I wonder if cartoonist Mark Knight has changed his mind about the “Indigenous Voice” referendum? Knight wanted to show his support for the “Yes” case, you see. So, as cartoonists will, he drew an editorial cartoon to promote it.
And got a short, sharp lesson in just how the “Voice” will almost certainly work in practice.
Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight drew a cartoon for the paper that showed Uluru hovering over Canberra’s Parliament House as politicians fled in different directions.
Nationals Party Leader David Littleproud was drawn at the forefront of the image with a speech bubble sarcastically saying, ‘We’re under attack!’
Definitely not one of his better efforts, for sure. But it was what happened next that ought to be an object lesson to Knight — and anyone else who blindly supported the “Voice” in the assumption that it won’t be a Frankenstein’s monster of racial separatism.
But just as the Melbourne publication published the cartoon, it was promptly hit with a letter from Parks Australia […]
‘To comply with the EPBC Act, media guidelines, ICIP (Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property) laws and show respect for Anangu land and culture, we ask that you remove any artwork breaching these conditions and showing Uluru.’
Needless to say, Knight was somewhat taken aback.
‘I’ve drawn Uluru for all my career as a cartoonist and I’ve never heard of this before. I didn’t know that, probably the greatest landmark of Australia, was copyrighted,’ he said.
Daily Mail
The paper refused to withdraw the cartoon, and the chancers quickly backed down. But how much more muscular does Knight think the cultural enforcers will be when they’ve got a Constitutionally-enshrined nulla-nulla in their hands?
Lest anyone doubt exactly how this will go, simply consider the case of the aptly-named Mount Warning. They’re not just changing its name — they’re locking everyone not of the “right” race out.
In June this year, the New South Wales ‘Liberal’ government announced plans to hand over control of all our NSW National Parks to Aboriginal Groups […]
‘Access to Wollumbin AP must be restricted and managed […] Public access is not culturally appropriate or culturally safe, Wollumbin AP should not be a recreational space for the public to visit or use for tourism (including use of the image of Wollumbin AP for advertising purposes) or any other purpose. Closure of the Wollumbin AP is sought immediately by the WCG’s Wollumbin Aboriginal stakeholders.’
Just to drive the apartheid agenda home, any non-Aborigine who dares “harm” the Mount-Formerly-Known-as-Warning (you know, by walking on it) will be fined up to $550,000. On the other hand, damaging a “Western Cultural place” attracts a maximum $4,400 fine.
Just like the remote huts being razed to the ground in New Zealand, ‘All existing infrastructure should be removed with the minimal amount of impact.’
To rub salt into the wound, whiteys aren’t even allowed to ask why they’re being locked out of part of their own country.
‘Culturally sensitive stories and cultural knowledge will not be shared with the public through interpretive signage, community education/awareness activities or in this management plan.’
It’s not just white folks being locked out, either. Even Aboriginal women are forbidden.
And don’t you think of even looking at this Aboriginal-men-only place.
The plan’s influence extends outside the park and provides for ‘removal of infrastructure’ on overlooking spurs and ridges that impacts the purported ‘cultural values’ […]
‘Development within the views and vistas of Wollumbin AP could affect intervisibility to important cultural sites. Impacts could include things like building on spurs and ridges. Further suburban development within the views and vistas of Wollumbin AP will impact on the aesthetics, connection to Country and the cultural landscape which are integral to the cultural values of Wollumbin AP. Removal of infrastructure will occur once the summit is closed in the future.’
Spectator Australia
And of course, they’ll still expect the white Australian taxpayer to pony up for it all.
No word yet on where they’ll install the Aborigines-only drinking fountains.
