It appears we still have

It appears we still have a lot of work to do to help our fellow Aussies, the Aborigines, to come out of the Stone Age. Telstra, only eight weeks away from connecting Mornington Island to high speed computer access, have had to stop work while The Carpentaria Land Council are demanding more than $300 a day for cultural monitors. Yep, thats what it says ‘cultural monitors’ What the hell are cultural monitors? Luddites with the role of keeping these poor bastards in the Stone Age. $300 a day is stuff-all but the principle is huge. Whoever thought of the cultural monitor scam needs to be locked in an outback dunney with a big angry red roo. I know kids are going to play computer games when the link finally over-rides ‘cultural issues’ but maybe, just maybe, someone will access the internet, the greatest library since Alexander’s time, in the search of knowledge. For foreign readers, Mornington Island is as remote a location as you might see anywhere in the western world and the thought that they were about to get internet access was great until cultural tom-foolery came to the fore. Bourke Shire councilers are furious and flying to Brisbane to confront the State Government about ‘cultural issues’. The person who had handled the issue for the Carpentaria Land Council was ‘on leave’ and no-one else was prepared to comment. Independant Federal MP, Bob Katter, who should know, says the issue is all about deciding which Aboriginal group/tribe had rights to which area. They are also fighting among themselves over who belongs to which tribe. Bob puts a kind spin on it but I think the fight is over who belong to whom and which tribe stands to get the best ‘sit down’ money. Mining companies with associated jobs and income for Aborigies are falling over themselves to leave the area for politically stable new sites and I don’t blame them. Poor fella my country indeed. Update: Dave, a reader, comments $300 per diem may be stuff all but not when paid to every local tribesman This article underlines the problem and makes further mockery of ‘cultural issues’. Can we do something to stop this…..NOW!