The referendum and The Voice

May-June has seen a lessening in support for the Yes vote for the referendum. It would seem that there is a great deal of negative misinformation being spread. There are technical legal questions about formulations. There is a surfacng or racist attitudes.

And for many Australians, especially in families who have migrated to Australia in recent decades, no personal acquaintance with First Nations people and still some unfamiliarity with the issues that the Uluru Statement has raised.

Chris McPhee with Senator Pat Dodson who shared years of his life with us

Our Provincial Chapter voted to affirm the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Pope Francis receives a copy of the Uluru Statement

One way of learning about and appreciating the issues is by spending 90 minutes to 2 hours watching an indigenous story, a visualising of Australia’s colonial past, in a film (‘one picture worth a thousand words…).

Many films are readily available to be watched at home, whenever we might like, thanks to Streaming, especially ABC iview, SBS on Demand, Netflix.

Here are some suggestions. Most of them received awards from the Australian Catholic Film Office. For more information, it is easy to Google each title.

Available free of charge on SBS on Demand:

Samson and Delilah – a story of two young people from contemporary Central Australia, Alice Springs, dramatizing recent headlines.

Sweet Country – the Northern Territory in the 1920s, the colonial past, police, racial prejudice and fight back.

High Ground – again, the Northern Territory, the past, missionaries, police and indigenous fight back.

The Australian Dream – the story of Adam Goodes, AFL, booing and prejudice.

For Netflix subscribers

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith - Thomas Kennealy’s classic novel of indigenous conflicts set in the period of Federation.

Storm Boy – a family film about a boy, a pelican and his aboriginal friend and guide.

Rabbit-Proof Fence – a story of the Stolen Generation, the severity of the overseers and institutions and some girls finding their way back home.

Black and White – the drama of Max Stuart charged with murder in Adelaide 1958 and his defence (including Fr Tom Dixon, MSC at the time, and his interventions)

The Tracker – an aboriginal tracker working for the police and his status, treatment, skills

Support Yes.