We are living in an economic boom where I live. Things we chose not to address now as a society will only be due to our lack of collective political will. No where is this more apparent than when I recently visited one of our states mining towns. I could almost feel the money leaving the town. There were seventeen year olds with 40,000 dollar cars and people flying in and out of the town earning six figure salaries. There is also a large Aboriginal population, one older man I saw was walking bare foot with a wooden leg that I couldn’t imagine any white person considering acceptable (It looked like something that might be given to a Pirates of the Caribbean extra). Every time I see older members of our Aboriginal population in this sort of condition I can't help but imagine the pain of being a generation raised without parents. I can still remember the pride of one Aboriginal woman I met who said she knew who her grandparents were. Something I took for granted but something that was the exception to the rule for her. I am amazed that as much Aboriginal culture has been passed on as has. I also visited this town the day Kevin Rudd apologised to the stolen generation. It felt strange to feel elated about this step one visit and saddened by the harsh reality of what so many have to live with.
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