eddie mabo speech transcript

That permission was denied. There was something of destiny in the air. About 800 kilometers north of Cairns sits the small remote community of Mer (Murray) Island in the crystal blue waters of the Torres Strait. You Murray Islanders have won that court case. The practical effects of Mabo have, indeed, been mixed, judging by figures from the Koori Mail, a national indigenous-owned newspaper. In 2008, a library at James Cook University was named after him. To make agreements. For the love of his family and tradition, he fights for his land on Murray Island. At: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/social_justice_native_title_report_2013.pdf (viewed 5 June 2015), [5] T Calma, Native Title Report 2008, Australian Human Rights Commission (2009), p 46. What is this Eddie Mabo Biography Worksheet? They ruled that the Mabo decision in no way challenges the legality of non-Aboriginal land tenure. Other forms of recognition have been added. Three bound volumes regarding the determination of a reference from the High Court of Australia of the factual issues raised in the action by Eddie Mabo and others - prepared by Justice Moynihan. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.. [10] UN Development Programme, Human Development Index, UN Human Development Report, p237. I have been honoured in the last six weeks by being asked to deliver both the Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture here today and the Rob Riley Memorial Lecture on Friday the 8 th of May in Perth. Judged by any civilised standard, such a law is unjust ". Mabo said was that it is my fathers & grandfather's, grandmother's land, I am related to it, it is my identity. Born on 29 June 1936 in his village of Las on the island of Mer in the Torres Strait, Eddie Koiki Mabo was the fourth child of Robert Zesou Sambo and Poipe (Sambo) Mabo. Across language itself. Birthdays, anniversaries, sports events and special schools days were missed. Can I also acknowledge all you here today who have come together to work out how we can access our land, seas and waters easier and quicker, but who have also come to talk to each other about how we can make better use of our estates to make life a little better for the rest of our mob out there. It commemoratesEdward (Eddie) Koiki Mabo (1936-1992), a Torres Strait Islander whose campaign for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land rights led to a landmark decision in the High Court of Australia on 3rd June 1992 that overturned the legal fiction of terra nullius, which had characterised Australian law with respect to land and title since the voyage of Captain James Cook in 1770. Two generations talk about the impact of the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo Decision . Bonita 'Netta' Mabo: Eddie's wife and is a resourceful, supportive and loving woman. I honour your Elders that have come before you, those that are here today and I wait in optimistic anticipation for those Elders who are yet to emerge. 1h 43m. Justice Blackburn ruled Australia was indeed a "settled colony", that this was"desert and uncultivated". With support from legal experts, Mabo, along with fellow plaintiffs and Murray Islanders Reverend David Passi, Celuia Mapoo Salee, Sam Passi and James Rice, brought a case against the Queensland Government in the High Court. eddie began his Journey on changing the rights by Making a speech at a land rights conference at the James Cook University his speech explained the traditional land owners and the inheritance system that . Read about our approach to external linking. I was there as a young associate working for a judge, and saw the jubilation and relief of . Mabo gained an education, became an activist for black rights and worked with his community to make sure Aboriginal children had their own schools. [9] UN Development Programme, Human Development Index, UN Human Development Report. I was no lawyerbut I knew I sensed this was different. When voices within democracies silenced and marginalised are demanding to be heard, we are bringing oursand challenging our democracy to examine itself and for our constitution to be seeded in the first footprints, not just the first settlers. These are the traditional lands and waters of the Meriam people, and the final resting place of Eddie Mabo in Las Village. As a nation, this is an improvement from fourth position just over ten years ago in 2003.[10]. The new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, says there will be a referendum to enshrine a voice an Indigenous representative body in the Australian constitution. Edward Koiki Mabo ( n Sambo; 29 June 1936 - 21 January 1992) was an Indigenous Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights in Australia, in particular the landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that recognised that indigenous rights to land had continued after the British the belief that Australia and its islands belonged to no-one when claimed by the British in 1770) in a landmark court . Sign up for free to create engaging, inspiring, and converting videos with Powtoon. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this site may contain names, images or voices of people who have passed away. On Monday, he laid a wreath on Mr Mabo's grave on Mer Island. But 20 years after the judgement, there's still a debate among constitutionalists, lawyers and politicians about the legacy of Mabo. It was suggested that we, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, needed to think outside of the box when it comes to this issue. