The first Aboriginal MP
Witness History
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 29 May 2024
⏱️ 11 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
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.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(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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