Whenever the topic of politics comes up in a discussion, whether it be in class or with friends, I’m usually the first person to change the subject or walk away. Politics is an area of discussion in which I have little knowledge about, nor do I really care to know much on the topic.

However, after scrolling through my Facebook Newsfeed this morning, I was shocked to see an article claiming Tony Abbott had said that living in Indigenous communities (rurally) was a “lifestyle choice”. This is arguably the most outrageous and ignorant statement that Abbott has ever made. Having previously lived remotely in a small country town in South Australia, I know, and am friends with, several families of Indigenous background. Indigenous Australians often are at the receiving end of many racial comments and this statement by our Prime Minister was absolutely appalling. The area where I was from was the local land of the Ngarrindjeri Tribe, a group of Indigenous people who lived in the Lower Murray areas. These people do not have a choice to live here, it is their land which has been occupied from elders before them. Living where these people live now is a part of their culture, their heritage and their rights; for Mr Abbott to argue that it is a “lifestyle choice” is being extremely disrespectful. Several years ago, these people were thrown out of towns and cities, now Abbott wants them to come back because it is cheaper for the “tax payer”. I don’t agree that they should come back if they don’t want to, they’ll most likely be treated as 3rd class citizens and be, yet again, disrespected.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts. Having read over the article many times I feel as though the journalist, Emma Griffiths, has successfully raised many really intriguing and good points.

ARTICLE: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-11/abbott-defends-indigenous-communities-lifestyle-choice/6300218