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty., "This is the torment of our powerlessness.". The words are carefully chosen to sit alongside each other withjust the right length and the right tone, each one setting up the other and chosen for both meaning and music. Mabo: Life of an Island Man is a 1997 Australian documentary film on the life of Indigenous Australian land rights campaigner Eddie Koiki Mabo.. By continuing to use this site, you are giving us consent to do this. Up to April 2010, 84 native title cases had been dealt with by the courts, and 854,000 sq km (330,000 sq miles) is now covered by native title determinations. I have heard it at dawn as the earth crackles, the river waters run, and the animals stir as the Sun peers above the hills and the light strikes the trees on my beloved Wiradjuri country. Husband, father, grandfather, mate, advocate, achiever, Principal and mentor. De Rose Hill is a landmark case because it represents a significant moment in time in the native title space. Without this foundation, there would be no opportunity for us to access these rights through this unique form of land tenure. Elders saythe wateris now a battleground. I want to give two words from my people, Wiradjuri. Indigenous Education and Research Centre I'd also like to thank AIATSIS for the invitation to speak today and in doing that can I congratulate you Russell on receiving your recent Member of the Order of Australia award. This is an edited extract of the 2022 Mabo Lecture, delivered by Stan Grant on June 3, 2022, to commemorate 30 years since the Mabo decision. Words speak across tongues. The issue of compensation for unfinished business was another key theme of the Roundtable. You can find it still, somewhere buried in the archives of ABC News. But without warriors such as Eddie, David and James, Rob and countless others, we would not be in the position regarding Indigenous land tenure that we are in today. I think much of the dialogue on this issue in Australia has revolved around how to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from development as opposed to how to realize our rights to development and the associated benefits that come with it. I like how the words create a rhythm. Watch all your favourite ABC programs on ABC iview. In particular, this was raised as a way that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities might be able to leverage finances in order to support economic development opportunities and to improve the capacity of our mobs to best manage these prospects in the future. 3. Business development support and succession planning. Only land such as vacant crown land, national parks and some leased land, can be subject to claims by the Aboriginal owners. The victory was largely down to one indigenous man called Eddie Mabo. Eddie Mabo's dream had come true; a meeting of minds to address the issue of Aboriginal land . Tenacity, fearlessness, fearsome, tireless are some of the words that come to mind when the names Rob Riley and Eddie Mabo are mentioned. The fall of the golden house of is but not the end. It remains a collection of canvas and tin, but it has grown in those years since a handful of young Aboriginal activists planted a beach umbrella and wrote the word Embassy on a manila folder, to shake a fist at the power on the hill. Australia owes you a great debt. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. In 1981, Eddie Mabo made a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he explained his people's beliefs about the ownership and inheritance of land on Mer. He told them of his dream of ending his days on Murray Island, on the ancestral land that had been handed down through his family for 15 generations. The conference, 'Land Rights and the Future of Australian Race Relations', was sponsored by the Townsville Treaty Committee and the James Cook University's Student Union. Eddie Mabo at James Cook University, early 1980s Series 8. Ten years later, he conceded his fears were unfounded. What did Eddie Mabo say in his speech? How might this case shatter the myth of terra nullius? In acknowledging the traditional rights of the Meriam people to their land, the court also held that native title existed for all Indigenous people. These things range from various legal and administrative barriers that are placed on us once a native title determination has been made and includes various tax and regulatory standards placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the post determination phase, conflicts between individual and communal property interests and issues arising from the conversion of title. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died. Eddie Koiki Sambo was born on June 29, 1936 on the Torres Strait island of Mer, also known as Murray Island. But despite the success of the '67 campaign, in 1972 Eddie Mabo still had to get permission from the Queensland authorities to visit his dying father on Mer Island. A decade later, I was a young reporter still in my early 20s, finding my way into the foreign world of journalism when I saw a listing for a case at the High Court. My predecessor Dr Tom Calma explained the impact of never implementing a social justice package in 2008: this abyss is one of the underlying reasons why the native title system is under the strain it is under today[5]. A Yolngu word meaning to come together after a struggle. The preamble to the Native Title Act makes it clear that the objectives of the legislation are to: rectify the consequences of past injustices by the special measures contained in the Act to ensure that Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders receive the full recognition and status within the Australian nation to which history, their prior rights and interests, and their rich and diverse culture, fully entitle them to aspire.