Of course they should!
ABORIGINAL children should be forced to learn English so they can escape lives of poverty on remote and economically unviable communities.
Where have we gone wrong that an MP has to make this more than obvious statement?
Years ago I was lamenting the lack of english in Indigenous communities. My observations from my LTD04 Tour of Arnhem Land include;
….It doesn’t seem to include education. I was told that the heir apparent to Galarrwuy’s Principality has English as his third language. Impressive on the face of it but there is little value in being fluent in two aborigine dialects when neither are useful outside Arnhem Land.And later, talking about some kids I’d met;
They discover biscuits and in the time honoured tradition of kids everywhere in the world, ask for some. I happily oblige but my lasting memory of the camp is that they didn’t have a word of English other than a fractured “biscuit?’Of course they need to learn english but not everyone agrees that language is a priority – Professor O’Donoghue, co-patron of the Stolen Generation Alliance and head of the former indigenous administrative body ATSIC, lambasted Mr Howard’s attitude to the stolen generations. The good professor claimed she was part of the Stolen Generations until it was proven she wasn’t and she is still confused. Forget about an apology for a crime that didn’t exist and concentrate on something practical to help our indigenous brothers and sisters out of the problems. Being able to speak, read and write english would be a good start.
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Kev
Incredible that this isnt obvious to all.
What tour was this?
We did a 4WD trip and when at the Daley Pub in the NT, in answer to the question “What are you blokes doing” I answered Looking’, Talkin’ and Drinkin’ so we dubbed the trip the LTD04 Tour. We do it often…you might like to do likewise and see Aus. There’s some great people out there in the outback and Centre.
Oh, and follow the link for the story or go to the top and click on ‘Travel’
Kev
We are thinking of doing the same.
Hiring a winnebago and spending two months on the road.
Pondering a route now.