So it is that time of the year, again! The end of May and the Aborigines get one week (A WHOLE WEEK) called “Reconciliation Week” to make the rest of Australia feel guilty about colonisation and racism.
The theme of this week is 'Let’s Take The Next Steps'. I don’t entirely know what that means but my next steps are being performance managed because I’ve had three “complaints” from my “Aboriginal” colleagues all because I asked them how Aboriginal they really are and my HR has made me participate in a whole bunch of events this week. As part of my performance management I’ve had to keep a diary to demonstrate how I’ve changed...
Friday, 26 May - National Sorry Day
Dear Diary,
My department kicked off the week with a morning tea. We learnt that today is “Sorry Day" and this is the anniversary of the Bringing Them Home Report being tabled in parliament.
This year is it’s 20th anniversary which means we have been saying sorry for two decades - talk about not being able to get over it! Also, I thought there was a day already, earlier on in the year, when Kevin Rudd said "sorry"? Wow, so what I'm hearing is there are two days about based around apologising? A bit selfish, if you ask me.
I think it’s a bit rich of the government to apologise on my behalf. , why should I have to apologise?
Source: Instagram
Good spread though.
Saturday, 27 May - Dreamtime at the G and the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum
Dear Diary,
My department got a whole bunch of free tickets to the AFL match. Nothing much to report on. Richmond won. A lot of Aboriginal people around - very unnerving.
It was also the 1967 Referendum anniversary. It’s been 50 years since Australian voted for the Aboriginals. How can this country be racist when this is when we solved racism?
AFL Rd 10 - Richmond v Essendon Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
Sunday, 28 May - Reading about the Uluru Convention
Dear Diary,
Wow. The government put up all these people last week on a tax payers funded holiday to Ayers Rock (or 'Uluru', if you’re PC gone mad) to talk about constitutional recognition. Shocking to hear many Aborigines reject recognition! When I read that I thought finally, something we can all agree on!
Source: NITV
Monday, 29 May - ABC's Q&A
Dear Diary,
Wow. A whole black panel. Lucky Tony Jones was there to bring objectivity to the whole discussion.
Could have been more old white men asking questions, if you ask me. I liked and Stan made me feel warm and fuzzy.
The pretty one was a bit too mouthy for me (a bit of a 'CBC', but ultimately, I’d still fuck her.)
Source: ABC Australia
Tuesday, 30 May - Nothing Special
In the spirit of reconciliation, I bought my Aboriginal colleague a coffee. She insisted on giving me money but I refused; I had a free coffee on my stamp card.
I wonder if this this what Paul Keating felt like in Redfern in 1992 after making that speech?
Source: Yelp
Wednesday, 31 May - State of Origin
Andrew Fifita for PM.
State Of Origin I - QLD v NSW Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
Thursday, 1 June
Hungover
Saturday, 3 June - Mabo Day
Dear Diary,
To honour the spirit of Mabo Day, I re-watched that famous documentary about Bonnie Doon - The Castle.
The Castle has got me thinking that maybe Aboriginals have a point. Maybe what has happened in this country wasn’t fair. Stan’s words on Q&A about how we are all Australians have been ringing in my ears.
Source: Giphy
I guess Aboriginals made me uncomfortable because I thought they were different. But what if we are all the same but just different colours? What if this great country’s second anthem, “We are Australian” is right? “We are one, but we are many.” Maybe I’ve been dividing us on difference, when we should all just be the same.
This week has really made me think.