[11]. Overwhelmingly, what participants told us at the Roundtable was that whilst there had been an expansion of the Indigenous estate since the commencement of the Native Title Act that it largely has not delivered sustainable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Eddie Mabo was a great hero to the Australian people. Eddie Koiki Mabo was an advocate of the 1967 Referendum, fighting for equal rights including education. Eddie Koiki Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander, known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights and for the landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that overturned the legal doctrine of terra nullius ('land belonging to nothing, no one') which characterised Australian law with regards to land and title. He was right. In a snapshot. (Transcript), 2014 Presentation byMs Shannan Dodson, Digital Campaign Manager, Recognise Australia. - Behind the News Behind the News 133K subscribers Subscribe 483 106K views 3 years ago Mabo Day on June 3rd, celebrates. Love, suffering, hope, justice and truth Eddie Mabo knew about love too. His mother passed away shortly after his birth and he was adopted by his Uncle Benny and Aunty Maigo Mabo in line with Islander custom. In 1959, he moved to mainland Queensland, working on pearling vessels and as a labourer. [12] Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." Nor did the judges intend that it should. Transcript. I am sure that these issues will resonate with many of you here today. Yindyamarra is respect: It is quiet, it is humble. This activity encourages children to write down their knowledge in a structured report . We go on, he said, ever, ever, ever on. Text 1936 The "fallacy" that Perkins speaks of is the concept of Terra Nullius, land belonging to no-one. In one, the presiding judge said the mere introduction of British law did not extinguish Aboriginal customary law. "The rights he won in the High Court have been eroded away by government, courts and socio-economic pressure.". Eddie Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander activist. JCU websites use cookies to enhance user experience, analyse site usage, and assist with outreach and enrolment. It's the anniversary of a court decision that recognized for . Bryan Keon-Cohen was one of Eddie Mabo's barristers, and he gave a speech at Mabo's funderal in Townsville in Feb 1992 - he said: 'I confine myself here . We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging. A world turning. It goes on to mention the yet unfulfilled nature of redress through a social justice package that I alluded to earlier: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been progressively dispossessed of their lands. Mr Mabo died in 1992 just months before his 10-year legal battle for native title rights proved successful. Two words showed something was wrong with the system, After centuries of Murdaugh rule in the Deep South, the family's power ends with a life sentence for murder, Flooding in southern Malaysia forces 40,000 people to flee homes, When Daniel picked up a dropped box on a busy road, he had no idea it would lead to the 'best present ever', Plans to redevelop 'eyesore' on prime riverside land fall apart as billionaires exit, Labor's pledge for mega koala park in south-west Sydney welcomed by conservation groups, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies aged 61. The assumptions were quite erroneous, of course, but Terra Nullius was set in unshakeable motion and stayed rooted in place for two hundred years, even though Aborigines had been in Australia for at least 40,000 years. He knew about suffering. The earliest papers on the Murray Island land claim are a manuscript and typescript of a speech by Mabo at the Land Rights and Future of Australian Race Relations Conference at James Cook University in 1981. In 1981, Eddie Mabo made a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he explained his people's beliefs about the ownership and inheritance of land on Mer. This is our land. Eddie Mabo wanted to change the law of Terra Nullius and claim the Aboriginal people as the original owners of the land this would change social and political views of the aboriginal people. This often presents internal issues for traditional owner groups about how decisions are made and how benefits will be shared and responsibilities exercised. These barriers all prevent us from using our land to enter into the economy from which we can see ourselves and our communities thrive. Milosz wrote into the horror of the 20th century as he saw war all around him. We are currently not sharing in the developmental prosperity for which Australia is known. It was also a flagrant disregard of Britain's own existing laws, which stated that the Aboriginal people did have title rights over their own land. Eddie Koiki Mabo presents a guest lecture about the Torres Strait Islander community 2,837 views Nov 18, 2020 51 Dislike Share Save JCU Library 451 subscribers This short video is an excerpt. It was during a stint as a gardener at the James Cook University at Townsville in Queensland, that his eyes were opened to the greatest injustice his people had ever been subjected to. On this great day, I, Prime Minister of Australia, speak to you on behalf of the Australian people all those who honour and love this land we live in. For Indigenous peoples around the world, the Declaration has been a means by which they can free themselves from the shackles of colonialism and share equitably in the benefits of development.