Many in the Aboriginal community make up the rules as they go along.
They claim 'historical customs' . . all a lot of hoowey. .  

Last year a far north community came to a grinding halt because a respected elder died and welfare workers were shocked to hear the locals say they were going to have 3 months off for a 'traditional mourning period'.  

What tradition??? . . 200 years ago they would have given the deceased a send off and got back to work and feeding themselves within a day or two . . or starve to death!!! . . since when did 3 months need to be had so they can laze around under the guise of 'mourning'. ??  

The funniest part is that when watching SBS there are references to shows that contain the images of deceased Aborigines advising that their 'brothers' can't look because of tradition.  If that is true . .why a mourning period of 3 months when you cannot even commiserate with family and say the dead persons name!!

The South Australian saga of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge where old men were caught out in a blatant lie about the area being sacred when it was not.  Millions of $$ wasted (into white lawyers pockets) and the drunk old blokes laughed their heads off at the foolishness of the trouble they had caused.

Quoted from blahNii

The South Australian saga of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge where old men were caught out in a blatant lie about the area being sacred when it was not.  Millions of $$ wasted (into white lawyers pockets) and the drunk old blokes laughed their heads off at the foolishness of the trouble they had caused.

I thought it was secret womens business. I thought the bridge couldnt go ahead because it looked like a womans reproductive organs or something like that. The mind boggles.

Not long ago my daughter drove to a festival held near Toowoomba. She left after her work at the markets on a Saturday driving straight down from the sunny coast. The trip should of taken 3-4 hours. It took closer to 6 because she got lost in a strange place in the dark. She went down a couple of dirt tracks but turned around feeling she was taking the wrong one. When she eventually arrived and her friends greeted her she told them of her adventure getting there. They asked which roads she had taken and when she told them they said just as well she didn't have a male in the car with her (she was alone) as one of the tracks she took was sacred to the aboriginals and only women could go down it (Secret Women's Business)! I wonder if a male did accidentally go down one of those roads would he be cursed? Would the aboriginals know? Anyhoo... I thought the Hindmarsh Bridge debacle was to do with 'secret women's business' also!

Just to add. I admire greatly people like Stan Grant, Ernie Dingo (much beloved), Troy Cassar Daley, and many many more too numerous to remember or name, who are of Aboriginal Heritage who have become such prominent and contributing citizens of and for, Australia. I went to school with several outstanding indigenous people who made great careers for themselves and whose names became well known throughout Australia. They did not see their heritage as a stumbling block but an opportunity. So many indigenous people feel 'entitled' and sit on the haunches waiting for the Government to give them their due.

Quoted from The_Pragmatic_One

I thought it was secret womens business. I thought the bridge couldnt go ahead because it looked like a womans reproductive organs or something like that. The mind boggles.

That was the funny part . .  the mouth of the Murray has been changing forever and there was no evidence at all the the 'Secret Womens Business'  ever existed.
How could such a supposedly simple people (without aircraft) have known what the river looked like ???  

It matters not now anyway . . the men who concocted the story hiccuped off into the sunset looking for the next Jack Daniels fix . . and the local women still are embarrased by the mess today.      
The poor(er) taxpayers of SA were not too impressed either.  

Yes, there are many Australians who expect handouts from the community via the governments, and among these are many millions of Anglos – bludging on society is not exclusively ethnic based.  I could give you some horrific Anglo stories of how “carers” are rorting the system while their charges are left unattended and living in 3rd World conditions.  Should I deduct than from this that the majority of Anglos are heartless bludgers.

I could easily, and justifiably, say that many Anglo people "feel 'entitled' and sit on the haunches waiting for the Government to give them their due", but this proves nothing except that when it comes to exploiting the generosity of the Australian community, everyone’s into it.

Oh, and I also admire greatly people like Kay McGrath, Claudia Carven (much beloved), Slim Dusty, and many many more too numerous to remember or name, who are of Anglo heritage - But what does this mean, I’m perplexed.

Quoted from blahNii

there was no evidence at all the the 'Secret Womens Business'  ever existed.

The poor(er) taxpayers of SA were not too impressed either.  

I suspect there was some skulduggery here on part of the anti-development lobby.

Quoted from tramp

. . . .  there was some skull-duggery here  . . . .  

If only there had been some skulls dug!!    . . then their 'heritage' claim would have been valid.  

Finally, someone with wit ...very clever.

Quoted from SuziH

I admire greatly people like Stan Grant, Ernie Dingo (much beloved), Troy Cassar Daley, and many many more too numerous to remember or name, who are of Aboriginal Heritage who have become such prominent and contributing citizens of and for, Australia. I went to school with several outstanding indigenous people who made great careers for themselves and whose names became well known throughout Australia. They did not see their heritage as a stumbling block but an opportunity. So many indigenous people feel 'entitled' and sit on the haunches waiting for the Government to give them their due.

What I have highlighted in bold print answers your question "But what does this mean, I'm perplexed."
That is the point I was making, tramp. They didn't just sit and wait for good fortune to land in their laps they chose to use their heritage and make a name for themselves in their chosen fields, excelling in that field 99% of the time. You are just being obnoxious if you don't get what I meant!

Many Anglos don't wait and sit for good fortune and many have become prominent, so what's your point?

Does it make it more specials if Aboriginals do it?

Quoted from tramp

. . . . . Does it make it more specials if Aboriginals do it?

Yeh! . . it sort of does . . . considering the history of aboriginal people and the huge changes in culture they have been forced into making.
White Fella arrived with machines. . fancy boats . . steel weaponry  to a country of nomadic subsistance tribal people with no defence against the onslaught.
Death of many natives and 'The Stolen Generation' are very big hurdles to overcome.
When some do rise through the ranks to be the best in their field of endeavour they deserve the recognition.
So many did not have generataions of 'Formal Education' so started from a place of total nothingness. It has taken generations to overcome that.  

Don't the aboriginals get handouts because of white people treating them badly ages and ages ago?
:S

Blahnii, if their achievements deserve special recognition because of their circumstances, does it not then follow that these same circumstances should be considered when providing welfare and that these welfare payments are based on needs and not race.

Quoted from dara

Don't the aboriginals get handouts because of white people treating them badly ages and ages ago?
:S

No.  Compensation is a totally different issue of which there are presently claims in the court in regard to pay and other matters.

Quoted from tramp

Blahnii, if their achievements deserve special recognition because of their circumstances, does it not then follow that these same circumstances should be considered when providing welfare and that these welfare payments are based on needs and not race.

The point is now moot.

There is going to be such social upheaval when the IR laws, rental crisis, global warming droughts, and Interest rates hikes all hit . . this year . . that benefits to Aboriginal people will be the last thing on peoples minds.
The 'Whammy' is coming . . .   . . and with Big Business calming us with those famous comforting words . " The Bottom Line Looks Great'!! . . we will all be able to sleep well at night   . . for many it will be under a bridge . . but who cares?? . . <sarcazm>