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☆ Colonization Was the ‘Luckiest Thing’ to Happen to Australia, Ex-Leader Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Natasha Frost | More About Natasha Frost | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A former prime minister of Australia has stirred a storm of outrage by describing colonization as “the luckiest thing that happened to this country” and praising Britain for being a better overlord than other nations ahead of a contentious referendum on Aboriginal representation in the country. “I do hold the view that the luckiest thing that happened to this country was being colonized by the British,” the former prime minister, John Howard, 84, told The Australian newspaper in an interview this week. “Not that they were perfect by any means, but they were infinitely more successful and beneficent colonizers than other European countries.”Mr. Howard’s remarks were denounced on social media, with some people calling him “ignorant,” “racist” and “evil.”Australia is no longer a British colony, even as it retains King Charles III as its head of state, and Aboriginal Australians continue to face the harrowing effects of colonialism, including significant hardship and discrimination.

Persons: John Howard, Mr, Howard’s, King Charles III Organizations: Australian, Aboriginal Australians Locations: Australia, Britain, British

"I think most of the world is watching," Megan Davis, constitutional lawyer and Aboriginal woman who is leading the campaign for the change, told Reuters in an interview. A successful referendum will set a precedent that will be "really useful for other indigenous populations around the world in relation to recognition," Davis said. While a majority of Indigenous Australians back the change, support has been wavering at a national level, according to recent opinion polls. In the past there have been 44 proposals for constitutional change in 19 referendums, and only eight of these have passed. Pat Anderson, another Indigenous woman and campaign leader said this was the best political space Aboriginal Australians have been in since their struggle started over 200 years ago.

Persons: Megan Davis, Davis, Pat Anderson, Anderson, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Reuters, First Nations, Nations, UN, United, Indigenous Peoples, Australia's, Thomson Locations: Australia, Torres, Scandinavia, British, Australia's, Canada, New Zealand, United States

☆ Australia’s popular Fraser Island has reverted to its traditional name of K’gari
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The world’s largest sand island is now officially known by its traditional name, K’gari, the government of the Australian state of Queensland announced Wednesday. The name change formally recognizes the connection of the indigenous Butchulla people to the UNESCO World Heritage site on Australia’s east coast. “In our creation stories, our stories handed down by generations, it has always been K’gari and always will be,” Gayle Minniecon, chairperson of Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, said in a press release. It’s what we call home,” Joyce Bonner, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation Language and Cultural coordinator, said in a statement ahead of the reinstatement. K’gari means “paradise” in the Butchulla language and is pronounced “GUR-rie” or “Gurri,” according to the Queensland government.

Persons: CNN —, ” Gayle Minniecon, “, ” Joyce Bonner, GUR, rie ”, Reuben Nutt, K’gari, ”, Patricia O’Callaghan Organizations: CNN, Queensland, UNESCO, Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal Corporation, Butchulla, Tourism, “ Locations: “, Queensland, Fraser

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