Personalities

EDDIE MABO

Indigenous personalities can be studied including Eddie Mabo, who became a

personal friend of Reynolds. The history and considerable material
surrounding the Mabo and Wik decisions are events that can be addressed
here from the political silencing, activism and ultimate High Court challenges
that are referenced and form significant contextual material for this text.
The film text Mabo may be useful as related material (not a related text) that
can not only substantiate the material in Reynolds text but as a text in its
own right examines the power of the individual to take political responsibility
and enforce change social, political and moral contributing to Australias
history.

Who is Mabo?

Edward Koiki Mabo was born on Mer (Murray) Island in 1936, and was adopted
by his uncle, Benny Mabo shortly following his mother's death. Eddie was
exiled from the Island when he was 16, and worked across northern
Queensland and the Torres Strait before settling in Townsville with his young
family in 1962. Here he was elected president of Yumba Meta, an association
purchasing homes in Townsville using Commonwealth funds, and established
Australia's first black community school in Australia, in 1973.

Significance to the Module: Representing

People and Politics

In 1982 Eddie Mabo and four other Islanders initiated legal action claiming
customary ownership of their lands on Murray Island, but Justice Martin
Moynihan didn't deliver his findings until 1990. He was highly critical of Mabo,
and his claim to land on Murray Island was rejected. Rather than appeal,
Mabo decided to proceed with the hearings before a full bench of the High
Court. Proceedings concluded in 1991, but before the Court's findings (over
turning terra nullius) were delivered in 1992, Eddie had fallen ill and died.
Following the desecration of Mabo's grave in 1995, his body was re-interred on
Murray Island. On the night of his burial, islanders performed the sacred Malo
dance in honour of Koiki Mabo.

The Mabo Case

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/videos/?play=messagestick_2012_ep19.mp4

Other Personalities

The Pastoralists (Stakeholders)

National Part Leader, Time Fischer

John Howard

Pauline Hanson

All opposed the Mabo case decision, rather they were lobbying for the termination of
land rights in areas involving pastoral leases.

The doctrine of terra nullius (land belonging to nonone) means the Australian
government legally owned the land. If the indigenous people wanted access to their
tribal and spiritual land they needed to lease it from the government. It was more
profitable to lease the land to farmers.

The Black Armband Debate 1996 and 1997: Different Perspectives

I profoundly reject the black armband view of Australian history. I believe the
balance sheet of Australian history is a very generous and benign one. I believe
that, like any other nation, we have black marks upon our history but amongst
the nations of the world we have a remarkably positive history. I think there is a
yearning in the Australian community right across the political divide for its
leader to enunciate more pride and sense of achievement in what has gone
before us. I think we have been too apologetic about our history in the past. I
believe it is tremendously important, particularly as we approach the centenary
of the Federation of Australia, that the Australia achievement has been a heroic
one, a courageous one and a humanitarian one.(42)

Prime Minister John Howard, October 30 1996.