Erica Jolly
Here is one of the bases of Australian 'values'
one of the multiple choices that needs to be ticked
to prove worthiness, worthiness to belong here.
To belong, a citizen of this nation must be willing
to suspend the Racial Discrimination Act -
to separate black from white for their 'good'.
Must be part of white Australia denying them
access to welfare payments 'quarantined'
a term used for animals and disease
quarantined by well-paid, white officials
given two days' training in 'cultural awareness'
to decide what they will get if they fail their tests
tests, with no sixty percent pass or even
multiple choice - and no home schooling -
if children are away from the designated school.
Prospective citizens must decide to tick the box
for Judaic-Christian culture - that culture where
money-lenders plied their trade in the temple
that culture whose adherents chose to worship
the golden calf rather than 'Thou shalt not kill'
and certainly not 'Love thy neighbour as thyself.'
Fiona Foley
Black Opium, 2006, by Fiona Foley Click here for EASA Conference Program
Lindy Warrell Lindy Warrell
This poem was written in July, 2007. It was born of rage at the exploitation of suffering for political gain implicit in the Australian Government’s original intention to undertake mandatory physical examinations of the Northern Territory’s children – Aboriginal children - for evidence of sexual abuse.
Dr Lindy Warrell is a retired anthropologist, now writer, who worked for many years until 2003 with Aboriginal people on lands and in communities in the north of South Australia, Queensland and especially in the Northern Territory.
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