Aboriginal activist rejects award nomination

29.10.13

Aboriginal activist rejects award nomination: [news.ninemsn.com.au] He said Australia Day was an inappropriate celebration as it ignored these massacres. While he understood the move would attract negative reactions from some parts of the community, Mr Mansell believed he had to stand up for what he believed in.
"I think it's important that when something isn't right, that people speak up about it," he told the Herald.
Mr Mansell hit out at other Aboriginal people who had accepted Australia Day awards, but said there may be a time in the future where it would be acceptable to receive such an honour.
"There may come a time when it is legitimate for Aborigines to accept these nominations: when a treaty has been made between Aborigines and Australia to include land, an Aboriginal Assembly and eight seats in the 150-strong Federal Parliament."