Actions speak louder

ALL very well for Minister Guy Barnett to recognise the traditional owners’ contribution to wars that were not instigated by them (“Honour legacy of our First People ,” Talking Point, November 11).

If they had been properly informed about the causes behind these wars they would have had every right to resist fighting for the country that had stolen their land. The minister might do well to recognise the Black War initiated by the then governor sanctioned by London in the early 1800 s to round up people and send them to Flinders Island so the colony could pros per without resistance from the occupiers of the last 40,000 years. How about concentrating his historic efforts on the first 50 years of occupation and nominate some original owners for bravery during a nun winnable battle. How about Mr Barnett eye ball the Franklin Square bronze statues that boned out the Indigenous people from Oyster Cove. How about he recognise places like ku nanyi/ Mt Wellington would have been far more significant to the original owners than cable car developers backed by his government.

How about he recognise T rug a ni ni could not swim today from Bruny Island to mainland Tasmania without choking in greens lime. How about he stand up to his colleagues and condemn logging ancient forests that our original owners protected. How about Minister Barnett recognise Robbins Island was a meeting place for tribes visiting the Tar kine and not have it destroyed with 167 of the world’ s highest wind turbine sand a 1.4 km bridge. How about banning destruction of Aboriginal heritage. And Minister Barnett, before you sign off on behalf of the original Tasmanians and us new bi es to submit to become the battery of the nation, stop and think. Your spin is slip ping through to the keeper.—Paul Blizzard, B lack mans Bay