Tent embassy versus sandstone institution politics

The dichotomy of life styles of the protesters and academics, although patently obvious in career paths and material pursuits, is nevertheless similar in their long term aspirations and overall concern for the future well-being of the Indigenous community.

Whereas the protesters slept in tents in sleeping bags on moist grass, or on elevated foldout bed if lucky, the NIHEN delegates had comfortable to luxurious hotel accommodation. The protesters had a willing group of volunteers, VIC-ANTAR who provided catering (vegetarian stews, barbqued sausage sandwiches, tea, coffee, drinking water, fruit and vegetables) whilst NIHEN delegates were well looked after by outsourced caterers. And if the food wasn’t to their liking, they had their university issued credit card to satisfy their refined taste buds. Protesters walked, hitched or caught public transport while the NIHEN delegates had plastic cab charge cards at the ready in case of an emergency.

Over a cuppa around the camp fire protesters talked about the passion for their cause and how it has become more difficult in recent years to recruit long term campers. They said many of them were getting older and their ill health had become a major contributing factor to the long term maintenance of protest camp sites. However they expressed optimism that a younger and equally passionate generation of protesters would emerge and take over the fight.

Over a curry at a renowned Indian Restaurant in Fairfield the conversation from delegates at NIHEN ranged from the history of Spain (Roman presence, Visogothic Kingdom, Muslim Spain, The Reconquest) to Roman architecture and food. Many spoke of their children’s tertiary studies and their recent investment property acquisitions and a few expressed concerns about the rise in interest rates if there was a change in government.

No fire-in-the-belly type outrage of Indigenous disadvantage was presented for debate over red wine and imported beer during the butter chicken, lamb rogan josh, vegetable korma, basmati race pulao, nan tandoori bread and raita feast.

The issue of ATSIC’s demise was discussed at a meeting the following day, and concern raised by delegates at the alarming rate of Indigenous employees departing the public service. One Indigenous professor commented that he wasn’t the slightest bit surprised by the decline in Indigenous employees and observed that he had often ventured into ATSIC offices to see many Indigenous staff playing solitairre on their PCs during working hours. A nod of support from fellow delegates quickly changed the sombre mood of genuine empathy to one of “pick up your act or move on” standpoint on Indigenous work ethics: acknowledgement of competent Indigenous public servants was implicit in the dialogue.

The most pleasing aspects of the conference to me was hearing NIHEN delegates speak fondly about their Indigenous graduates who are now entering the workforce in improved numbers annually. In particular they spoke of those students who are graduating with specialist degrees in Medicine, Law, and Engineering and who insist on entering the workforce without the glare of media spotlights. Acknowledgement also of all undergraduate and postgraduate success stories by delegates painted a picture of optimism in the future leadership stakes.

So what lessons have I learnt from my visits to Melbourne’s Indigenous gatherings?

Indigenous protesters and their makeshift campsites may not be in vogue in 2006 but they are still a powerful tool to draw attention to, and address, Indigenous disadvantage in much the same way as their conservative black academic brothers and sisters, sitting in lofty positions in their sandstone institutions, are doing with their softly softly approach.