The Melbourne Museum did not keep its collection of aboriginal body parts secret - including a severed hand on prominent display. This was in living history, not the distant past.
BG–
You’re spot on about the 'freedom of speech", not in the Constitution and only available in a limited scope thru implication.
Re: Freedom of religion, you also right to note that the Constitution is explicit. Section 116 is as follows:
“The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.”
Arguably it limits the government from mandating an official faith or tradition but only as it applies to government services, funds or work. However, on its face I’m not sure that it’d apply to private contracts that don’t involve the Commonwealth. I’m certainly not an expert so It’s very much a tentative conclusion so you may be right but my gut instinct is that it’s a freedom of speech case.
Folau is also sailing pretty close to the wind with regard to the anti-vilification laws, which are state based, so it’s likely to be the NSW statute.
Fascinating to watch however and I, for one, am not sure how it will play out. Your observation about the freedom of religion aspect just adds another layer to it I reckon. Watch this space…
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They call it Blackbirding and it was our slavery.
You can watch this story here:
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Yes. Thank you for posting this. Not only does Australia have a dark past history which many know little about, the sooner we all know and accept that we as a country have a
hidden history, not unlike the history of the USA and the UK. Countries who openly used and abused the indigenous people in their care and in so many ways, still today, equality is paid lip service. Its much easier to talk the talk rather than walk the walk.
Saying sorry is not enough where’s the follow up?
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They could start with renaming the cities of Townesville & Mackay.
Both named after the worst of the Blackbirders, and it’s farking disgusting.
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It would be like calling Port Arthur, Bryantsbang
In fact, it would not be like that.
What if you thought of that name as one of the victims? then?
As usual, I’m saying a specific thing.
I’m not saying the name shouldn’t be changed.
I think there’s merit in that.
What I’m saying is that it’s not, in any possible way imaginable, like naming Port Arthur after Martin Bryant.
Martin Bryant wasn’t a pioneer. He did not mark or survey the land of Port Arthur.
And Mackay was not named after a Blackbirder.
The place was named three years Before Mackay went to sea.
Or the Belanglo Forest Milatania.
Again.
No.
Sounds cool, granted. But no.
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While I agree we should study history that is factually correct and I supported saying sorry, we also need to be very careful on the path we take.
There is NO SINGLE country in this world, or in history, which has not had a controversial history. It isn’t limited to white countries, it is world wide. The common factor is humans, regardless of race and creed. Indigenous Australians also have their own controversial history on how they treated each other.
So yes in our modern state we need to fully acknowledge the past and not keep it buried or papered over. Saying sorry was a very big deal, so we need to be careful we don’t down play that as well.
As for going further, what exactly is further? How do we move forward whilst looking back and learning?
For me, the first, and most important, start is education. Not condemnation, blame and attack but education.
I should learn all the great things the forefathers achieved and I should learn all the terrible things they perpetrated. I should celebrate all the wonderful legacies they created and I should condemn and rectify all the appalling things they enacted. I should be taught, and learn, the magnificent history of Indigenous Australians and I should mourn all the atrocities committed against them.
I should not be condemned for the past, but rather educated about it.
And, most importantly, I should teach my children and their children so that ALL Australians are celebrated equally and so that ALL Australians are treated fairly and equally without fear of racial, religious and lifestyle vilification.
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I get what you are saying but but Town was absolutely in a position of “name worthy” because of kidnapping and slavery.
If I were an islander person there I would wonder why he was worthy of naming a town after.
Fair enough.
I’m not actually familiar with Town, but I accept what you’re saying there.
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I also am easily agreeable when it comes to ridiculous ‘if you then, then you should also’ scenarios.
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It’s my favourite thing. Especially when people think it’s a serious suggestion
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It’s one of my least favourite things.
I’m all for education and acknowledgement of black history and white oppression.
Hyperbole and, whether in jest or not, misrepresentation of the facts are the antithesis of that.
The truth is enough.
It’s like me calling Lemons Wimmeras now ,… 
Why did you feel the need to say that?
Is that on topic?
Is that about Australia’s Black History?
Is your personal opinion of me really relevant or of interest to anyone?
To be fair, you did shoot down the suggestion based only on one example and ignored the other assuming it followed suit.
So you were a little fact free in your post also.