[8]. And he knew truth. Yet, the first colonialists decided, for commercial reasons, to ignore all that and peddle the view that Aboriginal people were primitive, disorganised, culture-less creatures who deserved no rights over land. And these were the costs borne by the whole family. We all know about the legacy of native title left by Meriam and Murray Islanders Edward Koiki Mabo, David Passi and James Rice. Topics are usually less than 2 minutes long. The High Court is the highest court in Australia's judicial system. In 1994 the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) was established in response to Read More This case, I said thisman Mabo will change Australia. The man who had engineered the historic change of law, never lived to witness it himself. Transcript of proceedings.in the High Court of Australia between Eddie Mabo, David Passi, James Rice.and the State of Queensland Proceedings for 28-31 May 1991, 3 June 1992, and 8 December 1992. But that's just 11% of Australia's land mass. [2] Australian Human Rights Commission, Paper on Indigenous Leaders Roundtable, Property Rights, p4. A while back I read a business management book by an American, Leon C. Megginson. Court cases in the mid-19th century challenged the idea of British settlement at the time the rulings were in favour of the Crown. Mabo tells the story of one of Australia's national heroes - Eddie Koiki Mabo, the Torres Strait Islander man who left school at age 15, yet spearheaded the High Court challenge that overthrew the fiction of terra nullius. Reynolds writes: That was Eddie Mabos gift. Mabo expressed disbelief and shock. Uncle Edward 'Koiki' Mabo was born in 1936, in Las on the island of Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait to 'Robert' Zesou Sambo and 'Annie' Poipe, ne Mabo. Les Malezer, chairman of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, is critical of the native title system for its failure to deliver for indigenous people. This needs to change. Mabo, Edward Koiki (Eddie) (1936-1992) . Aboriginal Australians are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark victory over land rights. From 1973-1983 he established and became director of the Black Community School in Townsville. Born in 1936, he grew up in the village of Las on the north bend of Mer Island. (2010 lecture transcript). We cross rivers and we are changed like the water itself. The Mabo decision was named after Eddie Mabo, the The next generation of native title issues are due to hit us shortly through processes such as litigation regarding ILUAs, variations to determinations and compensation proceedings.[2]. Transcript ID: 3849. The most important revelation arising from Eddie Mabo's claim and the High Court's decision was that an ancient title connected to the traditional occupation of the land by Aboriginal and Islander people had survived the . On 8 December 1988, the High Court ruled this legislation invalid. A fair go in an age of terror: countering the terrorist threat to human rights and the Australian identity, Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Bachelor of Engineering / Science (Honours), Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Bachelor of Nursing Science [Pre-Registration], Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (Honours), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours), Master of Public Health - Global Development, Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying), Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary), Master of Conflict Management & Resolution, Graduate Certificate of Conflict Management & Resolution, Master of International Tourism & Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Business & Environmental Science, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Business Studies, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Engineering and Applied Science, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in General Studies, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Health, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Information Technology, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Science, Diploma of Higher Education, Majoring in Society and Culture, Bachelor of Business & Psychological Science, Bachelor of Sport & Exercise Science - Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) & Information Technology, Get Into University Courses with a Low ATAR. Meriam history and culture were crucial to the success of the Mabo case. "If Koiki Mabo were alive today he would be an angry man," says Malezer. Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. It is a feeling. Make an Impact. He knew about hope and he knew about justice. Whilst the case did little to clarify the legal principles around calculating compensation, it is one example of the positive realization after many years, of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to land and waters within the native title system. In his historic speech at Sydney's Redfern Park, then Prime Minister Paul Keaing said: "By doing away with the bizarre conceit that this continent had no owners prior to the settlement of Europeans, Mabo establishes a fundamental truth and lays the basis for justice." Mabo's credibility as the primary witness for the case was savaged . Han is Korean and it is more than a word. He was, if you like, an Australian Nelson Mandela, someone who led his people in a struggle against incalculable odds, to what was rightfully theirs. On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia ruled in favour of limited native title. He spoke of impermanence: He knew things did not last and yet we do. He was a Meriam man and grew up on Mer, part of the Murray Island Group in the Torres Strait. the Aborigines did not give up their lands peacefully; they were killed or removed forcibly from the lands by United Kingdom forces or the European colonists in what amounted to attempted (and in Tasmania almost complete) genocide.". From 1973-1983 he established and became director of the Black Community School in Townsville. Mabo Day occurs annually in Australia on 3rd June. [1] J Altman., (2014) Scullion Peddles pipedream reforms, Journal of Indigenous Policy, At: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/JlIndigP/2014/33.pdf (viewed 5 June 2015). Australian law for two centuries hid the truth behind words. In 1959, he moved to mainland Queensland, working on pearling vessels and as a labourer. Words like the Uluru Statement from the Heart: We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart: Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs.

Wellcare Of South Carolina Timely Filing Limit, Colville Tribe Tero, Articles E

eddie mabo speech transcript