The first Aboriginal MP

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners - this programme contains the names and voices of people who have died.

In 1971, Neville Bonner became the first Aboriginal person to become a member of the Australian Parliament.

In 1979, he was named Australian of the Year in recognition of his work fighting for the rights of indigenous Australians - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

His great niece Joanna Lindgren shares her memories of 'Uncle Neville' with Vicky Farncombe.

"He was gentle, he was a terrific listener. It didn't matter that you were 13 years old, you never felt that he was not interested in what you had to say," she says.

(Photo: Old Parliament House, in Canberra. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix,
0:06.0	the Science of Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. You're listening to the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service with me
0:40.4	Vicky Farncombe. I'm taking you back more than 50 years
0:44.4	to when Australia's first Aboriginal Member of Parliament
0:47.8	was sworn in.
0:49.0	A warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners, this program contains the names and voices of people who have died.
0:59.0	It's August 1971 and Neville Bonner is about to take his place in the Australian Senate.
1:05.0	Sitting in the gallery are his fiance Heather, his soon to be stepdaughter Robin and two
1:10.6	Aboriginal women. The custom in Australia is for new politicians to be hauled up before the president by two party colleagues.
1:19.0	As he's being put up, Neville looks up and around the galleries and feels the presence of his ancestors.
1:25.4	He hears voices, including that of his late grandfather, saying,
1:29.6	It's all right.
1:30.9	You are finally in the Council of the Australian Elders. Everything now is going to be all right.
1:36.4	My greatest memory of him is campaigning in his white yute and seeing him speak on his loud haler through the streets of
1:44.8	vip switch and country music playing in the background usually you know Slim Dusty or
1:49.4	somebody famous some famous Australian who was a country singer. He'd usually have a cigarette in the left
1:55.1	hand while he was driving and on the right hand he'd have his microphone and it would go
	...

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