From: Brian McDermott <bmcdermott@health.adelaide.edu.au>
Subject: the Untold Story - a great success
Just a brief update on the public meeting last night.(ie 20 Nov -
R)
The estimate is that 600-800 people came to the hear the Untold
Story last night. It looked very impressive. The meeting was held
in the Maughan church in the centre of Adelaide and people were
packed in and flowing out the doors. It was an almost entirely
supportive crowd, with several of the speakers being given
standing ovations.
In the end the speakers were Marcia Langton, Terry O'Shane, Ruby
Hunter and a non-Aboriginal woman from Sydney, whose name escapes
me. She was a very last minute inclusion for other speakers who
were unable to attend. Phillip Adams was the MC. That certain
publicised speakers did not attend was no detraction from the
night. It showed that there are many who can speak powerfully
about the issue.
Tremendous energy has been derived from this event and people
have great hopes for what might come from the "long walk"
beginning next monday (25 Nov). even at this late stage, with
special legislation about to be put to the federal parliament
exempting the building of the bridge to kumarangk from any
protecting legislation, there is hope that sense and respect will
prevail and the bridge won't be built.
if anyone wants to pass on messages of solidarity for this event
you can email them to me or send them to:
the Long Walk Organisers
c/o the Conservation Center
120 Wakefield Street
Adelaide SA 5000
i'm sure they will be appreciated by those who are going to make
the long walk.
see you then...
Brian McDermott
[Dept of Community Medicine
University of Adelaide]