The Bennelong Society is dedicated to acting for Indigenous interests

Mainstream media continues to advocate teaching in Aboriginal language. I found the only topic on the agenda when I first met Arnhem Land Elders in 1996 was their desire for their children to learn English so they could read and write in order to communicate with the outside world and get jobs.

I could go on.

Geoffrey Partington has prepared a Paper entitled, "The Origins of the Bennelong Society" and this is available to you today.

The foreword is written by Professor Geoffrey Blainey.

The Society was formed as a result of a Workshop held in December last year in Melbourne which was attended by many people experienced in this field.

Father John Leary, Reverend Steve Etherington and Pastor Paul Albrecht as well as Peter Howson and Helen McLaughlin made notable contributions, as did many others such as John Reeves and Gary Johns. Others such as Brother John Pye have provided further information.

The Bennelong Society aims to:

1. Promote examination and analysis of government policy with respect to Aboriginal affairs.
2. Influence public opinion so that prospects for amelioration of the present appalling plight of many contemporary Aboriginal people is improved.
3. Hold conferences from time to time and establish and maintain a website on which the proceedings of these conferences, together with other materials, can be published.

It may well be that at times this material will be controversial but surely in the interest of arriving at the truth it is essential that it be considered.

Demonising of dissent from conformity should have no place in a liberal democracy.

Why Bennelong?

He was the first Aboriginal to communicate with the white occupiers of his country and he became an important link between his people and the convict colony of New South Wales from 1789 until his premature death on 3 January 1813.