Dear Editor,

I recently read an article by Andrew Liveris in The Australian (October 23) titled ‘Don’t be afraid to find your voice’.

After reading his statement that “our Indigenous people are living in horrid conditions – all you have to do is go to some of the missions to see that”, I thought I’d find my voice.

That statement is simply rubbish.

The era of the missions finished nearly 50 years ago so you won’t find any. They are now communities run by local or regional governments.

I worked on two missions in the 1970s.

Daly River people were then building their own brick houses made from bricks they made themselves. These houses are still standing today.

At Bathurst Island the Catholic Church purchased many ATCO transportable houses to improve housing on the island when previously most people lived in huts. The last of those houses was demolished a few years ago. Many more houses have since been built.

At both communities there was full employment until Prime Minister Gough Whitlam introduced unemployment benefits.

The introduction of the welfare state has been the biggest disaster for Aboriginal people. There is much more I could write but the real stories are never written nor the difficulties for all governments to provide enough public houses for everyone. Mr Liveris’ populist view about missions as often seen in the media reinforces a view about missions that is simply wrong and ignorant.

Regards,

Gerry Wood, Howard Springs

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