... acknowledgement of the past, and any subsequent apology or amends, as being diversive. Assimilist philosophy reeks of the enforced integration policies of the past. There are many still alive today who remember Dr Cecil Cook, Northern Territory Chief Protector of Aborigines from 1927 to 1939, say, "The problem of our half-castes will quickly be eliminated by the complete disappearance of the black race, and the swift submergence of their progeny in the white." (SMH, 04/04/00) Such components of Howardism are so offensive to Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians that the Prime Minister's possibly genuine desires for "practical reconciliation" (Neill, 2002) are intrinsically flawed and will fail. Reconciliation Australia, (the former Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation) defines reconciliation as "a united Australia which respects this land of ours, values the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and provides justice and equity for all". (www.rec, 2000) Native title, as a physical manifestation of ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now