A Night With The Fonz

11 October - More dealings with the HR side of life, return of my own management which has brought me back to reality - some afternoon strategising and stressing over things that happened before my time.  Well, had found myself with an invite to what could have proved to be a very interesting night - our gentleman Prime Minister had given very short notice that he'd be speaking at the Sydney Institute and that the topic was unannounced.  Thinking it might be a major scoop for Evil Melon i thought it would be something that just had to be seen (as it was, there was no election announcement so I was disappointed on that front).  After rolling up to the front entrance in jeans and a Skin Grows Back t-shirt i thought there might have been an issue with getting in but my name tag was there and there didn't seem to be a problem as long as i shelled out the tithe (are you media?  No, i'm NEW media ...) - well, he didn't fill the ballroom and whilst he didn't announce the election he did announce something that might be a key issue for what this next election is to be about.  The unfinished business of reconciliation with indigenous Australia - absolutely it's of national importance but i just don't think that this is the man who can bring it about. Whilst he did admit that he may have been somewhat wrong on the importance of the symbolic act of reconciliation he was still adamant that an apology should not be given (so much so that he couldn't even use the word lest someone might misquote him ... would i do such a thing?) and that he would not ever think of Australia as a country whose heritage we shouldn't be proud of.  I love my country.  I'm proud of my country.  I hate my country for some of the things that have been done in it's name.  These are not contradictions.  I also have to disagree with the proposal to recognise the idea that the Aborigines were the first people of this nation.  This is absolutely incorrect. The Aborigines were the first inhabitants of this land.  This nation, which was either founded in 1788 or 1900 (depending on which way you want to look at it), did not include Aborigines as people of this nation until 1962 (maybe 1948 if one had a very good lawyer).  In any event, for what it's worth if this thing ever does come to a referendum I think I'll vote for it.  I just hope that it's not this Prime Minister who's going to put it there. 
I can't believe I shook his hand ...